go-teamwin

[go-teamwin]

Stop!!!! Wasting $

Benjamin Franklin once said, “a penny saved is a penny earned.”¹ The modern upgrade to that observation might be that $100 not spent is more like $143.²

One way to find the money to meet your spending or saving needs is to examine your current spending habits and consider eliminating money wasters.

Top Money Wasters

Bargain Shopping ... and its Expensive Cousin, Impulse Buying

Fire sales and impulse buying (such as buying products sold on infomercials) can be money wasters, made worse by how often items purchased this way sit idly in a closet or drawer.

Unused Gym Memberships

At a monthly rate of $40-50, unused memberships can add up over time. Begin your fitness commitment inexpensively by walking or jogging; you can graduate to the gym once you know you’re going to stick with it.

Cable and Cell

Call your provider and see if it’s possible to negotiate a new rate. Cell providers, who face stiff competition, may be responsive. Cable companies may be less so, especially if they are a single provider, but you can review your package and make sure you are not paying for service you don’t want.

Paying for Water

Switching from an essentially free product to one that may cost up to $1.50 a day or more makes for a real budget leak. Consider purchasing a reusable container and refilling it during the day.

Gourmet Coffee

$2 or $3 a day may not seem like a lot of money, but when Americans step into a gourmet coffee shop, they may often buy more than just the coffee. Consider brewing your own coffee. It can be ready before you leave for work, and it’ll save you the wait in the drive-through line!

Eating Out

Americans now spend more money dining out than they do at the grocery store.³ Consider the cost of going out to lunch twice a week. If you spent $10 each time, it would cost you $1,040 annually. While dining out may be one of life’s pleasures, it is often less about socialization and more about convenience. Twice a week may not seem like much, but over time it can add up.

—————

The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation.

1.Brainy Quote, September 2016

2.This is a hypothetical example that assumes a 30% tax rate. The example is used for illustrative purposes only. It is not representative of any specific tax rate or combination of tax rates.

3.Fool.com, January 1, 2017

[go-teamwin]

Take a chance on yourself! You’ll be surprised to find that your mind has no limits if you just stretch it a little more each day.

[go-teamwin]

What Does “Pay Yourself First” Mean?

          Do you dread grabbing the mail every day?

Bills, bills, mortgage payment, another bill, maybe some coupons for things you never buy, and of course, more bills. There seems to be an endless stream of envelopes from companies all demanding payment for their products and services. It feels like you have a choice of what you want to do with your money ONLY after all the bills have been paid – if there’s anything left over, that is.

More times than not it might seem like there’s more ‘month’ than ‘dollar.' Not to rub salt in the wound, but may I ask how much you’re saving each month? $100? $50? Nothing? You may have made a plan and come up with a rock-solid budget in the past, but let’s get real. One month’s expenditures can be very different than another’s. Birthdays, holidays, last-minute things the kids need for school, a spontaneous weekend getaway, replacing that 12-year-old dishwasher that doesn’t sound exactly right, etc., can make saving a fixed amount each month a challenge. Some months you may actually be able to save something, and some months you can’t. The result is that setting funds aside each month becomes an uncertainty.

Although this situation might appear at first benign (i.e., it’s just the way things are), the impact of this uncertainty can have far-reaching negative consequences.

Here’s why: If you don’t know how much you can save each month, then you don’t know how much you can save each year. If you don’t know how much you can save each year, then you don’t know how much you’ll have put away 2, 5, 10, or 20 years from now. Will you have enough saved for retirement?

If you have a goal in mind like buying a home in 10 years or retiring at 65, then you also need a realistic plan that will help you get there. Truth is, most of us don’t have a wealthy relative who might unexpectedly leave us an inheritance we never knew existed!

The good news is that the average Canadian could potentially save over $300 per month¹ and the average American over $500 per month!² That’s great, and you might want to do that... but how do you do that?

The secret is to “pay yourself first.” The first “bill” you pay each month is to yourself. Shifting your focus each month to a “pay yourself first” mentality is subtle, but it can potentially be life changing. Let’s say for example you make $3,000 per month after taxes. You would put aside $300 (10%) right off the bat, leaving you $2,700 for the rest of your bills. This tactic makes saving $300 per month a certainty. The answer to how much you would be saving each month would always be: “At least $300.” If you stash this in an interest-bearing account, imagine how high this can grow over time if you continue to contribute that $300.

That’s exciting! But at this point you might be thinking, “I can’t afford to save 10% of my income every month because the leftovers aren’t enough for me to live my lifestyle”. If that’s the case, rather than reducing the amount you save, it might be worthwhile to consider if it’s the lifestyle you can’t afford.

Ultimately, paying yourself first means you’re making your future financial goals a priority, and that’s a bill worth paying.

[go-teamwin]

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKZCgmPtxbM)

You Must: 1. Have a Strong Desire 2. Believe in Your Destiny 3. Have a Strong Reason to Fight For 4. Have a Good Mission 5. Have a Goal With a Written Plan 6. Have a System & Mentor 7. Have the Ability to Learn and to Follow 8. Have Compassion for People 9. Have Family Support 10. Stay Positive All the Time

When you adopt these habits, the way you think changes and so does your life and the people in it.

[go-teamwin]

Is This the One Thing Separating You from Bill Gates?

Well, a few billion things probably separate you and me from Bill Gates, but he has a habit that may have contributed to his success in a big way: Bill Gates is a voracious reader.

He reads about 50 books per year. His reason why: “[R]eading is still the main way that I both learn new things and test my understanding.”

On his blog gatesnotes, Gates recommended Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance, the personal story of a man who worked his way out of poverty in Appalachian Ohio and Kentucky into Yale Law School – and casts a light on the cultural divide in our nation. Gates wrote,

Melinda and I have been working for several years to learn more about how Americans move up from the lowest rungs of the economic ladder (what experts call mobility from poverty). Even though Hillbilly Elegy doesn’t use a lot of data, I came away with new insights into the multifaceted cultural and family dynamics that contribute to poverty.

We all have stories about our unique financial situations and dreams of where we want to go. And none of us want money – or lack thereof – to hold us back.

What things, ideas, or deeply-ingrained habits might be keeping you in the financial situation you’re in? And what can you do to get past them? I have plenty of ideas and strategies that have the potential to make big changes for you.

Contact me today, and together we can review your current financials and work on a strategy to get you where you want to go – including some reading material that can help you in your journey to financial independence.

Sources: Business Insider: “Bill Gates says reading 50 books a year gives him a huge advantage.” 1.8.2016   gatesnotes: “From Coal Country to Yale.” 4.22.2017

[go-teamwin]

Remember why you started. Start before you’re ready. Set goals. Conquer them. My network elevated my net-worth. #20K18convention #georgiainternationalconventioncenter #january13 #teamwin

[go-teamwin]

                                    Diabetic?

Or have family members that are...

When you consider a chronic disease like diabetes, it’s no wonder people are concerned. Yet studies show good health can contribute to clients’ wealth. That is why investing in your health is the first thing you have to do--to be able to work longer and live better. When news of diabetes is delivered, there is no welcome packet when you get this diagnosis... From a financial and a legal perspective, there’s just not a lot of precedents; priority, order, and rank of next steps to monitor manage and effectively treat this condition. 

There’s no doubt: Unexpected health emergencies and diagnoses are a challenging, but a real, part of life. Yet with proper preparation, today can help you gain back some control over at least a small piece of situations that are often unpredictable. When you ask most people how long they expect to live and how long they plan to work, they reference their parents and their grandparents. Our aging and our retirements are not going to look like our parents according to Laura Carstensen, director, Stanford Center on Longevity. Financial stress can lead to significant health issues.

Wellness. It's not just about your waistline anymore.

Researchers have long known that financial stress can take a toll on physical health. The American Psychological Association says that "for people coping with existing health problems, financial and interpersonal stress can exacerbate their conditions. Stress, in general, can cause heart attacks, strokes, and many other serious health issues regardless of the source. Learn about the effects of financial stress on your health and what you can do to prevent or reduce it.

It’s the beginning of the year, so what better time to schedule an annual physical with both your Primary Care Provider and then...your Financial Advisor.

Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now...while you still can.

Source: Financial Stress and Your Health

[go-teamwin]

5 Things to Consider When Starting Your Own Business

Does anything sound better than being your own boss?

Well, maybe a brand new sports car or free ice cream for life. But even a state-of-the-art fully-decked-out sports car will eventually need routine maintenance, and the taste of mint chocolate chip can get old after a while.

The same kinds of things can happen when you start your own business. There are many details to consider and seemingly endless tasks to keep organized after the initial excitement of being your own boss and keeping your own hours has faded. Circumstances are bound to arise that no one ever prepared you for!

Although this list is not exhaustive, here are 5 things to get you started when creating a business of your own:

1. Startup cost

The startup cost of your business depends heavily on the type of business you want to have. To estimate the startup cost, make a list of anything and everything you’ll need to finance in the first 6 months. Then take each expense and ask:

Is this cost fixed or variable?

Essential or optional?

One-time or recurring?

Once you’ve determined the frequency and necessity of each cost for the first 6 months, add it all together. Then you’ll have a ballpark idea of what your startup costs might be.

(Hint: Don’t forget to add a line item for those unplanned, miscellaneous expenses!)

2. Competitors

“Find a need, and fill it” is general advice for starting a successful business. But if the need is apparent, how many other businesses will be going after the same space to fill? And how do you create a business that can compete? After all, keeping your doors open and your business frequented is priority #1.

The simplest and most effective solution? Be great at what you do. Take the time to learn your business and the need you’re trying to fill – inside and out. Take a step back and think like a customer. Try to imagine how your competitors are failing at meeting customers’ needs. What can you do to solve those issues? Overcoming these hurdles can’t guarantee that your doors will stay open, but your knowledge, talent, and work ethic can set you apart from competitors from the start. This is what builds life-long relationships with customers – the kind of customers that will follow you wherever your business goes.

(Hint: The cost of your product or service should not be the main differentiator from your competition.)

3. Customer acquisition

The key to acquiring customers goes back to the need you’re trying to fill by running your business. If the demand for your product is high, customer acquisition may be easier. And there are always methods to bring in more. First and foremost, be aware of your brand and what your business offers. This will make identifying your target audience more accurate. Then market to them with a varied strategy on multiple fronts: content, email, and social media; search engine optimization; effective copywriting; and the use of analytics.

(Hint: The amount of money you spend on marketing – e.g., Google & Facebook ads – is not as important as who you are targeting.)

4. Building product inventory

This step points directly back to your startup cost. At the beginning, do as much research as you can, then stock your literal (or virtual) shelves with a bit of everything feasible you think your target audience may want or need. Track which products (or services) customers are gravitating towards – what items in your inventory disappear the most quickly? What services in your repertoire are the most requested? After a few weeks or months you’ll have real data to analyse. Then always keep the bestsellers on hand, followed closely by seasonal offerings. And don’t forget to consider making a couple of out-of-the-ordinary offerings available, just in case. Don’t underestimate the power of trying new things from time to time; you never know what could turn into a success!

(Hint: Try to let go of what your favorite items or services might be, if customers are not biting.)

5. Compliance with legal standards

Depending on what type of business you’re in, there may be standards and regulations that you must adhere to. For example, hiring employees falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Labor and Federal Employment Laws. There are also State Labor Laws to consider.

(Hint: Be absolutely sure to do your research on the legal matters that can arise when beginning your own business. Not many judges are very accepting of “But, Your Honor, I didn’t know that was illegal!”)

Starting your own business is not an impossible task, especially when you’re prepared.And what makes preparing yourself even easier is becoming your own boss with an established company like World Financial Group (WFG).

The need for financial professionals exists – everyone needs to know how money works, and many people need help in pursuing financial independence. WFG works with well-known and respected companies to provide a broad range of products for our customers. We take pride in equipping families with products that meet their financial needs.

Anytime you’re ready, I’d be happy to share my experience with you – as well as many other things to consider – when becoming an associate with WFG.

[go-teamwin]

Boost Your Daily Routine with These 3 Financial Habits

It’s late Friday afternoon. Your to-do list is a crumpled, coffee-stained memory in the bottom of your wastebasket. Another great week in the books!

But as you head out for a night on the town with friends or maybe cuddle up next to your kids to watch their favorite movie, did you ever consider how you spent your after-work time during the week?

Whether you’re routine-driven, a free spirit, or somewhere in between, setting aside a few minutes every day to spend on your finances has the potential to make a huge difference in the long run. By adding these 3 financial habits to your daily routine, you have the potential to give yourself a little more power over your finances.

1. Check your inbox (or mailbox). Whether you pay your bills via credit card, automatic withdrawal, or a hand-written check that you mail in to the company, a daily look-see will help you stay on top of any alerts you get. Spend a few minutes every day glancing over incoming bills, payment receipts, and new online transactions. Being aware of the exodus (or pending exodus) of your money can help fend off late fees, overdrawing your accounts, or maxing out your credit card.

2. Review your spending. Every evening, take quick stock of any spending you did that day – whether in brick-and-mortar stores or online. This exercise can be eye-opening. For instance, are you in the habit of grabbing a piping hot cup of coffee from the drive-thru on your morning commute? Depending on your coffee preference, that can cost up to $5 a day! Maybe 5 bucks isn’t a huge deal, but consider this:

$5 for coffee x 5 days a week = $25

$25 a week x 4 weeks/month = $100

That’s $100 per month spent on coffee!

Just staying aware of those little daily expenditures may make a huge difference in your financial health; when you know how much you’re paying over time for something you could prepare at home (for far less money), you may decide to scale back on the barista-brewed coffee so you can help boost your financial future – and keep yourself on the path to financial independence.

3. Learn a little more. Knowing how money works is a vital part of achieving and maintaining financial independence. Taking a few moments every day to educate yourself a little more about money can make a huge difference in the long run. It can keep you aware of best practices for money management and all the ways your money can work for you. Try a blog post, YouTube video, or a best-seller on finances to keep yourself informed and up to date.

As you start putting these simple financial habits in place, contact me any time!Together we can assess how these small changes could help strengthen your financial strategy and get you closer to financial independence.

[go-teamwin]

            The Shelf Life of Financial Records

When you finally make the commitment to organize that pile of financial documents, where are you supposed to start?

Maybe you’ve tried sorting your documents into this infamous trio: the Coffee Stains Assortment, the Crumpled-Up Masses, and the Definitely Missing a Page or Two Crew.

How has this system been working for you? Is that same stack of disorganized paper just getting shuffled from one corner of your desk to the top of your filing cabinet and back again? Why not give the following method a try instead? Based on the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)'s “Save or Shred” ideas, here’s a list of the shelf life of some key financial records to help you begin whittling that stack down to just what you need to keep. (And remember, when disposing of any financial records, shred them – don’t just toss them into the trash.)

1. Keep These Until They Die: Mortgages, Student Loans, Car Loans, Etc.   These records are the ones to hang on to until you’ve completely paid them off. However, keeping these records indefinitely (to be on the safe side) is a good idea. If any questions or disputes relating to the loan or payment of the loan come up, you’re covered. Label the records clearly, then feel free to put them at the back of your file cabinet. They can be out of sight, but make sure they’re still in your possession if that info needs to come to mind.

2. Seven Years in the Cabinet: Tax-Related Records.   These records include your tax returns and receipts/proof of anything you might claim as a deduction. You’ll need to keep your tax documents – including proof of deductions – for 7 years. Period. Why? In the US, if the IRS thinks you may have underreported your gross income by 25%, they have 6 whole years to challenge your return. Not to mention, they have 3 years to audit you if they think there might be any good faith errors on past returns. (Note: Check with your state tax office to learn how long you should keep your state tax records.) And in Canada, the rule is to keep tax records for 6 years "from the end of the tax year to which they apply." This can be a little confusing, especially if you file late returns for any reason, so round the 6 years up to 7, and you'll give yourself a little bit of wiggle room if the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) comes knocking. Also important to keep in mind for both countries: Some of the items included in your tax returns may also pull from other categories in this list, so be sure to examine your records carefully and hang on to anything you think you might need.

3. The Sixers: Property Records.   This one goes out to you homeowners. While you’re living in your home, keep any and all documents from the purchase of the home to remodeling or additions you make. After you sell the home, keep those documents for at least 6 more years.

4. The Annually Tossed: Brokerage Statements, Paycheck Stubs, Bank Records.   “Annually tossed” is used a bit lightly here, so please proceed with caution. What can be disposed of after an annual review are brokerage statements, paycheck stubs (if not enrolled in direct deposit), and bank records. Hoarding these types of documents may lead to a “keep it all” or “trash it all” attitude. Neither is beneficial. What should be kept is anything of long-term importance (see #2).

5. The Easy One: Rental Documents.   If you rent a property, keep all financial documents and rental agreements until you’ve moved out and gotten your security deposit back from the landlord. Use your deposit to buy a shredder and have at it – it’s easy and fun!

6. The Check-‘Em Againsts: Credit Card Receipts/Statements and Bills.   Check your credit card statement against your physical receipts and bank records from that month. Ideally, this should be done online daily, or at least weekly, to catch anything suspicious as quickly as possible. If everything checks out and there are no red flags, shred away! (Note: Planning to claim anything on your statement as a tax deduction? See #2.) As for bills, you’re in the clear to shred them as soon as your payment clears – with one caveat: Bills for any big-ticket items that you might need to make an insurance claim on later (think expensive sound system, diamond bracelet, all-leather sofa with built-in recliners) should be held on to indefinitely (or at least as long as you own the item).

So even if your kids released their inner Michelangelo on the shoebox of financial papers under your bed, some of them need to be kept – for more than just sentimental value. And it’s vital to keep the above information in mind when you’re considering what to keep and for how long.

Source: FINRA: "Save or Shred: How Long You Should Keep Financial Documents." 1.27.2017   TurboTax: "How far back can the CRA go for Personal Income Taxes?"

[go-teamwin]

How to Get Off of the Post-Grad Financial Roller Coaster

Congratulations on earning a college degree!

Your years of hard work could result in better job prospects (including better benefits for you and your family), job security, a larger income – and years of repaying student loan debt that could adversely affect your retirement savings! Wait a minute…

According to the Young Invincibles ‘Financial Health of Young America’ study, the average retirement accounts of those with a college degree and no student loan debt grew at double the rate of those with a college degree and student loan debt.

That makes sense: if someone does not have to pay back loans, they’ll potentially have more to set aside for retirement, putting them in a better position than someone who has to wait to set aside the same amounts due to student debt loans.

What doesn’t make sense is that your future should suffer such a potentially lengthy setback right on the heels of dedicating yourself to bettering your chances. What an emotional roller coaster – working hard for years to improve your future but having to delay the benefits of your hard work because of debt!

There’s a way out from under your student debt: a solid financial strategy to pay it back and a life and a solid plan to help with financing your future to help with financing your future. I can help you with both.

Contact me today, and together we can work on a strategy that could bring back a little of the excitement of earning that degree!

Source: Young Invincibles: "Financial Health of Young America." 1.2017

[go-teamwin]

One small POSITIVE THOUGHT in the morning can change your whole day. Now go forth and be amazing!!!

[go-teamwin]

The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to LEARN And CHANGE. A persons mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.

[go-teamwin]

30 Behaviors That Will Make You Unstoppable

BY BENJAMIN P. HARDY

A lot of people are good at what they do. Some are even elite. A select few are completely unstoppable.

Those who are unstoppable are in their own world. They don’t compete with anyone but themselves. You never know what they will do — only that you will be forced to respond. Even though they don’t compete with you, they make you compete with them.

Are you unstoppable? 

Let’s get started:

1. Don’t think — know and act.

“Don’t think. You already know what you have to do, and you know how to do it. What’s stopping you?” — Tim Grover

Rather than analyzing and thinking, act. Attuned to your senses, and with complete trust in yourself, do what you instinctively feel you should. As Oprah has said, “Every right decision I have ever made has come from my gut. Every wrong decision I’ve made was the result of me not listening to the greater voice of myself.”

The moment you start thinking, you’ve already lost. Thinking swiftly pulls you out of the zone.

2. Always be prepared so you have the freedom to act on instinct.

“Just as the yin-yang symbol possesses a kernel of light in the dark, and of dark in the light, creative leaps are grounded in a technical foundation.” — Josh Waitzkin

Become a master of your craft. While everyone else is relaxing, you’re practicing and perfecting. Learn the left-brained rules in and out so your right brain can have limitless freedom to break the rules and create.

With enhanced consciousness, time will slow down for you. You’ll see things in several more frames than others. While they’re trying to react to the situation, you’ll be able to manipulate and tweak the situation to your liking.

3. Don’t be motivated by money or anything external.

Having nice things is, well, nice. But for you, it’s never been about the money, prestige or anything else outside of you. Take these things away and nothing changes for you. You’re still going to be pushing your personal limits and giving it your all. Give these things to you and they won’t destroy you like they do most people.

4. Never be satisfied.

“The drive to close the gap between near-perfect and perfect is the difference between great and unstoppable.” — Tim Grover

Even after you achieve a goal, you’re not content. For you, it’s not even about the goal. It’s about the climb to see how far you can push yourself.

Does this make you ungrateful? Absolutely not. You’re entirely humbled and grateful for everything in your life. Which is why you will never get complacent or lazy.

To quote Jim Rohn, “the way to enjoy life best is to wrap up one goal and start right on the next one. Don’t linger too long at the table of success, the only way to enjoy another meal is to get hungry.”

5. Always be in control.

Unlike most people, who are dependent on substances or other external factors, you are in control of what you put in your body, how you spend your time and how long you stay in the zone.

Act based on instinct, not impulse. Just because you could doesn’t mean you do. And when you do, it’s because you want to, not because you have to.

6. Be true to yourself.

Although 70 percent of US employees hate their jobs and only one in threeAmericans report being happy, relentless and unstoppable people purge everything from their life they hate.

Have the self-respect and confidence to live life on your terms. When something isn’t right in your life, change it. Immediately.

7. Never let off the pressure.

“Pressure can bust pipes, but it also can make diamonds.” — Tim Grover

Most people can handle pressure in small doses. But when left to their own devices, they let off the pressure and relax.

Not you. You never take the pressure off yourself. Instead, you continuously turn-up the pressure. It’s what keeps you alert and active.

8. Don’t be afraid of the consequences of failure.

Most people stay close to the ground, where it’s safe. If they fall, it won’t hurt that bad. But when you choose to fly high, the fall may kill you. And you’re OK with that. To you, there is no ceiling and there is no floor. It’s all in your head. If something goes wrong — if you “fail” — you adjust and keep going.

9. Don’t compete with others. Make them compete with you.

Most people are competing with other people. They continuously check-in to see what others in their space (their “competition”) are doing. As a result, they mimic and copy what’s “working.”

Conversely, you’ve left all competition behind. Competing with others makes absolutely zero sense to you. It pulls you from your authentic zone. So you zone out all the external noise and instead zone in to your internal pressure to produce.

10. Never stop learning.

Ordinary people seek entertainment. Extraordinary people seek education and learning. When you want to become the best at what you do, you never stop learning. You never stop improving and honing your skills and knowledge.

Your unparalleled preparation is what gives you power. No one else is willing to pay the price you’ve paid.

11. Success isn’t enough — it only increases the pressure.

For most people, becoming “successful” is enough. However, when you’re relentless, success only increases the pressure to do more. Immediately following the achievement of a goal, you’re focused on your next challenge.

12. Don’t get crushed by success.

“Success can become a catalyst for failure.” — Greg McKeown

Most people can’t handle success, authority or privilege. It destroys them. It makes them lazy. When they get what they want, they stop doing the very things that got them there. The external noise becomes too intense.

But for you, no external noise can push harder than your own internal pressure. It’s not about thisachievement, but the one after, and the one after that. There is no destination. Only when you’re finished.

13. Completely own it when you screw up.

“Implementing extreme ownership requires checking your ego and operating with a high degree of humility. Admitting mistakes, taking ownership and developing a plan to overcome challenges are integral to any successful team.”―Jocko Willink

No blame. No deception or illusion. Just the cold hard truth. When you mess up, you own it. And as the leader, you own it when your team fails. Only with extreme ownership can you have complete freedom and control.

14. Let your work speak for itself.

“Well done, is well said.” — Anthony Liccione

Cal Newport’s recent book, Deep Work, distinguishes “deep work” from “shallow work.” Here’s the difference:

Deep work is:

Rare

High value

And non-replicable (i.e., not easy to copy/outsource)

Shallow work is:

Common

Low value

Replicable (i.e., anyone can do it)

Talking is shallow. Anyone can do it. It’s easily replicated. It’s low value. Conversely, deep work is rare. It’s done by people who are focused and working while everyone else is talking. Deep work is so good it can’t be ignored. It doesn’t need words. It speaks for itself.

15. Always work on your mental strength.

“Mental resilience is arguably the most critical trait of a world-class performer, and it should be nurtured continuously. Left to my own devices, I am always looking for ways to become more and more psychologically impregnable. When uncomfortable, my instinct is not to avoid the discomfort but to become at peace with it. My instinct is always to seek out challenges as opposed to avoiding them.” — Josh Waitzkin

The better you can be under pressure, the further you’ll go than anyone else. Because they’ll crumble under pressure.

The best training you will ever do is mental training. Wherever your mind goes, your body follows. Wherever your thoughts go, your life follows.

16. Confidence is your greatest asset.

You’ve heard it before: Running a marathon is far more mental than physical. A person’s ability to run a marathon — or do anything hard — is more a reflection of their level of confidence than their actual ability.

Your confidence determines:

The size of challenges/goals you undertake

How likely you will achieve those goals

How well you bounce back from failures

If you’re not confident, you will never put yourself out there in the first place. When you’re confident, you don’t care how many times you fail, you’re going to succeed. And it doesn’t matter how stacked the odds seem against you.

17. Surround yourself with people who remind you of the future, not the past.

When you surround yourself with people who remind you of your past, you’ll have a hard time progressing. This is why we get stuck in certain roles, which we can’t break free from (e.g., the fat kid or shy girl).

Surrounding yourself with people who you want to be like allows you a fresh slate. You’re no longer defined by your past, only the future you are creating.

18. Let things go, but never forget.

Being unstoppable requires carrying no unnecessary mental or emotional baggage. Consequently, you’ll need to immediately and completely forgive anyone who has wronged you. However, forgiveness doesn’t mean you forget. And it doesn’t mean you have to do further business with those who have wronged you.

19. Have clear goals.

“While a fixation on results is certainly unhealthy, short-term goals can be useful developmental tools if they are balanced within a nurturing long-term philosophy.” — Josh Waitzkin

According to loads of psychology research, the most motivating goals are clearly defined and time-bound.

Your goals can either be focused on your behaviors (e.g., I’m going to write 500 words per day) or on the outcomes you’re seeking (e.g., I’m going to get published on The New York Times by June 1, 2016).

For most people, behaviorally-focused goals are the better and more motivating option. But when you crave the results so much that the work is irrelevant, your aim should be directed straight at the outcomes you want. However, results-focused goals are better when short-term and grounded in your long-term vision and philosophy. When your why is strong enough, the how will take care of itself.

20. Respond immediately, rather than analyzing or stalling.

“He who hesitates is lost.” — Cato

Anticipation of an event is always more extreme than the event itself — both for positive and negative events.

Just do it. Train yourself to respond immediately when you feel you should do something. Stop questioning yourself. Don’t analyze it. Don’t question if it came from God or from yourself. Just act.

You’ll figure out what to do after you’ve taken action. Until you take action, it will all be hypothetical. But once you act, it becomes practical.

21. Choose simplicity over complication.

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” — Albert Einstein

It’s easy to be complicated. Most of the research and jargon in academia and business is over-complicated.

Cutting to the core and hitting the truth is hard, because it’s simple. As Leonardo da Vinci has said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

Very few people will give you the truth. When you ask them a question, it gets mighty complicated. “There are so many variables” or “It depends” they say.

T. S. Eliot said it best, “Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?”

Wisdom is timeless and simple. Learn wisdom and choose it.

22. Never be jealous or envious of someone else’s accomplishments.

Being unstoppable means you genuinely want what’s best for everyone — even those you would consider your competitors. Jealousy and envy are the ego — which operates out of fear.

The reason you are happy for other people’s success is because their success has nothing to do with you.

You are in control of you. And you are different from every other person. There is no one who can do exactly what you can do. You have your own superpower with your own unique ability to contribute. And that’s what you’re going to do.

23. Take the shot every time.

“If I fail more than you, I win.” — Seth Godin

You miss every shot you don’t take. And most people don’t want to take the shot. Fear of failure paralyzes them.

The only way you can become unstoppable is if you stop thinking about it. Just take the shot. Don’t do it only when it’s convenient or when you feel ready. Just go and make whatever adjustments you need after the fact.

24. Don’t get caught up in the results of your success. Always remain focused on what got you those results: the work.

When you start doing noteworthy stuff, there are benefits that can become distractions. It can get easy to “ride the wave” of your previous work. Keep practicing. Perfect your craft. Never forget what got you here.

25. Think and act 10X.

“When 10X is your measuring stick, you immediately see how you can bypass what everyone else is doing.” — Dan Sullivan

Most people — even those you deem to be “world class” — are not operating at 10X. In truth, you could surpass anyone if you radically stretch your thinking and belief system.

Going 10X changes everything. As Dan Sullivan has said, “10X thinking automatically takes you ‘outside the box’ of your present obstacles and limitations.” It pulls you out of the problems most people are dealing with and opens you to an entirely new field of possibilities.

When you take your goal of earning $100,000 this year and change it to $1,000,000, you’re forced to operate at a different level. The logical and traditional approach doesn’t work with 10X. As Shane Snow, author of Smartcuts: How Hackers, Innovators, and Icons Accelerate Success, has said, “10x progress is built on bravery and creativity instead. Working smarter.”

The question is: Are you willing to go there? Not just entertain the thought for a second or two and then revert back to common thinking. No. Are you willing to sit with 10X thinking? Are you willing to question your own thought processes and open yourself to believing an entirely different set of possibilities?

Could you convince yourself to believe in your 10X potential? Are you willing to undertake goals that seem lunacy, to you and everyone else? Are you willing to take the mental leap, trusting “the universe will conspire to make it happen”?

26. Set goals that far exceed your current capabilities.

“You need to aim beyond what you are capable of. You need to develop a complete disregard for where your abilities end. If you think you’re unable to work for the best company in its sphere, make that your aim. If you think you’re unable to be on the cover of TIME magazine, make it your business to be there. Make your vision of where you want to be a reality. Nothing is impossible.” — Paul Arden

If your goals are logical, they won’t force you to create luck. Being unstoppable means your goals challenge you to be someone more than you currently are. As Jim Rohn has said, “Don’t wish it was easier, wish you were better.”

27. Make time for recovery and rejuvenation.

“Wherever you are, make sure you’re there.” — Dan Sullivan

When you focus on results, rather than being busy, you’re 100 percent on when you’re working and 100 percent off when you’re not. This not only allows you to be present in the moment, but it allows you the needed time to rest and recover.

Your ability to work at a high level is like fitness. If you never take a break between sets, you won’t be able to build strength, stamina, and endurance. However, not all “rest” produces recovery. Certain things are more soothing than others.

Recovering from my work generally consists of writing in my journal, listening to music, spending time with my wife and kids, preparing and eating delicious food, or serving other people. These things rejuvenate me. They make my work possible, but also meaningful.

28. Start before you’re ready.

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” — Chinese Proverb

Most people wait. They believe they can start after they have enough time, money, connections and credentials. They wait until they feel “secure.” Not people who are unstoppable.

Unstoppable people started last year. They started five years ago before they even knew what they were doing. They started before they had any money. They started before they had all the answers. They started when no one else believed in them. The only permission they needed was the voice inside them prompting them to move forward. And they moved.

29. If you need permission, you probably shouldn’t do it.

A mentor of mine is a highly successful real estate investor. Throughout his career, he’s had hundreds of people ask him if they should “go into real-estate.”

He tells every-one of them the same thing: that they shouldn’t do it. In fact, he actually tries talking most of them out of it. And in most cases, he succeeds.

Why would he do that? “Those who are going to succeed will do so regardless of what I say,” he told me.

I know so many people who chase whatever worked for other people. They never truly decide what they want to do, and end up jumping from one thing to the next — trying to strike quick gold. And repetitively, they stop digging just a few feet from the gold after resigning the spot is barren.

No one will ever give you permission to live your dreams.

30. Don’t make exceptions.

Zig Ziglar used to tell a story of traveling one day and not getting in bed until 4 a.m. An hour and a half later (5:30), his alarm went off. He said, “Every fiber of my being was telling me to stay in bed.” But he had made a commitment, so he got up anyway. Admittedly, he had a horrible day and wasn’t productive at all.

Yet, he says that decision changed his life. As he explains:

“Had I bowed to my human, physical, emotional and mental desire to sleep in, I would have made that exception. A week later, I might have made an exception if I only got four hours of sleep. A week later, maybe I only got seven hours of sleep. The exception so many times becomes the rule. Had I slept in, I would’ve faced that danger. Watch those exceptions!”

Hence, Zig was unstoppable.

Conclusion

“From this point, your strategy is to make everyone else get on your level, you’re not going down to theirs. You’re not competing with anyone else, ever again. They’re going to have to compete with you. From now on, the end result is all that matters.” — Tim Grover

When you’re unstoppable, you will make sure to get what you want. Everything you need to know is already within you. All you need to do is trust yourself and act.

Are you unstoppable?

Call To Action

If you want to make a difference, MAKE A DECISION

[go-teamwin]

How to Build a Million-Dollar, One-Person Business – Case Studies from The 4-Hour Workweek

[go-teamwin]

It's now 2018: Time to begin Charting your Financial Future with these Six Core Concepts:

Proper Protection 

Cash Flow

Debt Management

Build Wealth

Emergency Fund

Preserve Wealth

Living on your terms depends on how you address your individual circumstances at each stage of life, starting with where you are today.

By offering an education on the financial fundamentals as well as providing appropriate products and services from well-known providers, your licensed financial professional can help you get on a solid financial footing. 

5 New Year’s resolutions you can achieve with Proper Protection (life insurance)

It’s that time again. You need to figure out what your New Year’s resolutions will be.

You know the classics: Losing weight, saving money, not being a horrible person. And they’re classics for a reason. A recent survey by Marist Collegeshows that a lot of the resolutions topping the list for 2018 are the same as they’ve always been. And buying life insurance can help you reach them.

Don’t believe me? Here’s how buying life insurance can help you achieve five of the top New Year’s resolutions for 2018.

Be a better person

There are lots of ways you can decide to be a better person. You can be nicer, you can donate to charity, you can be more patient with your children, you can stop watching The Bachelor. Or, you can buy life insurance. Life insurance helps protect your family by making sure all of their financial needs – housing, college, everyday costs – are secured. There’s no "what if" when it comes to paying for a mortgage once you’re gone, no wondering how your spouse will reach retirement goals without your income to contribute. It also helps protect your family against inheriting your debt. Some debt, especially if a family member is a co-signer on it, will follow your family even if you’re not around. The last thing they’ll want is debt collectors calling nonstop. Student loans, credit card debt, auto loan payments – they can all be handled with a life insurance death benefit. Looking beyond your family, did you know you can also donate your death benefit to a charity of your choice? Setting up a charity (or museum, or school, or anything else) as your beneficiary ensures that your legacy will live on for years to come, allowing people you’ve never even met to continue enjoying education, culture, and the arts. Not a bad way to become a better person, right?

Get healthier

The Marist survey has a broad "Improve health" resolution, but there are many other more specific resolutions that fall into the same bucket: lose weight, exercise more, eat healthier, stop smoking. Not only will these resolutions allow you to look and feel better, they’ll also make your life insurance more affordable. Your monthly life insurance premiums are tied strongly to your health when you apply. During the underwriting process, a life insurance carrier will classify you based on how risky you are to insure. To do this, you’ll likely undergo a simple medical exam, similar to a physical, and traits like your cholesterol and blood pressure will be measured. Proper exercise and diet can get those numbers into a sweet zone of affordable coverage.

Your weight also affects how much you’ll pay for life insurance. Obesity is linked to conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, so the more overweight you are, the riskier you’ll appear to carriers. That translates into higher premiums. You can still get insured, but it’ll cost you. A habit of smoking can also raise your rates. Again, this is because smoking is linked to problems that make you more likely to die over the term of your life insurance policy, so you’re a riskier prospect for carriers. Current smokers can look to pay up to double the cost in terms of their monthly premiums. Staying tobacco-free for a year can get you back down to more affordable non-smoking rates. If you need that extra boost of motivation to achieve any of your health-related resolutions, think about what it can do to your budget as well as your waistline. Healthier living and life insurance go hand in hand.

Spend less and save more

Financially-related resolutions are common, and you better believe that life insurance plays a role. Most often people start with something simple, like setting a budget or saving more – which is great! – but you shouldn’t stop there. It’s a good foundation for better money habits as a whole, and life insurance can be part of that foundation, too. When you buy life insurance, you’re thinking years – decades – down the line. Buying a 30-year term policy means you’re getting a big picture view of your life and your finances, which is a great way to think about money. Think about mutual fund investments: If you checked your investments every day, you’d go crazy seeing the ups and downs of the markets. If you think about the long term, though, and know that you’ll average 8% returns over the next 20 years, a little dip today doesn’t mean anything to you. You need to think about the future when it comes to your money, and you’re doing that with life insurance. Life insurance also forces you to think about your money in a more holistic way. The best way to calculate your life insurance need is to think about all of the expenses, debts, and financial plans you have. You need to know how much coverage will ensure that all of your financial obligations are taken care of for your family; that might mean scrutinizing your credit card debt more closely, finally looking into savings plans for college, or seriously tackling your student loans. By thinking about life insurance, you’re thinking about every aspect of your financial plan and you’ve just supercharged your financial resolution. "Spend less and save more" is a nice resolution, but it’s only one part of your financial plan. If you want a home run resolution – one that’s an affordable way to fill any holes in your financial safety net – consider transforming it into "buy life insurance."

Increase family time

You presumably want to spend more time with your family because you care about them. Well, life insurance is the ultimate way to show that you care about your family. How so? Think about it: If you enjoy spending time with your family, you’re getting something out of that increased family time, too. It’s truly selfless to think about what will happen to your family if you’re not there to benefit from them. Life insurance allows you to do that. You’re considering the worst case scenario – what their future looks like if you’re gone. Do you still want them to be able to afford to live in the home where you made memories? Do you want your children to be able to go to college and make you proud, even if you’re not there to see it? Of course you do. Increasing time with your family shows how much you care about them here and now, on a day-by-day basis, and you should absolutely strive to achieve this resolution. But for a resolution that looks a little further down the road and has the same goal at its center – showing your family you care about them – add life insurance to the list.

Enjoy life

How are you going to enjoy life more in 2018? Will you be less negative? Will you pick up a new hobby? Will performing the above resolutions do the trick? One thing you might try is reducing the stress in your life. Do you know what can help you do that? That’s right. Life insurance. No one knows that the future will hold, so there’s no point in worrying about every little thing that can go wrong. The best we can do is, as they say, plan for the worst and hope for the best. While you’re investing, saving, and building your financial safety net, wouldn’t it be nice to know that if you die before you finish investing, saving, and building your financial safety net, your family is still taken care of? Buying life insurance takes the stress of an unknown financial future off your shoulders. That way you can focus on what really matters – making other plans for the future and spending more time in the present – instead of always worrying about "what if...". New Year’s resolutions are a way to start fresh and achieve new goals. Even if we don’t reach all of them, it’s worth putting in the effort to see how we can better ourselves. Buying life insurance isn’t just a good goal for you. It’s a good goal for your family and their future, too. So add it to your list this year and see how many other resolutions it can help you cross off in 2018.

Contact me today to look at your individual circumstances and see where you are with the six steps.

(407) 476-4525

Email Me Now

(Remember, when purchasing a product, there are certain risks, fees and charges, and limitations that one must take into consideration.)