To continue with the theme from the previous post, you HAVE to get yourself involved in personal development and training.  I picked up a copy of Robert Kiyosaki's "Increase Your Financial IQ"  I've always like the whole Rich Dad series of books.  I've been waiting for the next release, and so far, about half way through the book, I've got to say, this is a must read.  Go out and spend the $15 or so dollars for this book.   This book is simply about this:

We all face problems and challenges in our lives and businesses.  Some people avoid the problem or let the problem beat them.  However, working through the problem and solving it increases your knowledge and intelligence.  The wealthy and financially free are simply people who have learned to solve more problems.  It's not that they are problem free.  They just have figured out and put solutions in place to overcome problems. 

Problems can be anything - taxes, medical bills, pay cuts, not enough pay, gas price increases. kids growing up, etc.  These are pretty much all problems that everyone faces to one degree or another.  There are solutions to those problems.

Kiyosaki goes on to give 5 areas that we need to increase our Financial IQ:

1. Making More Money
2. Protecting Your Money
3. Budgeting Your Money
4. Leveraging Your Money
5. Improving Your Financial Information

Anyway, this is another great chance to educate yourself and invest in your personal development.  I imagine for most people, if they spent $500 this year on personal developement (whether books, DVDs, seminars, etc.), it would be $500 more than they have spent the last 10 years on themselves.

Now, it's not just about money.  It's just this blog post is about money.

If you think about it, every job, from flipping burgers at McDonalds to performing open heart surgery requires training.  Some more than others… but you must learn and train. 

Take for example you have a job at Lowes.  You first work as an associate in a particular department.  You learn customer service skills, stocking shelves in the right place and with the right safety issues.  Then, one day your boss wants to train you on a fork lift to get some of the heavier items.  More safety training and other issues.  Then you get training on unloading trucks.  Then you get training on certain management skills, then… etc., etc.

If you want to progress in your home business, you must commit to training.  When you stop training, you stop growing.  It's like the Lowes employee who only wants to drive the fork lift, but never wants to move to management.  Here's the deal - if you want to have success in your home business, then you must be proactive in pursuing training.  It all goes back to basic principles of thinking and being a business owner, not an employee.

For example, we get many people who buy leads for their MLM business.  They want to either do email marketing or they want to get some phone leads.  It seems obvious that all you need to do is pick up the phone and call, talk, and enroll.  If that's your attitude, you aren't going to last long.  Here's what I recommend you need training for:

1. Using MLM Leads - find a good trainer.  I highly recommend using Dani Johnson.  She's the best and I can't see how you'd go wrong.
2. Running a Home Business - what about all the tax benefits, setting up a corporation, reporting, etc.  I recommend Home Business Tax Savings
3. Specific Company Training - get involved in the training programs of your company.
4. Thinking like an Entrepreneur - Go spend $200 and get Rich Dad's Cash Flow 101 board game.

Of course there's other types of training (i.e. Search engine marketing - become a dominant player in the search engines - I recommend Brad Callen's ebook on SEO, or attending public speaking classes).  But, you need to find out what is going to make you successful, and get off your butt and go do it.

My personal opinion is to lose your pride and misguided attitude that you have it all figured out, and that this type of training is for the simple and weak.  Lead by example and continue to seek out higher and higher levels of training.

Two posts in a row here about the Dallas Stars and the Stanley Cup playoffs… but I was at game 6 to watch the Stars beat the Ducks last night, eliminating the Ducks and moving on to round 2.  You talk about exciting!  I don't think I've ever been in an arena that was more intense, electric, loud, and fun.  The place was hoppin!

When Robida scored in the 3rd period, followed up 52 seconds later by Barnes scoring, I thought the place was coming down.  And then, to win it in front of your home crowd… the place was nuts.

I bought tickets last night for two reasons… and hestitant to buy them for one reason.  You hate to see your team lose.  When they're all laying it on the line, I didn't want to see that.  But, I wanted to buy them because if they won… then I'd get to experience what I did experience.  And, the second reason is for one of the greatest moments in all of sports - after each team has just hit each other and competed so fiercly game after game, when it is all done, to get in a line and shake hands, congratulating the other team.  There's nothing else like it.

I'm still blown away as to why more people aren't into hockey.  It sure beats basketball and baseball.  I enjoy watching those sports, but when you watch a baseball player tweak his knee and sit out for 4 weeks, you realize how soft they are.  On the other hand, Stephane Robida catches a puck in the nose, breaks his nose, bleeding, banged up face, and he misses a few minutes, and comes back the next game and gets 2 points.

I'm boycotting baseball anyway… so that's beside the point.

Anyway, got my tickets for round 2 in Dallas.  Stars vs. ??? (don't know who yet).

I am all about hockey.  I've had a blast this past season as a partial season ticket holder to the Dallas Stars.  Last night was the first playoff game I've been to, and it just made me realize that there is no other playoff series like Stanley Cup hockey.  Football, baseball, soccer, basketball… none come even close to the intensity, speed, tenacity, skill, determination, and perseverance that it takes to make it round by round to win the Stanley Cup.  None come close.

Last night, I don't think I've ever been in a louder, more rowdy environment.  My oldest daughter and I had a BLAST!  The Stars beat the Ducks 3-1. 

It's hard to name any one thing that made the whole experience great.  But, I will say this.  What got it started great was walking into the arena, and there was The Stanley Cup on display.  We got in line to get our picture taken.  I don't have to worry about the superstition about touching or seeing the Cup… since I'm a bit past my hockey prime.

Of any trophy in sports… when you touch the Cup, you are touching such a history of greatness. 

I already have tickets for round 2, round 3, and round 4.

Go Stars!

You may or may not have heard of Google Adsense.  I'm sure it some way you have.  Those are the ads that you see on some of my sites that Google places for me.  They are contextually relevant ads.  So, what's the big deal?

Well, I have been using Google Adsense since February of 2005.  Needless to say, since April 2005, I haven't had to worry about my car payment(s) or anything at all related to my car payments.  Google pays for all that.  I get a deposit each month from Google and I use that to pay for everything related to my auto expenses.

However, over the last 2-3 months, I have been working at stepping all of that up to a much higher level.  My Adsense income has since doubled, and I am looking to double that again within the next 4 - 8 weeks.  And then double that again.  And then again.  And then at least one more time

Is it hard?  No.  It's probably the easiest money I make, by a long shot.  It takes some work, but the work has become easy.  My goal by year's end is to close in on 5-figures per month with Adsense… just for placing ads on my websites. 

People ask me all the time if they can do what I do.  I am not a part of any MLM or Network Marketing company, so I am not trying to recruit people.  But the easiest thing to tell people about what they can do is to turn them to Google Adsense.  There will be things you need to learn, but, it is a great source of income.

Imagine this (for those of you who understand MLM) - you spend lots of time, energy and money recruiting new people into your downline.  You earn a certain percentage off of the products they purchase, but it's all about recruiting.  It can be tough… but what if you could "manufacture" your own downline.  No more recruiting.  You just manufacture your downline yourself.

That's what its kind of like with Google Adsense.  Every time I create a new website, or write a new article for one of my sites, or publish a new web page, it's like I am creating these downline members who are out there, earning money for me 24 hours a day.  Some websites, web pages, and articles earn more than others, just like a MLM business.

Anyway, I say all this to say this - many people ask me about how they can do something, or generate a new stream of income.  Let me tell you where I started.  Joel Comm.

Joel has created an ebook that you need to get.  It is only $9.95 for a 200+ page ebook that is going to teach you everything you need to know.  You can see the banner to the right.  Just click on that picture of Joel, and it will take you to his site.  Listen, for less than $10, it is everything you're gonna need to learn Adsense.  Not much to lose, and a whole lot to gain.

I really believe you can't go wrong here. Go check out Joel's Google Adsense Secrets 4. You can also click on the image here.

Finally, let me say this.  I enjoy the whole network marketing industry.  My wife is okay with it.  She likes the products, but she doesn't like the hype.  But, she loves Adsense.  She types articles for my websites every week.  She's as much a reason that I receive a nice fat Adsense deposit at the end of every month.  It's something that many people in your family can do.  It's not just a geek thing of building websites.  Dont' let that part hold you back.  Joel teaches about that too.

About 12 years ago when I came home from Africa, I was up to my eyes in credit card debt.  It wasn't that I was living high on the hog, it was just simply debt we had accumulated while living, and then some rather large expenses associated with the circumstances of our coming home. 

Eight years later, we were completely debt free… that is of credit card debt.  We still had a car loan and a mortgage.  Things got tight again and although we said we wouldn't go there, we found ourselves back in debt by about $18,000. 

Now, the one thing to keep in mind is that the vast majority of people who are in debt are not in debt because they are buying luxuries or taking vacations to Cancun.  Most people are paying utility bills, buying groceries, paying for gas… just trying to survive.  Life happens sometimes, and it's not because you are living beyond your means.  Typically, circumstances change and you find yourself paying for an emergency medical expense with a credit card because your income got cut, lost a job, or whatever.

Well, this year, I committed myself to being 100% debt free again by year's end.  I have paid off 2 cards so far, this  month in April I will pay off one more, and by the end of May I hope to have another paid off.  After that, I have two larger debts to take care.

Here's what I did.  I bought Kevin Trudeau's book, "Debt Cures."  It has really helped.  One of the ways to get those credit cards paid off sooner is to get interest rates lowered, and all those fivilous fees removed.  It's amazing how quickly you can pay down your debt when the credit card company isn't adding back to your balance with interest and fees.  I highly recommend you check out his book.  Go to:  www.debtcures.com

Another friend of mine here in the Dallas area also recommended USCA Online.  He found their information very helpful and is using their recommendations to pay off his debt.  You can check out the USCA Online website by going to:  Eliminate Your Debt

If you watch the news or read any magazine, they're all talking about recession and a tough economy.  While I believe it is very smart to build a new stream of income or to do something to increase your monthly cash flow, I believe it is equally wise to take all or part of that increased income to pay down your debt.  Go check out Debt Cures and USCA Online.  While my goal of being 100% debt free in one year is somewhat agressive, I think many people could pay down a debt my size within a few years.

We had some pretty nasty storms come through Dallas last night.  Some places got wiped out, leaving many to start all over.

While there are many philosophical and spiritual directions to take this question, I just want to focus on career.  If you lost it all, what would you do in starting over.  However it got taken away from you.  If you had to start at zero or below, what would you do?

Would you get into real estate, begin looking for jobs, join a network marketing company, start a lawn care business, or many other things.  What would you do?

Well, first of all, I wouldn't panic.  It may be a natural reaction, because you still need to eat, buy gas, pay a mortgage.  But if you panic, you lose clarity.  My personal belief is that when you lose it all, or are in a situation where the slate is clean, you need to go to your strengths.  Up to this point, you have achieved enough skill sets to make something happen.  With focus, it shouldn't be a problem… really.

Some activities generate money quickly… others slowly.  For example, while real estate is great, it takes quite a long time to develop a portfolio to generate full-time monthly cash flow.  You could flip or partner in large buys, for quick cash flow, but that wouldn't be my strength. 

You could develop a large number of websites generating Adsense and affiliate income.  While that's good, it does take several months to generate good income from Adsense.

For me, I focus on the day.  If I need $4000 per month, then I break that down into weeks and days.  I need $1000 per week, or $133 per day.  Sometimes that can seem like mountain, but you have to see it.

You see, I can see it.  I believe I have the skill sets, the connections, and the knowledge to reach those kinds of goals.  While it is ultimately the Lord who provides (I'm not that arrogant), once you have built it, been there, and even traveled way beyond, the realize the road is familiar.  It is not unchartered water.

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.   ~  Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)

I'm not sure if you've seen Babel yet, but let me give you story line real quick:

Two young boys from Morrocco shoot an American woman who is a tourist with her husband.  The rifle is actually registered to a top business executive in Japan whose daughter is a nympho, deaf mute.  While the American couple is vacationing in Morrocco, their kids are being kept by an illegal who takes them over the border into Mexico for her son's wedding.  Things go wrong and the nanny is deported.  The American woman lives.  The Japanese deaf girl is seeking attention by licking her dentist and undressing for the cops.

I know this movie is supposed to prove a point about language and cultural barriers, but it had to be the dumbest movie I had seen so far this decade.  There were so many parts of the movie that were not connected.  It was rather ridiculous, and then I couldn't believe that it had been nominated for some award.  It just goes to show you how lame Hollywood is to nominate a sad movie like this.  CSI Miami has better writers than whoever put this script together.

Hollywood praises Brad Pitt for his brave portrayal and sociological impact.  Gag.  This wasn't even a B-rated movie.