Key Thoughts - GO, DO and BECOME

About the Birth Certificate

2011-04-24T11:50:00.000-04:00

2011-01-30T09:50:00.012-05:00

UPDATE: I’ve been following the events in the Mid-East.

The ones I really feel for in all these places are the men and women being made patsies of. Few coups in the Middle East are followed by benevolent regimes, as a rule. In the Mid-East, it is about sectarian rule. Your group holds the rope... or you are on the end with the noose. It's pretty much cut and dried that way.

Only in the rarest circumstances is a leader there working for kindness or "unity for all."

In these times, though, I see a somewhat different struggle going on. It used to be one thug-ass tribal boss slugging it out with another. The people, the subjects, were just stuck on the sidelines, trying to stay out of the way. When the shooting stopped, it was back to the same old camel crap for them.

This time, though, there is a cry from the hearts and minds of the people themselves. Something we have a hard time with is that it only occasionally involves us. We haven't orchestrated it, and we aren't controlling it. It is springing up like a flower in the sand.

Yes, a few hard-line sects want to see us burned as infidels. We'd be idiots if we fail to face that threat. But an entirely different faction within Islam wants to Muslims to come into the rest of the world, somehow. And they are doing this on their own.

They see us in the U.S.A., and others in the developed world, sitting around big screen TV’s, in hot tubs, living a good life and they want in. They want a voice and they want to know they can improve themselves, instead of being dominated and making little more than a whimper as they are shot in the streets.

It is proof that the experiment our forefathers started here in America has merit. Sometimes we forget that. Yeah, I reckon we need to help them.

,

2011-01-18T10:44:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was Martin Luther King day in this country, where we remember the life and achievements of that great civil rights leader. At one point a young lady, a teenager, was asked what she thought of Doctor King and she said she really didn't know who he was or what he did. We sometimes for get that he died in 1968, the victim of a disgruntled assassin. That was 43 years ago. Hard to believe, isn't it?

But how could this young girl NOT know Martin Luther King?

Well, it dawns on me when I reflect that history is only rarely made, accepted or understood by youth. Today's youth don't have any more expectations put on them than to be 'unique', to "hang out" with their friends and pass school *somehow.* We, as a society, simply don't imbue them with a greater sense of duty and purpose. It's no wonder then, that those who sacrificed, fought and died for the rights of others are not held in high esteem. It isn't just MLK, either. Ask a young person if they've heard of people like Frederick Douglas, Mahatma Ghandi or Hubert Humphrey sometime....

Having traveled the globe, widely, I remain convinced that America's singular experiment in the "Rule of the People" is a landmark moment in time.
Given this, and maybe in spite of it, we tend to have a rather centric view of events in this country. We tend to think that the American experience is particularly noteworthy.

Well, we are not perfect; we don't always remember that we didn't get here by magic. Many sacrifices, often of blood and life, were part of our makeup. This is seen in our own civil rights movement, the culmination of two centuries of neglect for the displaced Africans that became a part of our nations people. Robbed of their homes and dignity, they were brought here unwillingly to serve the economic needs of a nation - then left to languish as second class citizens.

But, Alan Keyes, one of my favorite political activists said it best... "We may have gotten here on different ships - but were ALL rowing the same boat, now."

My point is that the history of human rights and, specifically, that of self-sacrifice for those down trodden, wasn't written in this country alone. There have been many great and wondrous things done to succor those in need - all over the world, in all times....
But in all cases, those offering the aid were giving themselves over to a greater power. They forgot themselves so as to aid their fellow man.

So I am left to wonder if we are teaching the next generation that such sacrifice is the greatest form of heroism? It isn't that Dr. King was black; some will make that assumption. It is that he died caring about a nation and it's people - that they might come together, at last, to form a greater whole. He, in fact died, focused upon that.

So, are we impressing THAT upon today's youth? Are we telling them that their highest purpose is not to live for themselves, nor to pile up riches or appear in the newest viral YouTube video? But, rather, that it is to GO and DO something worthwhile, to ACT in ways that make a difference for the betterment of all?

"I am of mixed heritage and so is my husband. But I love the fact that I am of one race, the human race." - Lynn Higgenbotham Beasley

Poinsettia, A Floral Nice Guy. Mistletoe - Not So.

2010-12-19T09:59:00.002-05:00

Todays update is another trek down the path of things we assume, but may not really know about. I threw this together, when I did a little reading about that Holiday plant we all know and love, the Poinsettia...

The story goes like this: The perennial holiday favorite, the poinsettia, is a deadly plant fit only to look at. One bite of its lovely leaf and the unlucky eater of it will succumb to a hideous, excruciating death.
Well... something like that.

70 percent of people polled were certain the poinsettia is poisonous, anyway. But, as it turns out, this is just another urban myth.

The Poinsettia, [i](Euphorbia pulcherrima[/i]), is a species of flowering plant indigenous to Mexico and Central America. It's name is derived from one Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States Minister to Mexico. The good minister introduced the plant into the US in 1828, where it was hitherto unknown. It's connection to Christmas comes from a 16th Century Mexican tradition; in Mexico it is called "Noche Buena," the Christmas Eve Plant.

But the tale of it's lethality started back in the early 20th century when the young child of a U.S. Army officer was thought to have died from eating a
poinsettia leaf -- a story which was later retracted. But, as these things have a habit of doing, the toxic nature of the poinsettia took on a life of its own.
After all, who needs the truth when a good story is to be had?

But you urban pundits take note: According to the American Medical Association, ingesting poinsettia produces little to no ill effect. It may be mildly irritating to the skin or stomach and may sometimes cause diarrhea and vomiting if eaten. But you can say that about most of the plants and bushes in your own front yard.

Many other experts take sides with the plant, too.

- An American Journal of Emergency Medicine study of 22,793 cases showed no fatalities, and furthermore that a strong majority of poinsettia exposures are accidental, involve children, and usually do not result in any type of medical treatment at all.
- POISINDEX, a major source for poison control data, says a 50 lb child would have to eat 500 bracts (leaves) to have any kind of reaction at all.
- The Society of American Florists has also weighed in. They worked with Ohio State University to thoroughly test all parts of the poinsettia and concluded there are no adverse effects, even in large doses.
- In 1975, the United States Consumer Product's Safety Commission denied the requirement for warning labels for poinsettia plants.

As for your pets, the American Veterinary Medicine Association of America does not include poinsettias on its list of plants that are a threat to animals. The ASPCA likewise states that ingestion of poinsettias may cause mild gastrointestinal tract irritation, including drooling, vomiting, and/or diarrhea -- but nothing severe or fatal.

Mistletoe, another holiday favorite, is not so innocent. Mistletoe can do more than inspire the lovelorn to smooch beneath it. This parasitic plant, found in hardwood trees, can cause gastrointestinal distress, a slowed heartbeat, and other reactions if ingested. It's primary chemical constituents are known as 'viscotoxins' and although not thought to be generally fatal, it can cause severe reactions in humans.

In pets, mistletoe may cause gastrointestinal disorders, cardiovascular collapse, dyspnea, bradycardia, erratic behavior, vomiting, diarrhea, and low blood pressure. Yikes!

So the Poinsettia gets a bum rap... who knew? Because it is in the spurge family of plants, those sensitive to latex may suffer an allergic reaction to it. But overall, the old standby holiday decoration is pretty benign and can be enjoyed without much worry. So, make sure the mistletoe stays tightly fastened above your door, but fear the poinsettia no more.

Niagra Falls Teaches A Lesson?

2010-12-17T09:22:00.005-05:00

I was looking at some pics of Niagara Falls yesterday, from back when it was dammed in 1969. To be precise, the overflow that leads to the American side falls has a very narrow inlet, spanning only a few hundred yards. It was blocked up back in '69 to assess its condition and allow for work to be done along the banks.

It turns out that this part of the falls is actually a small side flow of the greater Niagara River. Its shallow and more of an overflow eddy alongside the more familiar Canadian falls. And in fact there are THREE falls... Bridal Veil, Horseshoe (Canadian) and American.

We normally see the image of rushing water flowing over the Canadian falls, a small boat full of intrepid tourists at it's feet and boom! - that is what we think of. But Niagara Falls is far more than this. It is actually a tight bend, a diversion, in the course of a river flowing NORTH (did you know that?), with side flows, rapids, eddys and whirlpools.

Below the falls is a huge mass of rocks and boulders, normally hidden by the cascading water. These have been deposited by eons of erosion, completely hidden from view. So, not only are there things we normally don't see above the surface, there is something grand happening beneath the water, too. Finally, it is all located smack dab in the middle of a built up, urban landscape. It isn't far removed from civilization at all. In other words, it is far more than our popular image leads us to believe.

Anybody familiar with this place probably knows all this, but Ive never been there.
So when I learned all this, I wondered: How many things have I taken for granted with only a small bit of information to go on?
I mean, here is one of the greatest wonders of the natural world and I know so little about it that I have mostly a wrong impression of it.

Worse yet, how many people, friends, cultural notions and a million other things am I not getting the whole picture on? It just boggles the mind.

2010-12-17T09:12:00.007-05:00

I mentioned in yesterday's update that I had gotten my hair cut. My cosmetologist is named Miriam Garridos. Now, I don't know if she would appreciate me talking about her, but I'll risk it. I think she's worth it.

Miriam is from Central America. She is a legal immigrant who came to America with her son 12 years ago. They went through all the legal red-tape to make the move and have lived here since. She recently got her citizenship and works hard. She embodies the idea of opportunity knocking.

Ive really been thinking about this idea of Opportunity lately. Miriam, for example, hasn't had it easy. She is not rich, and she is not on the government dole absorbing taxpayer money. She works and takes care of her son. She pays bills and she jokes about the cost of heating. But I have never heard her complain.
She considers herself lucky to be here and to have taken advantage of the opportunities presented to her.

I'm sure she sees it simply, that she is DOING what she must to achieve her aims. I have not asked her about her dreams, but I'll wager she learned a long time ago that action makes things happen. I also suspect she sets more goals than dreams.

I cannot imagine her "playing the victim," complaining and blaming others for her difficulties. She knows that nothing good comes easy. She left her home and her family to make a new life here, after all... that alone was hard. But she had to do what was needed.

Brian Sher talks about this in his book, "What Rich People Know and Want To Keep Secret." He says the one thing which sets success apart from failure is doing things one doesn't want to do. You can't complain about things or stop because it is hard. You cannot blame others if they don't "make it happen" for you - You must GO, DO and BECOME, if you are to achieve anything.

I'm certain Miriam would agree.

Opportunity versus Security

2010-12-16T20:52:00.006-05:00

"Opportunity and Security are different things"

I read this today and I simply had to add it. I was waiting to get my hair cut and was reading ESPN magazine. The article this appeared in was about NBA players who go to the European and Russian leagues, when their NBA star contracts are let go.

Those players that go to Europe find that they are given 2 year contracts with a third year as option. But they can be let go at anytime - it isn't binding as it is here. Often the player must do a lot of diligence to learn about the signing team in Europe. sometimes they don't pay according to the contract, leaving a player wearing a big name on his shirt - but without his paycheck.

The alternative, of course, is to leave pro sports behind and fade into the crowd. Maybe a minor coaching job will surface, but bottom line its back in the herd for most of these NBA flash-in-the-pan players. Im not talking about the Michael Jordan type players - I refer to the almost nameless, everyday players out there. The Euro/Russia leagues offer a chance to keep playing and stay in the game.

The point of course is that there are few safe opportunities. Usually a lot of sweat, effort and occasional danger is associated with opportunity. Much of success is dependent on the individuals ability to lay the proper groundwork. It is said that a single adjustment is all it takes for people's lives to change to greatness. But no one promises that the adjustment would be easy to see, or handed to you wrapped in tidy packaging.

I tip my hat to those players who continue to GO, DO and BECOME, taking the leap over the pond.

2010-12-15T09:06:00.005-05:00

What are you doing to test yourself? How are you pushing yourself to greater things? In fact, ARE YOU doing this?

I have recently undergone HAZMAT Response training, wherein I (and my team) were trained to respond to the spill of hazardous, even deadly, chemicals. I mean, this was the real deal - we dressed in sealed space suits, we resolved toxic spill situations and for all intents, we saved lives. In the process, I found out what my associates were capable of, who "had my back," and when the chips were down who could be relied upon to act quickly, coolly and bravely in the face of a dire challenge.
This was very comforting and enlightening.

But it led me to wonder how many of us deliberately place ourselves in trying situations. I'm not suggesting that HAZMAT Response Training is the only answer, even if I think it would benefit anyone. But, ask yourself: "Am I forcing myself to do things that I am afraid of? AM I DELIBERATELY TESTING MY LIMITS AND TRYING TO REACH BEYOND THEM?"

If you are like most people - you are not. You move at a slow pace, you avoid risk and you look for the easy way to get somewhere. That is normal; it's what most do.

It's also why people don't leave the "dream phase" of their lives. We are told that we need to dream big, to be all we can be... but putting dreams into action requires us to often go into frightening territory. That part is left out of the promotional materials, somehow.

But it is this attribute, the willingness to face fears and challenges come what may, that sets the achiever apart from the dreamer. Every hero, every great and unknown success story, has this as an element of their life. Nothing was ever achieved merely by dreaming - it is the DOING that we remember. And while it may be fraught with dangers, real and imagined, it has to occur.

So again, ask yourself as you dream big, "When dreaming has run it's course, am I ready to face my fears, to sweat and to WIN?"

Don’t be the Best - Be Chosen

2010-03-27T22:43:00.006-04:00

Do you believe you offer the best service, product, or skills in your area… yet maybe you are still not getting the results you are looking for? “Hey!” you say, “What gives? Don’t people want The Best?”.
Well… no. Contrary to popular belief, there is a different reality behind why your customers choose you - or your competitors.

Who Gets Chosen?
Think of McDonalds hamburgers for a moment. They are the top-selling hamburgers in the world. But, are they the best hamburgers? Most people I ask say, “No”! So how did they get to be number one, and chosen so consistently often? Because there is more to success than being the best!

Now, I’m not criticizing the fast food industry; in fact, it has done a superb job of combining two of the most desired things on the planet: Fast and Food.

We like fast food because it meets specific needs. Under certain circumstances, people will trade the absolute element of quality for speed… and if you can put a little “special sauce” on it, well, so much the better.

The point is, McDonalds’ success isn’t about being the best. McDonald's became so successful because their food doesn’t taste bad and is occasionally innovative. But more importantly, they are chosen so often.

“Success isn’t about being the best at what you do, it’s about being consistently chosen to do it.” - David Hutton

Here’s a radical idea I’d like you to consider: There really IS no such thing as The Best! If we could actually agree on what is best, everybody would choose it. But the next day, something else would come along and be the New Best. So, fortunately for us in business, people don’t necessarily choose what’s best… they choose what they are comfortable with.

In other words, people will choose what they FEEL is the best for them. That’s right, I used the “F” word: FEEL! People buy or choose to deal with others based on their feelings. They may know McDonald’s isn’t the best, but they know it is dependable and fast, all the time - which gives them a feeling of trust.

So, logic may get them to you, but they SELECT you based on the feelings they get because of you. And that is the secret to being consistently chosen.

Before we go further, let’s look at the logic part of this. This logic says you must have something to offer something that people want.

To meet this need, you pursue the methods, tactics, and knowledge behind what you do. For example, McDonalds makes decent burgers from good ingredients, cooked to the right temperature and they serve it fast. That’s the logic behind the product and is what initially draws people to them.

So let’s be very clear at this point: You should be as good as you can be at what you do so you can bring value to every exchange.

But simple skill and knowledge are not enough; they are one sided and are just the price of admission. After all, anybody can make hamburgers and, indeed, many are considered better than McDonalds. Yet “Mickie D’s” remains at the top.
Why?

Because they know there are other factors at work besides “being the best” and they exploit them. McDonald’s continually asks the one important question:

“What really matters to the people that are our customers?”

This was brought home to me recently while attending a real estate appraisal and valuation course, where we were given many lengthy, tricky, even crazy exercises in figuring gross square footage of a property. The class complained loudly over these seemingly unrealistic problems.

But I reminded my classmates that we must learn all of this so we can quickly and accurately evaluate the properties we are entrusted to sell or buy for our clients. That’s a “no-brainer,” as they say. That’s the science we spoke of a moment ago.

But square footage doesn’t sell a house by itself… it gets you in the door. The fireplace, the backyard or kitchen, the local schools or golf course – that’s what sells. The “feel” of experiencing these things is what people ultimately focus on. It’s all very personal – and far removed from the science.

McDonalds gets this; their advertising combines a simple musical jingle with an emotionally charged slogan, “I’m loving it.”
They know that once you start singing these words and putting it together, mentally, with their hamburgers, they have you. Being the best is no longer important.

Everybody wants the same three things; Love, Money and Prestige. They want to be cared about, have some security and be acknowledged as ‘someone’ in the world. So instead of being the Best, be good. Then ask yourself these questions:

1. Do I know what really matters to the people that are my customers?”
2. Do I have care and concern in my business transactions – and is it detectable?
3. Can I show proof of my integrity, stability and value?
4. Will people ultimately end up looking good, by doing business with me?

Answering these questions with “Yes,” will be the stuff of my next update.

Warren Buffett Speaks

2010-03-02T11:18:00.005-05:00

I'm asked all the time about making money in the stock market. Well, I'm no expert... I'm still working on it. But plenty of people are and Warren Buffett is one of them. He is arguably the world's greatest stock investor and a bit of a philosopher. He pares down his investment ideas into simple, memorable sound bites. So lets look at them, shall we?

Rule No. 1: Never Lose Money.
Rule No. 2: Never Forget Rule No. 1.

Buffett lost about $23 billion in the financial crisis of 2008. So how can he tell us to never lose money?

Its the mindset of a sensible investor. Don't be frivolous. Don't gamble. Don't go into an investment with a cavalier attitude that it's OK to lose. Be informed. Do your homework. Buffett invests only in companies he thoroughly researches and understands. He doesn't go into an investment prepared to lose, and neither should you.

Buffett believes a successful investor doesn't focus on being with or against the crowd. He remains focused on his goals.

Rule 3: If The Business Does Well, the Stock Eventually Follows

Buffett knows that investing in a stock equates to owning a piece of the business. So Buffett seeks out businesses that exhibit favorable long-term prospects. Does the company have a consistent operating history? Does it have a dominant business franchise? Does the business generate high and sustainable profit margins? Finally, is the company's share price trading below expectations for its future growth?
If so, it's a stock Buffett may want to own.

Buffett never buys anything unless he can write down his reasons why he'll pay a specific price per share for a particular company. Do you do the same?

Rule 4: It's Better to Buy a Great Company at a Fair Price Than a Fair Company at a Great Price

Buffett is a value investor; he likes quality stocks at rock-bottom prices. His goal is to build more operating power by owning stocks that generate solid profits and capital appreciation for years to come. During the recent financial crisis, he stockpiled great long-term investments by investing billions in names like General Electric and Goldman Sachs.

To pick stocks well, set down criteria for uncovering good businesses, and stick to their discipline. For example, seek companies that offer a durable product or service and also have solid operating earnings and the germ for future profits.
Or, you might establish a minimum market capitalization you're willing to accept, and a maximum P/E ratio or debt level. Finding the right company at the right price -- with a margin for safety against unknown market risk -- is the ultimate goal.

Remember, the price of a stock isn't the same as the value you get. Successful investors know that.

Rule 5: My Favorite Holding Period Is Forever

How long should you hold a stock? Buffett says if you don't feel comfortable owning a stock for 10 years, you shouldn't own it for 10 minutes. Even during recent times, Buffett loyally held on to the bulk of his portfolio.

Unless a company has suffered a sea change in it's prospects, such as impossible labor problems or product obsolescence, a long holding period will keep an investor from being too fearful or too greedy. Fear and greed cause investors to sell stocks at the bottoms or buy at the peaks -- thus destroying portfolio appreciation for the long run.

From Stephanie Loiacono and investopedia.com

The recent financial meltdown didn't change anything. The unfussy sayings from the Oracle of Omaha still RULE! So you see, we don't have to be experts when we already have them in our back pockets.

P.S. I do wonder, though, how Mr. Buffett would fare if truly lost everything.

2010-02-18T05:59:00.003-05:00

The other day a young man, named Ryan, asked me what I thought he should do. He had many ideas about what he might do, and mentioned some of things he had dreamed of doing. He even had reasons why he wasn't doing other things because "..right now, I'm not able to do them," as he put it.

As we talked he began the familiar litany of reasons why he CAN"T do the things he mentioned. He had some great ideas, some real life changers. But his speech was peppered with a constant stream of why he cannot do them. Some of these negative notions had come from others, and some he had decided on his own.

After listenting to him I laid out the simple formula that could get him where he wnated to go:
1. First decide what your Prime Directive is.
This isn't so much what you want to do, but that which you know you should be doing. There will be time for big dreams later - at the moment, there are things you should be doing to advance yourself to the next step. Decide what that is.

2. Stop listening so much to the naysayers.
For example, Ryan had been told by his father in law that one of the hings he had looked into would only lead to problems, hardships and ultimately, failure. But I saw a different reality - if he gave that thing an honest effort of only 80%, he would make more money than he had ever dreamed of, gain prestige and obtain a respected position in the community. It was done before by others and wasn't earth shaking, meaning it was very possible. SO who should he be listening to?

3. Eliminate CAN'T from your own vocabulary.
Our internal dialogue should be guiding us to where we need to go - not knocking us back to the ground. The one person you should be able to trust is yourself. So focus on CAN phrases. Instead of saying, "I cant do that because..." say, "I can do it, and here's how, why, etc." Direct your mind to see the solutions and face the difficulties, as opposed to cutting off your own legs - - and doing nothing.

Winston Churchill once said, “When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life... most of which had never happened”

If you are going to GO, DO and BECOME anything, you have to first be convinced that it is the right thing to be doing at this time. Then you have to choose your counsel well, from among those that realistically support you. And finally, you have to face the fact that you CAN do whatever it is you choose, as opposed to stopping before you start.

2010-01-24T12:42:00.015-05:00

I listened recently to a radio program about the the "letters" of great men and women. Down through the ages, the written letter has given insight and solidity to the people that fill our histories. Through the letter, we are privileged to catch a glimpse of their inner workings.

Interestingly, it is the letters they DIDN'T post that often reveal the most about them. The next day, before the postmans arrival, they were reconsidered and tossed in a drawer or box... never sent to their recipient. More than a few reputations have been saved because of the unsent, hand-written missive.

One of the unseen impacts of electronic communications is that we guard our words less and less. We don't speak with significance or care, and we write well-considered letters far less than in the past. Some of us may have simply stopped doing so. Electronic "laziness" has set in, frankly.

But, that doesn't eliminate the power of the word. Modern arrogance does not remove the onus of being earnest and saying what matters. Firing off whatever pops into your head, trying to "keep it real" or be spontaneous... well, that is a poor salve for being insincere.

So, I recommend you attempt to treat ALL the things you write as serious. Everything you write in internet forums or post to your blog, for example, can be seen by the world. The internet has given us far more exposure than our predecessors ever had; millions of people can read what you say in the electronic age. And our words last a long time - I recently googled a topic, and stumbled over something I myself had written years before. Obviously, this makes it all the more important to be aware of the impact your words may have.

So, if you want to avoid membership in the "Foot-In-The-Mouth Club," behave as if you are writing a letter each time you begin clicking the keys. Consider what you say and how you say it, expecting that it cannot be retrieved or undone once you hit "SEND."

SUCCESS TIP: Do you want to really make an impact on someone? Send them an old-fashioned letter, card, etc. You WILL be remembered for it - I guarantee it..

HOW TO KILL YOURSELF

2009-12-04T13:08:00.003-05:00

Rocker Tommy Lee once said, "We're not here for a long time, we're here for a good time!" You tell 'em, Tommy.

Many of us follow his lead every day by shunning the most basic principles of Darwinian evolution, trying to kill ourselves through food, toxins and all manner of reckless lifestyles. If you'd like to get in on the act with Tommy, here are the Top Ten surest paths to self-destruction. Who needs a life worth living, any way?

10. Sacrifice Sleep
Inadequate sleep (less than 7 or 8 hours a night) has been tied to many different health problems, including obesity, diabetes and cancer. Mental fatigue is an equal risk factor for vehicular accidents as alcohol. SO burn that candle at both ends. And just think of all the time you'd have for destructive behavior if you stopped sleeping altogether! Eureka!

9. Ignore the Doctor
If you don't want to hear the doctor denounce the rest of these tips for self-destruction, just don't go. Early disease detection and important medical consultation will surely get in the way of your Tommy Lee lifestyle.

8. Dumb Down Your Brain
Reading, doing crosswords, tackling sudokus and other brain stimulating activities are known to ward off the effects of Alzheimers and other forms of senile dementia. So, forget trying to be smarter if you want to live a short life. Just let your brain rot, instead. The rest of you wont be far behind.

7. Sex
Sex in itself isn't bad... it's how you do it that means life or death. The smart self-destructor doesn't use protection, ignores the partner's sexual history and shuns the annual medical exam. Twelve million Americans contract sexually transmitted diseases every year, many of which leave the victim infertile. Killing yourself and preventing new births? Now there's a win-win!

6. Drive a Lot
If you want to increase your chance of living to a ripe old age, fly everywhere. Driving kills more people, aged 1 to 35, than anything else. Stay home and this becomes a non-existent threat. But what fun is that?
So hit the road and hit the gas. While you're at it, text on your cell phone, eat fast food AND neglect to buckle up.

5. Drink a Lot
The occasional drink of alcohol, especially red wine, can be beneficial to your health. But if you want to do yourself in right, overdo the two-drink-per-day limit. If you're lucky, you might become an alcoholic, contract diabetes AND get liver damage, too!

4. Stress Out
Creating more stress in your life is a great way to invite all kinds of diseases to attack the body. Chronic stress inhibits the immune system and allows disease to attack. So, if you wanna check out early, worry about everything from the color of your socks to whether dinner will be ready on time.

3. Watch More TV
Not only is television entertaining, it keeps us on the couch for hours at a time. The average American spends a full 9 years of his life glued to the boob tube. You could go ride a bike or take a walk, but that might be healthy - an we can't have anything but a wasted, sedentary existence if we want kill ourselves.

2. Smoke Tobacco
Tobacco-related illnesses are America's number two killer. So, if you really want to die early and leave your loved ones behind, light up. Just one cigarette will immediately increase your blood pressure and decrease the circulation to your extremities. Imagine what you could do with a pack!

1. Eat Junk
Here you go, number one. This isn't to say that eating healthy will undo the other nine destructive life behaviors. But, last year, at least 400,000 Americans killed themselves based almost solely on what they ate. Looking for the most effective, probably most enjoyable way to do yourself in? Have another doughnut... hell have six a day. And make them cream-filled!

Taken from the LiveScience.com website

2009-11-26T07:24:00.004-05:00

I was reading something by internet sales "guru" Michael Oliver today. He says that sales is not about creating “relationships,” and comments thus:

"Let’s be clear about this. It’s NOT about having a nice chat, creating a relationship and calling them back next week.

It IS about establishing in the first call whether they are serious about changing their present situation and whether they are prepared to do something about it. That’s all. If they are, you introduce your solution and how it can help them get what they want."

In recent years their has been a lot of buzz in business about what is called 'relationship selling'. As the name implies, you don't sell to people, you get to know them, build a rapport and eventually get around to making them a customer.

So why does this matter here at Key Thoughts?.
Because success in life, in nearly all regards, hinges on your ability to either DO something or SELL something. There is little middle ground.

Skilled tradesmen, lawyers, sailors, nurses... these people, from all walks of life, all know how to DO something. That which they know how to do is valuable and so is something for which others will pay. SO what if you don't know how to do anything?

Then you sell something. In fact, even those will "skills" must at sometime or another sell themselves and their skills. Many fortunes have been made by men and women who have no formal skills or education, but are good sales people. It is a field that takes no advanced degrees, adept hands or specialized skills. All you need to know, as Mr. Oliver suggests, is whether the products or services you sell...

a) Can help the people you meet,
b) Are needed by these people and,
c) Are something they can pay for.

If these criteria cannot be met, then so be it. You don't have to leave them in the dirt at that point, in fact no good salesman will. And you can have a relationship with them, albeit it will a customer based one later on. As Mr. Oliver says, "In the meantime, you bow out graciously. You let them know that when they are ready, you’re ready. Then clear your mind and move on to talk with others who ARE prepared to do something about their situation."

In fact, creating a personal relationship for the purpose of making a sale is borderline dishonest. It is certainly ingenuine. Instead, the relationships you build with people are created as a natural consequence of how you relate to those people - thus the name. In other words, the relationship is created regardless of the outcome.

Zig Ziglar, the self-help guru, is famous for saying that "...helping people get what they want will help you get what you want." If this is true, then it takes two people to make a sale and it certainly behooves you to create relationships with them. Finding the right ones that can buy today will help you on your way to success... and pay your bills in the meantime.

But creating healthy human relationships with all of them with whom it is possible to do so, will help you on your way in the future. So if you are intent to GO, DO, and BECOME in this life (as you should be), then consider this 'relationship outlook' as you meet people and look for ways you can help both them and you.

You Dont Need Talent

2009-11-18T11:55:00.003-05:00

Alright, having talent can't hurt. But what is really needed as you work your way throught life, trying to BECOME, is best illustrated by this quote from Andrew Carnegie:

"People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents" - - Andrew Carnegie

WOW! Talk about impact!. Mr Carnegie was good for that; any study of him, no matter how perfuctory, will show that. But read that again...

Talent doesn't matter as much as being able to get yourself out of your comfy chair and do the things you must DO. It is crucial, in fact, if you are to change yourself and your life - in other words, to GO, DO AND BECOME.

So think about what it is you want to BECOME, and get to work on it. Even if all you do right now is plan and align your thoughts, that is a start. It is the putting off of action - any action - that is the show stopper.

So get motivated and GO, DO and BECOME!

2009-11-13T11:46:00.003-05:00

I’ve been reading the biography of Theodore Roosevelt as my quarterly and self-improvement project. This is the original work by Henry Pringle, considered the definitive source on “Old Teddy.”

I find it to be a fascinating look at a very fascinating individual. While TR was, by all accounts, rather “high maintenance” by today’s standards, he was also overcome with the fervent desire to do the right things by the country.

More than that, though, is the revealing look into the inner workings of politics provided by the book. Today, we clamor for transparency and disclosure in politics. But there was none of that back then. For the politicians of T.R.’s day, it was about deal brokering, special influence peddling and a fervent desire to dominate the opposition. The politicians of his day no more considered themselves "men of the people" than today's political luninaries.

The more I read up on it, in fact, the more I find there is little difference in today’s politics than in Teddy's day. Oh, we cling to a pretense of openness and we give lip service to honesty. But these aren't qualities and attributes we actually hold anyone to.

When Barak Obama won the election I was interested to see Democrats in Congress pumping their fists, red-faced and flushed with emotion. As they jumped and reeled in giddy triumph, I was more shocked to hear the shouts from these so-called leaders… “We’re gonna show them – Now it’s our turn to stick it to ‘em!”

No mention was made by any of them about serving the people of their districts, or looking out for the country’s best interests. No, it was retribution time in their minds, and a pound of someone's flesh was going to be taken.

NOTE: This vid clip quickly disappeared from the various media outlets. I don't think it lasted a day and I doubt you can even find it on YouTube anymore.

The more I learn about how the fabric of politics is really woven, the more I realize that it is the very lack of unity that makes us strongest. Think about it for a minute:

If we are all of one mind, sharing one voice in a society-wide group hug… then what we have is a monocracy.

Democracy and individual choice is gone. There is no dissent, there is no one to raise the red flag in a monocratic rule when something isn't right.

Frankly, I'm firm in the belief that it is not in us to be unified. To impose togetherness on us artificially is the height of ignorance, or requires total brainwashing of the indivdiual.

This is why, in the end, Utopia never works out and why so many promised reforms fall short. Sooner or later, someone wises up and revolts – individually and often enough collectively. The trouble is, it’s very hard to undue the harm done by the ersatz "reformists" of the world while they hold sway. Best to nip it in the bud, before it goes too far, and let us go on with our separate ideals.

That is what Teddy would have done.

2009-10-11T17:59:00.004-04:00

A Recipe for Riches
by Duncan Greenberg

Want to become a tech titan or hedge fund tycoon? Up your chances by dropping out of college or go to Harvard and work at Goldman Sachs.

Are billionaires born or made? What are the common attributes among the uber-wealthy? Are there any true secrets of the self-made?

These questions come up a lot, so lets look beyond the broad answers of smarts, ambition and luck by sorting through our database of wealthy individuals in search of bona-fide trends. We analyzed everything from the profession of entrepreneurs' parents to where they went to school, their track records in the early stages of their careers and other experiences that may have set them on the path to extreme wealth.

Our admittedly unscientific study of the self-made members of the Forbes 400 yielded some interesting results.

First, a significant percentage of them had parents with a high aptitude for math. The ability to crunch numbers is crucial to becoming a billionaire, and mathematical prowess is hereditary. Some of the most common professions among the parents of Forbes 400 members (for whom we could find the information) were engineer, accountant and small-business owner.

Consistent with the rest of the population, more American billionaires and near-billionaires were born in the fall than in any other season. However, relatively few of them were born in December, historically the month with the eighth-highest birth rate.

Of the 274 self-made tycoons on the Forbes 400, 14% either never started or never completed college. The number of precocious college dropouts is highest among those who forged careers as technology entrepreneurs: Bill Gates of Microsoft (MSFT), Steve Jobs of Apple (AAPL), Michael Dell of Dell (DELL), Larry Ellison of Oracle (ORCL) and Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook.

Forbes 400 members who derive their fortunes from finance make up one of the most highly educated sub-groups: half of them have graduate degrees. Roughly 70% of those with M.B.A.s obtained their master's degrees from one of three Ivy League schools: Harvard, Columbia or the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business.

Goldman Sachs (GS) has attracted a large share of hungry minds that went on to garner 10-figure fortunes. At least 11 current and recent billionaire financiers worked at Goldman or one of it subsidiaries early in their careers, including Edward Lampert, David Tepper, Daniel Och and Leon Cooperman.

Several Forbes 400 members suffered bitter professional setbacks early in their careers that heightened their fear of failure. Pharmaceutical tycoon R.J. Kirk's first venture was a flop--an experience he regrets but appreciates. "Failure early on is a necessary condition for success, though not a sufficient one," he told Forbes in 2007.

According to a statement read by Phil Falcone during a congressional hearing in November 2008, his botched buyout of a company in Newark, N.J., in the early 1990s taught him "several valuable lessons that have had a profound impact upon my success as a hedge fund manager."

Several current and former billionaires rounded out their Yale careers as members of Skull and Bones, the secret society portrayed with enigmatic relish by Hollywood in movies like The Skulls and W. Among those who were inducted: investor Edward Lampert, Blackstone co-founder Stephen Schwarzman, and FedEx (FDX) founder Frederick Smith.

Courtesy of Forbes Magazine.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SO what can we learn from this? Be smart, that's one thing. Be good at math, in particular. Be born in the fall. If you cannot change the date of your birth, well... at least act like you were born in September!

Another thing is don't give up. Expect setbacks and keep pushing on. Be involved in cutting edge technologies and industries, too. It doesn't have to be "techie," but it needs to be doing something different from everyone else. If you can be involved in finance or the world of money - so much the better.

But above all else... do something. Quit complaining about life or dreaming, and do something, anything, to get you to where you want to be. None of the people we find among the uber-rich got there by bitching or blaming "The Man," "The System, or anything else. They know that is for losers, so they set themselves apart and decided instead to become great. "Let the rest be content to follow," would be a common phrase among them.

If you want to be like them then you must Go, Do, and Become, yourself. Nothing else will do.

2009-08-26T06:04:00.002-04:00

"If you can't get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you'd best teach it to dance." - - George Bernard Shaw

In 1912, the printer was all set to run three million copies of Teddy Roosevelt's nomination speech, complete with photographs of Roosevelt and his VP candidate, the immortal Hiram Johnson. Then the chairman of the campaign committee discovered that no one had obtained permission from the photographer who had taken the pictures. Legal penalties for the copyright violation could be as much as $3 million. The printing plates were made. Changing the photos would be extremely expensive. But no one knew what the photographer might demand for the rights. It was even possible that, heaven forbid, the man was a Democrat.

There were a number of them afoot in those days, you know, and they were an unpredictable lot. The photographer might even deny the committee the pictures altogether. The chairman sent off a quick telegram: "Planning to issue three million copies of Roosevelt speech with pictures of Roosevelt and Johnson on the cover. Great publicity opportunity for photographers. What will you pay us to use your photographs?"
"Appreciate the opportunity," the photographer replied, "but can only pay $250."
The chairman accepted without dickering. He probably could have held out for $350 or $400.

We all want to be positive and enthusiastic about what we have to offer: about our companies, our products, our careers, our selves, our various proposals and visions. But far too often we try to accomplish that by ignoring or burying potential negatives. Everything is wonderful, let's all think happy thoughts, the glass is half full not half empty.

Unfortunately, as we all know, reality has a nasty way of refusing to stay ignored. "So you're saying you shopped around and my prices are really that much higher than those of baby shop down the street? Well . . . ah . . . I mean . . . Hey, look! There's Elvis!"

In his book, "Filling the Glass: the Skeptic's Guide to Positive Thinking in Business" (Dearborn 2001), Barry Maher focuses on strategies for handling these types of potential negatives. The idea is to deal with reality rather than to simply putting the best face on it: to fill the glass rather than worrying about whether to call it half empty or half full. One of the most effective strategies—and one of the most counter-intuitive—is the one exemplified by that Roosevelt story. That strategy is called, Making the Skeleton Dance, after a quote by George Bernard Shaw...

"If you can not get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance."

People keep telling me that in Chinese the word for problem is the same as the word for opportunity. (They also keep telling me that Coca Cola means bite the wax tadpole.) I have no idea if that's actually true. But I do know that the Making the Skeleton Dance strategy has turned more than a few problems into opportunities.

For example, how often in your business career have you stumbled over that issue of price? Too many of us act like charging what we are worth is something to be ashamed of. Here's how I brag about that particular negative.

"Are my hourly consultation rates expensive? Absolutely. And why do I charge so much? Because my clients are not just willing but happy to pay those kind of rates - because of the results I generate for them. Because they know I'm worth it.
Can you hire somebody else to do the job for less? Absolutely. I'll be glad to supply you with phone numbers.

But why do you think these companies charge less? Do you really think they would charge less if they could charge more? They're not running humanitarian services, I assure you. They charge less because that's what they can get—that's what their clients are willing to pay for the results they generate. Now let me tell you why my clients are so willing to pay more."

Often the secret to making peace with a negative, is to find a way you can honestly brag about it. Save the Reality Checklist below for the next time you're confronted with a negative you're tempted to bury or to try to ignore. You just might find that instead of a negative you've got a selling point—even a bragging point.

Reality Checklist

What are the negatives you need to present—or wish you could avoid presenting—to others?

- Understand the potential downside of those negatives to everyone involved.

- Understand the potential positives that surround those negatives: for you, your company, and most especially to those you'll be presenting the negatives to.

- Isolate the What's in It for Them for each of the Thems you need to reach.

- Take care of the What's In it for Them, and the what's in it for you—and the company—will take care of itself.

- Marshall your best possible case, then imagine yourself presenting that case to the biggest Doubting Thomas you're likely to encounter.

- Are you, yourself, really sold? If not, don't expect that you'll be able to sell anyone else.

• If you're not sold, what would it take—what can you do—to make the case more saleable? If it can reasonably be done, do it. If it can't be done, deal with the reality, explaining why it is the reality, frankly and honestly.

• Never forget that truth is the ultimate sales trick.

Adapted from Filling the Glass: The Skeptic's Guide to Positive Thinking in Business by Barry Maher (Dearborn 2001).

2009-07-31T13:03:00.003-04:00

I thought this was interesting enough to add here at "Key Thoughts" this week. Essentially, it describes in detail the old adage that..."You are what you think."
Carefully choose the things you think, and here I mean selectively control what goes through your mind - and you program yourself to achieve success?
Very interesting.....

=======================================

Autosuggestion and Controlled Attention
by Napoleon Hill

You are influenced by, and you are a part of, the dominating circumstances of your daily environment. The medium by which this takes place is known as autosuggestions (suggestions you make to yourself, either consciously or unconsciously).

Autosuggestion records in your memory every thought you express, and makes it a part of your character, whether the thought is positive or negative. It records every word which is spoken within your hearing, and gives it a positive or a negative meaning, according to your reaction to it.

Autosuggestion records your thought reactions to everything you see or recognize through any of the five physical senses, and it records the “feel” which you pick up from your physical surroundings.

The objects on which you deliberately concentrate your attention become the dominating influences in your environment. If your thoughts are fixed upon poverty, or the physical signs of poverty, these influences are transferred to your subconscious mind through autosuggestion.

If the habit of concentrating on poverty is continued, it will result in conditioning your mind to accept poverty as an unavoidable circumstance, and you will eventually become poverty-conscious. This is how millions of people condemn themselves to a life of poverty. Remember this, you who would have opulence.

The principle of autosuggestion works in precisely the same manner when your dominating thoughts are fixed, through controlled attention upon opulence and economic security. This habit leads to the development of a prosperity consciousness without which no one may hope for economic security.

It is obvious, therefore, that when you voluntarily fix your attention upon a definite major purpose of a positive nature, and force your mind, through daily habits of thought, to dwell on that subject, you condition your subconscious mind to act on that purpose. As we have stated repeatedly, the subconscious mind acts first on the dominating thoughts placed before it daily, whether they are positive or negative, and proceeds to carry out those thoughts by translating them into their material equivalent.

Source: PMA Science of Success. Pgs. 345-346.

The Four Steps to DOING Anything.

2009-07-15T20:00:00.010-04:00

In the movement to "DO" in our lives, i.e., to get out and create action, we often encounter stumbling blocks. Some we cannot do anything about, they just exist. We push on and keep moving to get past them - THAT is what ultimately makes us great.

But many of the challenges we face are simple and basic - and which we tend to blow out of proportion. The French philosopher Michel Eyquem de Montaigne, wrote in the 1500's, "My life has been filled with terrible misfortune; most of which never happened."

We worry, or we get caught up feeling inadequate or we just stall in place - paralyzed by what we see as insurmountable problems. But the truth is, we come equipped, for the most part, with the intelligence and the tools to do most anything we desire. What is needed, then, is a fingertip method to keep us moving past those "stalling moments" which paralyze it.

SO here is my favorite technique to keep from getting bogged down in problems. It is based in the balance between personal power and having none. When a person acts from personal power they see things for what they really are and they take action. They don't bog down in emotions, or trying to find reasons why something CAN'T work.

Power Position Solutions

+ Step One: Dream
This is the first step towards using power to control your outcomes. So if you want to DO something, Step One is to first ask yourself:

"If this situation were to turn out the way I want, what would it look like?"

Then, spend a moment or two imagining the OUTCOME you want.

But don't spend too much time at this dream phase. While it is sometimes comforting, dreaming is ineffective in itself.

But a dream that becomes vision is the first first step towards seeing a problem for what it really is. After all, you can't hope for change if you don't see the need for it!

+ Step Two: Acknowledge Reality
Okay, now you're getting somewhere! In Step Two, you must acknowledge reality. You are not an ostrich hiding your head in the sand - you are a human being, trying to make something happen!

So, in Step Two, stop and SAY out loud:

"This is the reality of the situation. These are the problems I face, the needs I have and the help I need if I am to achieve what I set before me."

Actually say this aloud to yourself, don't cheat and mutter it under your breath. If you need to go somewhere private to do so, then go ahead.

Don't hide from these things; don't be afraid to write them all down. The person who says, "It is, what it is," is far closer to doing something than one who only complains. Once you acknowledge the reality of your situation, you'll find that YOU begin to change for the better. Once that happens, you are primed to affect your own outcome.

+ Step Three: Find Solutions
This is where it all leads - ACTION. The other things are important but they only shine a light on an issue or problem. In themselves, they do nothing but illuminate what you must DO.

Step Three - Write down all possible solutions

Notice, saying them aloud isn't enough. Now you must write these things down. This is called 'brainstorming' and it is where you face ALL possible solutions... not just the ones you like.

Some solutions may be hard or require things you do not currently have, so you must work to make them happen. Often these are the right solutions, even if not the easiest. So you must write down your options and evaluate them on their own merit. DO not be afraid to enlist the aid of someone else, either. They may see things you don't.

But, once you accept and adopt solutions, you change the situation for good. It is no longer what it was - this is where opportunity opens up for you. So put the solutions you decide upon into action.

+ Step Four Get On With It.
This is the ultimate point of all this... to move forward. SO Step Four is to move on from the problem.
Once you have acted on your solutions, you can step forward. Perhaps it will take some more planning to get the actions well along. Or maybe you need some more resources or tools. That's okay, it;s al part of the solution. I will talk mre in a future post about the ways to put solutions into effect.

But remember, the final goal here is to place your problems on the "To Monitor" list.
This means they no longer absorb your energy and worry, but only require occasional input and minor effort to keep going forward.
As Winston Churchill said, "To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.

-------------------------------------------------------

Of course, there is nothing to force you to use the Power Position Solutions.
So what happens if you don't?

Well, every Power has its powerless opposite. While Power Position Solutions give you good reasons for what you do, the Powerless Position leaves you with little more than excuses. Simply put, nothing changes and you get nowhere. But, hey... at least you'll have plenty of arguments why.

Powerless Solutions

+ Wait and hope
Waiting an hoping is the first step to failing. Sadly, too many people think it is a solution by itself. While hope often gives temporary comfort, waiting is ineffective in itself. It also tends to place the results outside the individual.

That is, if things go good, it is because someone or something else did it, since all you did was wait and hope. If things go badly, well, then the same thing applies.

+ "I can't" - These two words are responsible for more frustration that any other. Once you begin uttering, "I can't..." phrases, you soon develop excuses as to WHY you can't. Before long, you convince yourself of your own inadequacy and develop elaborate rationale to back it up. All this emotional investment has it's own reward, since before long you are convinced that you cannot.

"Whether you believe you can, or you can't... you are right" - - Henry Ford

+ Blaming others - Once you convince yourself that you cannot... you then find others who are part of your downward spiral. Either they caused your failure or they are holding you back. This can be anyone, from your family to the President, even Society at large. But normally there is a face associated with this blame.

Regardless, once you've come this far, there is always someone else who is at fault besides YOU. Rather than acknowledging reality and searching for solutions, it is easier to put the blame on others.

+ Unaware/Unconscious - This is the ultimate Powerless Position. We call it denial, these days. You push the situation so far back in your mind and camouflage it in such a tangled web of blame and self pity that it is finally subverted. In the end, you turn your back on the problem and try to live as if it didn't exist.

--------------------------------------------------------

So as you move to DO and accomplish things in your life, remember that it is Power that gets you there. Try the four steps of Power Solutions and see if they don't kick start your efforts to GO, DO and BECOME!.

Is Your Life in the Dirt?

2009-06-16T11:19:00.013-04:00

“All Men Are Kings Before Potatoes.” This has become something of a catch phrase for me, lately. I'm a gardener at heart, you see, so it is a natural expression of that pastime.

Few activities are as fulfilling as gardening. It is simple, often laborious work, but it gives you time to think and the results are immediate. Sinking a spade into the soil and turning the earth offers "real-time" feedback; the smell of the soil, the twinge as unused muscles awaken - your results are timely and visible. The Earth does not complain or talk back, either. It knows nothing of negativity... you work, it complies. Simple, basic.

It should be no surprise that I am inspired by Henry David Thoreau and his classic work, "Walden." In that book, Thoreau left the hectic, burdened world of 'civilized' people to live a simple agrarian life, without trappings. What his experiment ultimately proved was that whether you're a king or pauper, rich man or poor, you are on equal footing with the soil.

Gardens also are the epitome of dreams, since they are dreams, realized. All gardeners are planners and people of vision. They schedule, organize and endlessly rotate the features of their garden, manipulating the earth for one goal: TO prepare it for the greatness to come. By deliberately making their visions bear fruit, they hold in their hands the core of all achievement.

Turning the earth to cultivate your own food, is the purest distillation of the Human Charter I talk so often about. That Charter, to "GO, DO and BECOME" is at the core of every garden.

You GO out to the earth, laid before you and embrace it. There is no sitting down and hoping with the garden... you must get up and go there.
You DO, by planting and watering, cultivating and nurturing until it produces that which sustains you. "Garden" is an action word.
In doing all this, you BECOME far more than if you had you simply dreamed and wished for something to have occurred. It is the culmination of vision and applied effort, the highest purpose man can attain.

At the same time, it is a very fulfilling purpose. You see, it is all up to you.
In the garden, you are generally alone and it succeeds only because you make it work... or fail to.

It is the glorious paradox of the garden that this basic, unfettered work makes it such a life-changing force. Often, people scorn the garden as oafish, or arcane - but nothing is farther from the truth. What they cannot see is that in calling forth the powers of the Earth, you fulfill the core need of all humanity to GO, DO and BECOME. In the garden you meet the expectations of all society to do something useful with yourself..

SO, if you are feeling like you are wasting your life, getting nowhere or are unfocused, don't buy another self-help CD, or pay for another session with some "guru." Instead, shed these things, go dig in the soil and plant some tomatoes!

You will find that you are refreshed in both body and spirit and will see things in a vastly different way.

Real Heroes

2009-05-23T20:03:00.010-04:00

I listened to a radio show today about battle field medics and doctors in Vietnam. The horrors they described, the deprivations they endured were beyond re-telling. No words I can write would do their story justice. No one should be placed in such a position as they, trying to revive young men blasted to shreds, any one of which might be a neighbor, friend or brother.

Some of them came apart and lost it, never regaining their full sanity... no one of us can, or should, blame them. But most went on after the war to become "regular" people.

What impressed me the most was that these were ordinary men, thrust into extraordinary circumstances. They didnt ask for these things, but they endured and they went on. They coped any way possible and in the midst of the carnage, they did their job - they saved lives.

Many men living today, as you read this, owe their lives to these gallant men.
Most of these gallant men owe their own sense of purpose to the men they saved. For them, those they saved made it all worthwhile.

It's no surprise that most of these men have kept in touch over the last 40 years, saved and saviors alike. Only men who have carried each other in battle can know this connection.

No trite commentary, regardless of it's content, can supplant what these men have done, what they are. So I won't try. I'll simply stand in awe of them, this day.

Instead, I'd ask that each of you remember the servicemen and women who have tasted death itself for their family, their friends and a nation of citizens whom they will never know. God Bless them.

The Power Of Action

2009-05-19T09:49:00.009-04:00

Action. One word, six letters. This single noun, described by Webster as, “The manner or method of performing,” is perhaps the most important word in all of human history. I’ve said for years that the world cares little for you the person, except in an arbitrary way. You take up space, you eat food and you are there, so to speak.

But do something notable, worthwhile or even despicable and people know who you are. The richest, most successful, and yes, even the most murderous of men got that way by their actions. Mountain climbers or champion racers win by doing, not by standing on the corner. But, none of these people would do more than take up space on this planet had they not acted on something, at some point in time.

I’ve noticed a tendency among today’s younger people, by contrast, to do very little. Many are content to stay home with their parents well into their 20’s, or even 30’s, and make nothing more of themselves than that. They like to ‘hang out’ with their friends and if asked what they are doing, respond, with “Oh, not much. “

I suspect the root of this attitude is our highly touted and civilized ‘social welfare system.’ I can't prove it - but I suspect it. The welfare system's intent is, of course, caring for the truly poor and infirm. However, what started as people caring for people has morphed into the modern expectation that somehow “the System” will take care of you; that someone will step forward to provide you with that which you want or require. In that case, why do more than wait for the program, grant or handout to come your way?

The problem is, there is always a price. Someone who has achieved something in life pays for these handouts, and often grudgingly so. This means there is also the expectation that you, the recipient, accept being dictated to by those who give the handout. Once you get used to it, in other words, you do what they say to keep it flowing freely. Not everyone gives in to this way of thinking, but far too many do, it seems.

What has been overlooked is the notion that if you want something, the only person who will ensure you get it is you.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My son Daniel had these two extremes, action vs. handout, driven home recently. He has a friend who has a pressure washer sitting around the yard and some folks asked the two of them if they would wash some houses for them. Daniel was waiting to go off to school and they were paying pretty well, so why not? When the job was finished, his comment to me was something like, “Dad, it was nice to get paid for that simple work. It wasn‘t really hard, and now someone else wants us to come and do some washing for them. Man, it sure beats trying to find new ways to bum money from you!“

Did you catch that? Now, he could have asked me to hand him some money, but he knew that was wearing thin with me, real fast. "Others people money running out..." in other words.
Instead, by sheer chance, he had taken the action needed to earn more money than I would have thought to give.
And he hadn‘t had to beg for a handout to get it, nor put up with my enslavement or expectations. It took only the simple action of washing with a pressure hose to open a world of possibilities and get the message across - DO something, and in turn, become something. In Daniels’ case, he became a man with money in his pocket

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It’s not what you dream about or wish for that gets you where you’re going. Dreams and wishes give shape to your desires, but they are just a place to start. It’s not what you say, talk or complain about that does it, either. “Talk is cheap,” as they say. The world is full of pundits and boors to tell you how bad things are, but that gets no one anywhere.

No, it’s taking ACTION that gets you where you want to be. It’s the “DO” part of your Human Charter, the Charter that places before each of us the challenge to GO, DO and BECOME in our life. Some will say that there is a risk of failure in all this doing, but there is also the chance that you will succeed - or even exceed your own expectations. In the end it‘s about performance, either way.
That is the only thing that gets you noticed and which brings you success at anything. Besides, everyone who succeeds at anything has also failed more than a few times. So get over that fear, right now.

So, what are you waiting for? You know what you want; get a plan together and don’t let anything stop you from getting there. Make no complaints, offer no excuses.

Man, it’s time for you to take action. It’s time to GO, DO, and BECOME!

Have Great Day - Get Control Of Your Time!

2009-05-17T10:14:00.004-04:00

Lately, I’ve been reading Leo Thorsness’ book, “Surviving Hell.” Leo is one of only 96 Congressional Medal of Honor winners still alive today. But, what really draws me to him is the six years he spent in a North Vietnamese prison camp during Vietnam, after being shot down over Hanoi. The years he spent at the Hanoi Hilton being tortured, beaten to a pulp, neglected and ultimately dehumanized by his captors would break most men - but not Leo.

He claims to be a better man for the experience!

I met Mr. Thorsness’ recently and found him to be both irascible and lovable, all at once. Considering all he has been through, he is an amazingly upbeat and likable fellow. He claims, “In the 35 years since my release from prison, I’ve never had a really bad day!” What a superior human being he is.

One of the things I’ve taken away from his story is just how little time truly significant things take. For example, Leo would fly out of Laos for hours to fulfill a mission over North Vietnam, but the “action” only lasted an average of 12 minutes. Think about that.
Long prebriefing sessions, aircraft and equipment checks, hours of flying there and back, then more time in post briefing - for 12 minutes worth of “business.“

So I gave this notion a test. I lined up the things I had planned to do for a day: phone calls, advertising sign placement, taking may dad to his appointments, moving yet another sofa… all the usual things.

I allowed my normal time for “briefing” myself, “doing my checks,” and travelling to and fro. I did all the things one must do to “make ready“ without change.

But the actual time it took to do anything important? SECONDS.

I logged them all. 15 seconds to load the sofa. 182 seconds to take my dad downtown. 13 seconds to place my sign… well, you get the point. Maybe one took a little more than another, but mere seconds were all that were required for any of them.

When I had everything completed, I still had time to sort out some of the collected “stuff” in my car, have a shower and shave, do a bit of light gardening, write this and it was still only 3 PM! All my pre-planning and getting ready was important - critical, even - but the fact remains that the actual time expended on any one thing was tiny.

So the next time you think you have too many things to do, just follow these three simple steps.

- SCRUTINIZE your coming activities through a magnifying lens. Strip them down to their barest elements, a mental vision of what is actually involved in the act. This is in stark contrast to what other “gurus” will tell you. They always put the plan before the action.
But realizing how little time is actually required by each activity brings it into a more realistic perspective.

- PLAN in a similar fashion. Allow each bit of planning only the moments it deserves. We usually worry and stew over a thing far in excess of it’s importance, and so end up with what seems to be toom uch on our plate.
But, since the important things come down to crucial seconds of activity, prepare the same way. Everything in your planning is designed to get you to those crucial seconds, seamlessly.

DO - Once you have scrutinized and planned accordingly, then focus on doing the activity exactly as you envisioned. Don’t invest more time in it than you pictured, don’t get sidetracked in diversions. Do it exactly as you saw it in your pre-planning scrutiny.

At first, this will seem backwards from what you are accustomed to. But stick with it. By doing things in this order, you will sharply focus your efforts, leaving you more time to do what you must. In turn, this will give you more time to do more of the things you enjoy!

Before long, you will have gained control of your time and feel more alive, more free. And like Leo Thorsness, you will likely catch yourself exclaiming, “When you’re me, it’s hard to have a really bad day!”

Talking to Friends about Your Business.

2009-05-12T09:17:00.004-04:00

This is from Michael Oliver, who is the driving force behind the "Natural Selling(R)" program. I thought it was good enough to include here, since it has some wide ranging applications in both life and business. I hope you enjoy it.

"When I talk with Network Marketers and Direct Sales People, it's
surprising how many are reluctant to talk with friends and family
about their business.

I guess it's understandable in many ways, because they don’t want
to run the risk of alienating those close to them.
If this happens to you, it does mean you're missing out on a
source of high quality business partners and customers.

Perhaps even worse, they might need what you have to offer and
they're missing out because you haven't spoken with them about
it.
(The story is always told of the insurance man who didn't sell his friend a policy, because he didn't want business to ruin their friendship - and then the friend promptly dies, leaving nothing for his family to live on.
The bereaved widow, who is destitute, now despises the insurance man - for not selling life insurance to her husband, the man he called his friend.)

So, what's the solution so that everyone wins? Here are some
suggestions.

1. Keep in mind the first principle of Natural Selling. That is, your purpose is to help other people solve their problems. When you're talking with friends, or anyone come to that, all you're looking to do is to discover if they have the types of problems you can help them solve. That's all.

2. Before approaching a friend, take some time to prepare yourself. Think about everything you know about them. Write down everything you can about their family, their hobbies, their sports, their jobs, their relationships, and especially their likes, dislikes, passions, and so on.

3. Write down all the problems you might have heard them talk about, that your business might be able to solve. Things like health problems or tight finances, and think, if you can, how it’s affecting them.

These are the things you can explore further when you next speak with them.

Now, when you do speak with someone keep in mind the following...

* Respect the relationship that is already there. What’s more important? Your friendship or wanting them as a business partner?

* Explore their previously expressed problems or see if they do have the types of problems you can help them solve without necessarily talking about your solutions.

* Let go from talking about your business opportunity. Your first aim at this stage is to simply discover if you might be able to be of help. If in the course of your conversation it becomes clear your friend or family member might have an interest in changing their present situation, then you can offer your solution there and then, or continue the dialogue at another time.

If you adopt this approach, you won't run the risk of upsetting people. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how many of them will be open to listening to you."

Michael Oliver
Natural Selling® Sales Training
For Personal & Business Success

Find Michael at www.NaturalSelling.com

11 SECRETS to Finding a Job

2009-05-11T11:35:00.006-04:00

The Secrets To Finding a Job

If one in ten people are out of work, these days, then nine others are employed at something. So what are you waiting for?…go find one of the 90 percent jobs waiting for you.
To help you do that, here are few proven tips to encourage you.

Be CONSUMED by it.
If searching for a job isn't your full time, all-the-time job NOW, then your results will show it. And you will have no one to blame but yourself. It is that simple.

Do it EVERYDAY
There are no days off from this, no sick days (except when you’re hospitalized); Sunday is no slack day, except for going to church or a bit of sleeping in.
Flatly put, be busy at it, each and every day. Nothing more need be said.

BE the EMPLOYER
Know what they want in the job. Research the company and find a way you can fit in. Show them how your past experience - whatever it is - can help them in their business.
Do this with any and all potential employers in your area which might interest you. Remember, they need employees they can rely on, or they cannot run their business. Find them, understand them and then become what they need.

BLAME is Pointless
There are no assumptions to made here, no blame to be placed on others, as I indicated above. It is all you.
"The System" is not out to get you or hold you down. The truth is, "The System" doesn't generally care about you until you give it reason to.
So stop blaming employers, or the employment office, or the economy, President Obama, your kids or ex-girlfriend, etc….
Instead, prove to them that you are someone to be reckoned with. Give them something to take notice of. Make it happen.

ACT, don’t React
Stop finding reasons why you can’t look for a job, or why you are not employable, or… whatever. Stop it, NOW. Take a deep breath and start by saying, “I CAN ________________________”
You don’t have a car? Okay. But you CAN take the bus, can't you? Or walk?
What, you have no friends to help? Then talk to the neighbors about a job instead. Start finding the things you CAN do to become employed and get busy at them. If you do that, you will find there is little time for fussing over the things you cannot do.

TALK to Everyone
Okay, this is big, so pay attention. Sit down with pencil and paper and make list of all the people you know. Go through your email lists and cell-phone contacts, too. I'm talking everyone here: friends, family, neighbors, the counter girl at McDonald's, the guy at the gas station… everyone is fair game in this.
If this list doesn't fill at least half a sheet of paper, go back and think some more.

Once you have your list, plan some time every day to contact these people and talk to them about your jobless situation. Ask them for ideas, feedback, help and so on. Ask if they know of any jobs or perhaps a friend who may have an opening. Schedule a time to call them later to talk again.

People are amazingly resourceful and willing to help when they think you are trying to better yourself. So what are you waiting for? Start bettering yourself!
Take advantage of one of the greatest resources you have - the people in your life.
Ever heard the term “networking?“ This is what it means.

BE OPEN to Everything
Don’t discount opportunities because you think "it won't turn out,” or it won’t be what you want, etc. Investigate everything that may,

A. Interest you, and/or...
B. Get you PAID.

On the other hand, if you are looking for reasons why something can’t or won’t work out, then you are undermining any success before you even start out. Doing that means you aren’t wanting a job; it means you are making excuses and ACTING like you want one.

LEARN HOW to INTERVIEW
There is a knack to interviewing well. It is like taking the stage on American Idol. You must be confident, without being pushy. You must show them, on the fly, why you are the one for them. You must react well and be flexible in conversation. If you are a member of Toastmasters, Intl., so much the better. If you are not, consider joining.
NOTE: The contacts you make there might just lead to a very good job.

If you are not comfortable with people in suits or those behind desks, then find a way to practice this before hand. Call someone you know who does wear a suit and sits at a desk - and ask them to give you a mock interview.

Be ready with answers to the questions, “Tell me about Yourself,” “Why should I hire You,” "How can you benefit me?" and “What are Your strong (and weak) points.”
Do some research on how to interview well and practice BEFORE you go to the interview. Your chances of success will go up dramatically.

STAY in CONTACT
Go after the job you want by having a continuous plan for contact with that job. If you don’t get hired after one attempt, don’t imagine they didn't like you. Worse, don't sit there waiting for that person to call back. These things mire you in doubt or inaction, just when you most need activity and confidence.
So, call or email your interviewers after a week. Put each interview contact you make into your schedule for the future and politely contact them on schedule. Do this until they hire you or tell you the position is filled.
The interviewer is an important person, but you are interested in the Job. So remain in touch with the Job, like it's an old friend.

GET MAD
Anger is one of the best motivators there is. If you are unhappy with your situation - that isn’t good enough. Being "unhappy" is for wimps.
Instead, go outside and start screaming. Get on your hands and knees and start pounding the ground in anger. Get REALLY mad, I mean spitting mad!!
People nearby should be looking over at you to see what the commotion is about.

Get worked up as to why you haven’t gotten anywhere, why you are stuck, or why things haven’t worked out. Don’t blame anybody but yourself for things to this point and vow to change them.
Why? Because, you’re pissed at where you are, when you know there are better places to be!
If you’re not angry enough to feel that way - then you're not trying hard enough!!

THERE WILL BE A TEST
You are being tested, here. Your perseverance, your character, and your adaptability are on the line. Falter in these and you will remain unemployed... and worse, you will prove the negativity you feel about yourself is true.
But, be strong in these areas and follow the advice given here and a magical thing will occur - you will succeed.

And believe me, no employer will expect less of you than these things. You must be able to deliver them, so there's no time like the present to start.

AS always, I am available through email. If you have a specific question or situation, feel free to contact me.

2009-04-29T05:59:00.006-04:00

"Moderation is a fatal flaw. Nothing succeeds like excess." - - Oscar Wilde

Did you get that? Read that again.

Now there, folks, is a real secret to getting ahead in whatever you do. "Gurus" and "mentors" the world over tell you the same thing. They devote books to it, they charge huge sums to attend their seminars to teach what Mr. Wilde has said in nine words.

The message of course is this: You must have passion, committment, involvement, immersion, perhaps even obsession, if you are to ever achieve anything worthwhile.

All the greats at anything do it - they don't go at "their thing" half way. They pursue it to its ultimate possibilities, without distraction.

Take Tiger Woods for example. Since the age of 3 he gave his all to the game of golf. Maybe part of it was his father pushing; if so he can thank his Dad for that. Regardless, as time went on the passion to be the best took hold. Look where it has gotten him.

So, if you want to be successful, or get ahead or "achieve" that which is important to you, then you had better not half-ass it. Accept no excuses from yourself or anyone. Give it your all, and dont let up.

Why the Cheap Don't Get Rich by Robert Kiyosaki

2009-04-26T09:07:00.004-04:00

I like Robert Kiyosaki. He tells the truth about money that most people never hear - because our financial culture precludes it. Before I ever heard of Robert, I said that we don't teach our children to build wealth. Part of my "Young America" concept program includes wealth building... as opposed to the myriad others that teach "finances."
After all, so what if the individual can balance a checkbook - if ther's nothing in it. Here's Robert on Value.

========================================

The other day a friend of mine approached me excitedly, saying, "I found the house of my dreams. It's in foreclosure and the bank will sell it to me for a great price."

"How good is the price?" I asked.

"Just before the real estate market crashed, the seller was asking $780,000 for the property. Today, I can buy it from the bank for $215,000. What do you think?" she asked.

"How would I know?" I replied. "All you've given me is an arbitrary price."

"Yes!" she squealed. "Now my husband and I can afford it."

"Only cheap people buy on price," I replied. "Just because something is cheap doesn't mean it's worth the cost."

I then explained to her one of my most basic money principles: I buy value.
I will pay more for value. If I don't like the price, I simply pass. If the seller wants to sell, he will come back with a better price. I let him tell me what he will accept. I know some people love to haggle; personally, I don't. If a person wants to sell, they will sell. If I feel what I am buying is of value, I'll pay the price. Value rather than price has made me rich.

Against my advice, my friend sought financing for her "dream" home.

Fortunately, the bank turned her down. It turns out the house was on a busy street in a deteriorating neighborhood. The high school four blocks away was one of the most dangerous schools in the city. Her son and daughter would either have to go to private school or take karate lessons at night.
She is now looking for a cheaper house to buy and has asked her father, who is retired, for help with the down payment. If her past is a crystal ball to her future, she will likely always be cheap and poor, even though she is a good, kind, educated, hard-working person.

My Point of View

What follows are some thoughts on why my friend will probably never get ahead financially -- in any market, but especially this one.

1. She and her husband have college degrees but zero financial education.
Even worse, neither plans to attend any investment classes. Choosing to remain financially uneducated has caused them to miss out on the greatest bull and bear markets in history. As my rich dad often said, "What you don't know keeps you poor."

2. She is too emotional.
In the world of money and investing, you must learn to control your emotions. When you think about it, three of our biggest financial decisions in life are made at times of peak emotional excitement: deciding to get married, buying a home, and having kids.

My dad often said, "High emotions, low intelligence." To be rich, you need to see the good and the bad, the short- and long-term consequences of your decisions. Obviously, this is easier said than done, but it's key to building wealth.

3. She doesn't know the difference between advice from rich people and advice from sales people.
Most people get their financial advice from the latter -- people who profit even if you lose. One reason why financial education is so important is because it helps you know the difference between good and bad advice.

As the current crisis demonstrates, our schools teach very little about money management. Millions of people are living in fear because they followed conventional wisdom: Go to school, get a job, work hard, save money, buy a house, get out of debt, and invest for the long term in a well-diversified portfolio of mutual funds.

Many people who followed this financial prescription are not sleeping at night. They need a new plan. Had they sought out a little financial education, they might not be entangled in this mess.

2009-04-24T22:09:00.005-04:00

After the tragedy of 9/11, the airline industry has taken on a serious posture. While this has meantt hat airline travel is not the fun carnival ride it was when Iwas young, it still offers some light hearted moments.
Here, for your enjoyment, are cabin announcements heard recently, "in the friendly skies."

==============================================

1. On a Continental Flight with a very "senior" flight attendant crew, the pilot said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants. Thank you."

2. Upon landing, the stewardess said, "Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you're going to leave anything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have."

3. "Thank you for flying Delta Business Express. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride."

4. "In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling.. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are traveling with more than one small child, please pick your favorite..."

5. "Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but we'll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, nobody loves your money more than Southwest Airlines."

6. "As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses."

7. A flight attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing: "We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal."

8. An airline pilot wrote that his airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the passengers exited. After an embarrasingly hard landing, he was approached by a little old lady with a cane.
She said, "Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?"
"Why, no, Ma'am," said the fellow. "What is it?"
Without a pause, the old lady said, "Did we land... or were we shot down?"

9. After another real crusher of a landing in Phoenix, the attendant came on with this,
"Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Capt. Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt against the gate. Once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we'll open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal."

10. Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: "We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of US Airways."

11. After his plane reached it's comfortable cruising altitude, the captain made an announcement over the intercom,
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome aboard Flight 293, nonstop to Los Angeles. The weather ahead is good and we should have a smooth and uneventful flight. Now sit back, relax and... AAAAAAH! WHAT THE, - - OH, MY DEAR GOD!"

Silence followed, and the passengers were understandably worried.

After a few minutes, the captain came back on the intercom and said in a reserved voice,

"Uh, ladies and Gentlemen, I am sorry if I scared you earlier. While I was talking, the flight attendant accidentally spilled a cup of screaming hot coffee in my lap. You should see the front of my pants!"

A passenger in Coach yelled, "That's nothing. You should see the back of mine!"

2009-04-24T20:55:00.001-04:00

What You Gonna Do With It?

"From the time the fertile egg is laid, the chances of hatching depend on the care given by those who become responsible for it."

Eggs and hatching? What does this have to do with anything? Well, since this blog may be new to you, I'll simply say that one of the things in life that keenly interest me is the raising of chickens. While perhaps odd to some, in this modern, factory-farm age, I find there are still many lessons to be learned in the old-fashioned chicken yard.

While reading an older text on the matter of hatching eggs for breeding stock, I ran across the above passage. The more I read it, the more I realized how pertinent it is to each of us. This is all the more so to those who are not content to merely take up space, but who would DO something meaningful in life.

So, what can we learn from the fertile egg, from the chick and those responsible for it?

In this country and indeed in most of the world, we are each born into the means to do something great. Laid before you at your birth is a vast system designed to educate you, raise you to adulthood and make you into something. All over the globe, the cultures of man are biased toward individual accomplishment. From the tents of Berber herdsmen in Morocco to the Social Welfare Systems of the world's propeserous countries, the whole of mankind demands that you "do something with yourself."

Poverty or lack of opportunity is no excuse for doing nothing. Oh sure, it is easy to say society or the government or whatever scapegoat you chose is against you. But it is expected that you pull yourself up from what ever ignoble beginnings you started with and rise according to your place and cultural mores. History is full of people who have, you know, so what's your excuse?
No amount of wealth or privilige is an excuse for doing simply nothing, either. Just because you have everything you want, does NOT mean you can do nothing worthwhile. The world is also full of people, right now, who are rich and famous and do things to be proud of who are noteworthy for their accompishments in their own right.

Like the chick in the egg, we are all placed within our particular station in life, each to our particular purpose. We are given but one directive by those who invest in us, by those who take responsibility for us:

"GO. DO. BECOME."

There are forces which can be aligned against you, to be sure. War, starvation, disaster, poverty, disease... these all are realities of life. Some will die before they make a start, let alone get anywhere. It is like that.

But, if you are reading this, wherever you are, I suspect that such hindrances are remote from your particular station in life. Instead, I'll wager that many forces, people and systems have been aligned to ensure that you, like the chick hatched from the egg, arrives on this earth to fulfill your directive, to

"GO. DO. BECOME."

So, now that it is clear that much has happened - known and unknown to you - to give you someplace to start, the question then begs asking: "What are you Gonna Do About It?