Talk to your children about finances, credit cards and fiscal responsibility
Traveling provides me with the opportunity to meet unique and interesting people. I met such a person this past week at the PGA Expo in Las Vegas. His name was Howie Walfish and he is on a mission.
Saving the youth
Howie is involved in sports marketing and entertainment. And he is entertaining, but he is also passionate about helping the youth of today avoid a lifetime of grief by becoming financially aware. His premise (and it is an excellent one) is: no one teaches us anything to prepare us for how to handle our financial affairs once we become adults. We learn:
- science
- english
- math
- social studies
- foreign languages
- government studies
- western civilizations
…but we do not learn financial preparedness before we are tossed (or willingly jump) into our early adult lives. The results have been disastrous and are demonstrated by:
- escalating credit card debt
- increasing bankruptcies
- people trapped in poverty or near poverty living conditions
Through his own life experiences, Howie has developed a unique outlook on how to help the youth – teach them about finances before they are exposed to the ruthless onslaught of credit card companies and sucked into a lifetime of debt.
Howie is a stand up comedian and wants to speak to the youth of America. Visit his site and see if he can help someone you know.
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Overcome your early childhood programming to unleash your greatness
You are:
- too little
- too big
- too slow
- too shy
- not good in (please insert the trait you have heard most often in your life)
- never going to amount to anything
- a failure
- holding me back
These thoughts and many more are impressed upon our defenseless but highly receptive minds from an early age by otherwise loving and influential people, namely – parents, siblings, teachers, coaches, organization leaders, members of the clergy and others.
Programming damages
This programming results in an inestimable reduction in the effectiveness of our lives because often we never even attempt things that may contradict what we’ve been told directly or what we’ve heard indirectly.
- If you are so slow, then why go out for sports?
- If you aren’t strong in math, then why attempt to major in engineering?
It’s a huge lie
The sad part of this situation is that most of this programming is a lie. However, because we’ve heard it so often and from such a very young age, that we assume that it must be true. Therefore, this limiting propaganda becomes true for us because we believe it to be true.
Remedies
1. Challenge your long-held beliefs about yourself.
Do these limiting beliefs stand up to intense scrutiny? Are there any instances in your lifetime when you have proved them to be wrong?
I have a friend who was supposed to be just “another athletically talented jock”. He began to be recruited by colleges for an athletic scholarship so it was decided that he should take the SAT. He had not been expected to do well in school and did nothing beyond the average, scholastically. To everyone’s amazement (as well as his own) he scored a perfect 800 on the math part of his SAT’s!
I did not know him then, but I can’t imagine how anyone could have missed his brilliance and creativity.
If you have ever done anything to prove any of your programming about yourself to be wrong – even if it is only one time, then those beliefs are misconceptions and they no longer have the power to diminish your capabilities.
2. Approach those people who have tagged you with your self-limiting beliefs.
Ask your parents, coaches or relatives what motivated them to label you with whatever misconception it is that is holding you back. You may be surprised by how ridiculous the answers are.
3. Examine yourself.
Listen to your inner voice. Use your natural curiosity to examine your beliefs about yourself. What do you really believe about yourself? Are you really shy or is that just what you’ve heard all your life?
Often we feel an unnatural conflict that results from how we feel about ourselves and what we’ve been taught. Listen to yourself.
4. Educate yourself.
This article is a start, but do some more research. Find out how the teachings that are impressed (over & over) on you from a very early age can affect the rest of your life. Armed with an understanding of the issue, you will be motivated to throw off the useless dead weight of falsely held beliefs that have been hindering your true self.
5. Motivate yourself.
Motivation is like a fire – you’ve go to keep pouring the fuel to the fire to keep it roaring. Hopefully, I’ve stirred a passion within you, that on an instinctive level knows that you are capable of great things. Give your instincts a little free-rein and see where it takes you.
Two easy ways to invest in a profitable future
We’ve all heard our mothers, fathers, uncles, aunts, grandparents and others lament, “If I’d just bought that IBM (insert their popular choice) stock when it was $2.00/share, we’d all be worth millions today.” Well, there are stocks available today that will be the IBM’s of tomorrow, however the same problem exists today that existed for your grandfather. How do you determine which stocks will perform best over time?
In order to determine which stock will be a great investment you must invest in learning about the future potential of your stock candidates. This is not an article about “how to pick a great performing stock”. But it is an article about investments. So here are a couple of great investment tips.
1. Invest in your education
I can hear all the back buttons clicking right now. I know, no one has the time or money to return to college. I’m not saying that you must return to college or that you even need to. What I am saying is, “your success in whatever you attempt is based on your competency and not your diploma.”
True education is measured by how well you think.
- Are you able to look at a project or concept and see the potential? Can you weigh the upside vs. the downside? What problems can you foresee? Is your mind already formulating options? I have a friend who is a master industrial electrician. When he gets called to a breakdown, he begins running through a mental checklist of potential causes and their effects, before he ever gets to the job. He usually has the issue repaired in his mind before he even touches the machine. He has great vision and his analytical ability is excellent, far above most people. However, he does not have a four-year degree. This does not and has not handicapped him. In fact he is currently involved in a project with me that has tremendous financial potential and I am honored that he chose to be involved in our venture.
- Do you recognize opportunity? I am sure that if your grandparents had recognized the true value and knew for a fact that IBM stock would be a continual blue-chipper, then they would have found the money to purchase as much stock as possible. The ability to recognize an opportunity can be cultivated and increased. As you expose yourself to more (through learning) you become aware of more opportunities. If you had asked me six months ago about a blog, I would have asked you what you were talking about. I knew what one was, but I did not envision myself writing or participating in one. In fact, I did not see how I would even need to. I now realize that need is not the issue, it is more a desire to be heard and understood. The point is that exposure to a new idea or concept leads to ways to use or leverage those ideas and concepts.
- Can you spot the flaws or downside? Most people can, but a select can look at a project or idea and seeing the problems, design, devise and develop solutions for the issues at hand. These select few can then take these solutions and implement them, creating a profitable situation.
- Are you a great planner? Some people are natural coordinators. They can take the idea for a situation or event and in their minds eye, see how to make it workable for all involved. Think wedding planners. Think event planners. Think of any person, who has brought together a group of people for the purpose of attaining a goal. Egos are difficult to work with, but these planners “make it happen”. I don’t think they teach this talent in college. Do you have it?
- Can you find the answers? Henry Ford said that he did not need to know trivial details, he had people who worked for him that could find out anything that he needed to know. By the way, Henry Ford’s formal education ended in grammar school. Your mind should not be a warehouse of facts, but an organ of active thinking.
It is your ability to think that determines your level of competency. Anything that improves or increases your thinking ability is education. Invest in your future by developing your most important tool, your mind.
2. Invest in Idea Starters
Idea starters feed and nourish your mind. They give you constructive material to think and ponder on.
- Read books on areas that interest you. Read books that stimulate your thinking. A good novel is O.K. now and then, but they seldom inspire increased thinking capacity. Self-help, self-growth, business, science, technology and trends are all categories of books that can and will stimulate your abilities.
- Listen to audio books. Form a co-op group where everyone in the group purchases an audio book, listens to it then trades it to someone else in the group. The amount of time that you spend in your automobile is staggering. Use this time to your advantage. Think of it as your university on wheels. The wealth of information available in audio format is tremendous.
- Magazines are a fantastic source of what is currently on the cutting edge. Find out how the current movers and shakers are changing our world. Profound thought thrives on profound input. Topical reading might provoke you to have a world-altering idea.
- Explore new web sites and blogs. I stumbled across “The Art of the Start” by Guy Kawaski recently and it really stirred my passion. As you must know, the internet is the great information universe. You are only limited by the amount of time you can connect and the speed of your connection. New thoughts and ideas are being created and discussed by the millions right now.
- Form a Mastermind group. This idea was first espoused by Andrew Carnegie, recorded by Napolean Hill and adopted by nearly every successful person since. Basically, you get a group of people together for regular meetings to discuss ideas of interest. Ideally, the more successful the group members, the better your group and results will be. These are no-holds-barred meetings meant to discuss the proliferation and implementation of the ideas of the group’s members.
An investment in your education is an investment in your future. Don’t assume that there are no avenues available for you to increase your thinking capacity. I’ve listed several and most are free. Take advantage, start today.
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Two keys to continual personal growth and development
It takes the average person between sixteen and twenty-five years to reach their full physical stature. Yes, some people do grow that long. All along the way, we are continually looking forward to the day when we are “all grown up.”
Our bodies reach a condition of full growth due to the programming of our DNA. Beyond this, we can do a little (develop our muscles or eat too much) to enhance our physical state.
Our minds are a different story. The growth and development of our minds does not have to stop. Sadly, many don’t understand or care that having continual growth requires their active participation. I’ve heard people brag, “I can’t even remember the last book that I read.” What a shame when you consider that this is a self-defeating and self-limiting philosophy.
You are paid for what you know
Each year, at their annual wage reviews, people automatically expect to have their pay rate increased. How do you justify this expectation?
- What new skills or knowledge have you acquired since the your last review to justify your expectation of a pay increase?
- Do you realize that as technology advances, your knowledge-base becomes obsolete? In other words, it makes very little difference how many machines that you can operate or repair, if those machines have been replaced with new technology.
- At the very least, you must learn at a pace that keeps up with the technology of your field.
People are shocked
Many people are shocked that I would endorse this idea, but that’s how business works. It’s all about costs and profitability. Dollars, dollars, dollars – it’s a “what have you done for me lately” world. In fact a better question might be directed at you and ask, “Why should you get to keep your job at your current pay rate, when a fresh graduate can be trained to do your job for less money?”
Yes, I did go there – but only to make a point. It is in your best interest to pursue an active program of intellectual growth and development. You literally “cannot afford” to stagnate in today’s rapidly escalating age of technological advancements. If you don’t get busy, then you will be left behind – just like the dinosaurs, your career will soon be extinct.
Two keys to continual growth and development
1. Challenge yourself – ultimately, it’s up to you. No one is going to make you do anything – but you can bet the “new” guy is doing all he/she can to advance and you are in his/her way. Don’t make it easy for your company to replace you.
- Find out what areas you are expected to be proficient in.
- Find out what areas of knowledge are most needed ( whether this is your field or not – it’s called diversification or insurance )
- Find out how and where you can acquire additional training. Many companies offer a host of options.
- Many companies will subsidize your training and continued education, especially if they can see a direct relationship to your current job or possible future responsibilities.
- Volunteer for more responsibility. This will put the “monkey on your back” to have to acquire additional skills.
2. Never allow yourself to become satisfied with your current state.
- If you’re not growing then you are dying.
- Someone is looking to get a piece of your pie. You may have been the best in the past, but today is a new day (and a new opportunity). If you slack up in your performance, then some new, young, gung-ho, “I’m climbing to the top” over-achiever will be glad to add your responsibilities to his. You are just an obstacle on his way to the top, and when you slow down – he’ll catch you.
- Try to relate to a professional athlete. Once you reach the top, you can’t rest because there is a fresh crop of new guys every year. Stay on top of your game – Make Growth and Development a Priority.
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Expand your mind and fulfil your destiny
Our mind controls our body. Everyone knows this. Our mind also controls our future. Fewer people will acknowledge this, but the extent to which you develop and use your mind will determine your destiny.
If it is your desire to attain a new job or position, you must develop the skills necessary to perform this new initiative. This requires that we use our minds to access and accumulate information that can be translated into knowledge. How can we do this?
- Return to school. This option is not viable for everyone because of family, financial obligations, logistics and time issues, but it is a very good way to extend your current skill level as well as develop the needed new skills. Many universities offer nighttime classes and some offer mini semesters of condensed material during summer. Check into the options that may be available to you.
- Let school come to you. Online learning has become accepted and is widely available. This may help you with your family obligations and logistics, but the dedication of your time and the expense will not go away. However, there is a web site that does offer free access. Free-ed.net offers an extensive list of courses that may help you increase your knowledge base and prepare you for a step up the career ladder or develop new skills to take you in an entirely new direction. If course accreditation is required, then this site may not help. Otherwise, this option is worth a look!
- Read. Though it is an old-fashioned method, it works and can be cost effective if you don’t mind shopping for used books. Used book stores, flea markets, second hand shops - the options are endless and cheap. If you have the ability to discipline yourself to devoting a specified amount of uninterrupted time to daily reading then the results will truly amaze you. By reading one hour each day, you will have read more in one year and devoted more time to study than is required for 2 or 3 college courses. Give it a try.
- Listen. Not as cheap, but really convenient. Listen to self-help / personal-growth cds in your car while driving or on your mp3 player while doing manual tasks. The number of books available in audio form is mind-boggling. Most of the time, these audio books are entertaining and easy to listen to. Plus, you can listen to them over and over. A really good option for people who don’t enjoy reading.
- Find a mentor. There are many people who are willing to devote their time in your quest for knowledge. Find someone that has the skills you desire or has attained the success level that you desire and ask them to help you. You will be giving a compliment to that person by asking and most of the time that is all it takes. Ask, you shall receive. But if they say, “no”, you haven’t lost anything. Go to the next person who could help you. Helpful hint: If you know someone who is retired, ask them, but prepare to be astounded by their accumulated knowledge.
Expanding your mind is not hard but it does take discipline and dedication. The following are some things that can hinder you.
- Television. Brain candy. This is your mind on mush. As a society, we waste huge amounts of time sitting, eating and drooling ourselves into oblivion. Get out from in front of the TV so you are not living life vicariously. At least cut back on TV. You can free up a lot of learning time here.
- Sleep. Do you really need to sleep late just because you have a day off? Can you get up a half hour earlier? Try it. You’ll be amazed by how much you get accomplished.
- Socializing. Look at the people with whom you are spending time socializing. Do you look up to any of them? Do you wish to have their level of success? Probably not. You do become like the people you congregate with. It’s a fact, so start “rubbing elbows” with the people that you admire.
Expand your mind and expand your possibilities. You can and do control your destiny.
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