Christian Aouad's posterous

Success: What are you afraid of?

What have your fears cost you in terms of relationships, health, career, money, and lost opportunities?

Have they kept you from achieving success and financial freedom?

The dictionary says fear is the anticipation of danger, a belief that something negative or painful will happen as a result of some possible future action. It is nothing more than this. It is nothing less. 'Anticipation' means that the danger MAY exist in the future. It does not exist in the reality of NOW.

Scientists tell us that our brains evolved in such a way that one of their primary functions was to protect us and warn us of dangerous situations. That was useful when we had to keep an eye open for the neighborhood sabertooth tiger, but we're a little safer now.

The protection mechanism, however, still keeps busy by warning us against lesser dangers. My personal experience and yours, I imagine, suggests that the real 'pain' comes when you look back at opportunities lost, and what you missed out on because of fear-based choices you made at the time.

We can’t eliminate fear but we can learn to overcome it. By that I mean we can learn to deal with it and not become disabled by it. Successful people experience fear. But they are able to deal with it in such a way that it doesn't disable them and keep them from taking the appropriate action.

The first step is awareness. If you look at your fear objectively it becomes less threatening. When you see it as something you can overcome, you can CHOOSE to overcome it!

Let's talk about the fear of success, or rather the beliefs some people have about success. If you ask people if they want more money and the resulting wealth and financial freedom, they invariably say "Yes". If you ask them what they are doing to get it, most aren't doing anything at all. Their main plan is to wait for their next raise, or an inheritance, or to win the lotto. That isn't much of a plan.

What's stopping them? What exactly are they afraid of? Let's look at three of the common fears (beliefs) that stop people from succeeding and illuminate them:

1."My friends won't like me if I make more money than they do." – It’s true that jealousy can be a factor. What someone thinks about you isn't as important as what you think about yourself. Stated another way, if they won't be happy for you when you succeed, are they really your friends? You have the choice to find people and relationships that are supportive of your goals and your successes. Do so.

2. "The rich are all greedy crooks. I don’t want to be like them." - In fact, a lot of rich people are generous, decent, law abiding people. But what someone else does or doesn't do isn't the issue. We always have the free will to CHOOSE how WE are going to act. We can choose to pursue success, financial freedom and happiness ethically and with integrity. What will you choose?

3. "I'll have to pay more taxes." - Perhaps. There are a number of legitimate tax reduction strategies available to individuals. As for me, when I have used all the LEGAL advantages to which I am entitled, and I still have to pay more taxes, I know I have made a lot more money. Please! Give me more problems like that!

These are just three of the common beliefs (fears) that keep people from succeeding. Do any of them sound familiar? Are those fears justified? I don't believe so. Can you choose to overcome them? I believe you can.

Financial freedom, success and happiness await you when you do. What are you afraid of?

© Copyright by Paul Nadrowski, CPA. All rights reserved.

Money with Meaning,
Living Your Life "On-Purpose"
By T. Harv Eker

Why are you here? Why are you on the planet right now? Many people believe we each come into this life with a purpose, a reason for living. Considering that every element in nature has a specific purpose for existing, and we are an integral part of nature, it stands to reason that we have a purpose too.

Eastern philosophies submit that each of us has a job to do, a duty in life, and that the only way to find peace and fulfillment is to carry out your duty or "dharma" as it's called. The philosophy states that to truly be happy you must learn to live in service, to live based on what you can give rather than only on what you can get; to live based "on purpose" rather than only "on outcome".

The brilliant futurist, Buckminster Fuller said, "The purpose of our lives is to add value to the people of this generation and those that follow." In short, to leave this world a better place than it was when you arrived. It could be in terms of adding convenience, education, entertainment, enlightenment, health, beauty, joy, humor, technology, or any other way you personally can serve other people or the planet.

Although many people believe they have a purpose, they often have a difficult time discovering their own reason for living. Because purpose holds such a spiritual sense, people tend to believe their purpose will somehow be handed down from the heavens. They wait and wait for some "burning bush" to tell them what to do. It's true, a few "tuned-in" people do receive some type of message; some unmistakable calling. But the answer for most of us is that we actually have to "choose" our purpose. We are the ones who decide how we are best suited to serve.

Our choice, however, is not random. We each have unique abilities, inherent talents and strengths. We each have different interests and activities that bring us joy. We each have different experiences and issues from which we've learned, and we all have a different way in which we can best serve others. It is through these factors you "choose" your purpose.

Can your purpose change? Yes. More likely, however, is that your overall purpose remains the same, while the vehicle you use to provide your service may change on an ongoing basis. If your purpose is to teach, for example, you may teach your own children, teach in a school, become an author or a speaker or even be a consultant. Regardless of your vehicle, your dharma is to "teach".

It takes courage to choose a purpose and even more courage to live your life based on it! Once you have purpose, you will have two essential elements for a truly happy life - money and meaning! In this way, you will become ‘rich’ in every sense of the word.

EXERCISE: List your unique abilities, talents, strengths, interests and joys. From here choose an overall purpose for your life. Clarify it by writing it down. Then choose an initial vehicle with which you can serve people that is in alignment with your purpose. Begin today to live your life based on purpose.

Declarations:
I am here for a reason.
I have important work to do.
I live my life on purpose.

One of the most essential things in every individual’s life; a proper know-how of finance is very essential to survive in this world. George S. Clason’s “The Richest Man in Babylon” is a book which provides simple yet extremely valuable financial advice which can be of use to one and all. The book’s basic teachings in financial planning and managing wealth makes it a must read for young adults as well as those who do not have adequate knowledge on the subject.

Written in the form of a series of pamphlets in 1926, it came to limelight during the period of the Great Depression and is today regarded as a classic. In the book, financial advice is provided through a compilation of parables, with the ancient city of Babylon forming the backdrop of the stories. Though the parables are set in ancient times, yet the author presents situations which we all can identify with giving the book a timeless appeal. The message of the book is that wealth management is quite simple if you abide by some basic principles.

As the book is a compilation of individual pamphlets, so there is a discontinuity in the stories with each chapter being a separate parable.

Go For Your Big Dreams! by T. Harv Eker

Remember when you were a kid and felt you could set the world on fire? Millionaire? Sure. Hollywood star? Of course! Astronaut? Easy. Best-selling author? No problem. World traveler? Start packing.

So what happened? Where are you now? Are you living the life you thought you'd lead? Unfortunately, life has a way of knocking the stuffing out of our highest hopes and biggest dreams…if we let it! Most people have lost the sparkle in their eye and the fire in their heart. They've lost their passion and allowed their lives to become a faint glimmer of the vibrant vision they once had for themselves. They've committed the great sin of the spirit and settled for a life of mediocrity.

The main reason most of us lose our dreams is not because our desire has waned, but because of fear. "I don't have the money, I don't have the time, it's too late, I don't know for sure if I can do it." All of these reasons are nothing but the excuses of a fear and lack based protective mind. There is a saying in life, that we either have "reasons or results."

It's time to take back your power; time to think big once again; time to rekindle your greatest dreams. Dreams that excite you, dreams that impassion you, dreams that force you to break the bonds of "mediocrity"; reach your fullest potential and become the "ultimate you."

EXERCISE:

Today, list the big dreams you had from the past or invent exciting new ones! Come from power versus fear. Start thinking about what you "can" do instead of what you "can't" do. Commit, then focus on one step at a time and begin immediately!