Wednesday, April 21, 2010

The On Sure Wealth Creating Strategy

Like many young people, I started my career planning to become the CEO of a very large company and make a lot of money. There are many people who climb the corporate ladder to significant success. However, as you climb that ladder you begin to realize there is significant and increasing risk to those positions as the course of business events including changing bosses, changing economic conditions, and other business impacting events can bring your plans to screeching halt. Unless you have the right global personal financial and wealth building plan in place behind such a plan your best goals can run into brick walls. Let's get to the plan.

First, what is a plan?

A plan is:


A series of steps that if followed should lead to the result we intend to reach.
A plan should not allow for activities that create additional risk and undermine the goals intended.
A well designed planned will have self prophesizing activities included that are synergistic to the main objectives of the plan.

I am a student of history. Study of the most successful business persons in our nation's history all reflect these facts. Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John D. Rockefeller, The Morgans, Warren Buffet and Bill Gates all demonstrated the following key attributes:


They selected their business focus and steadfastly kept to that focus.
They invested and reinvested their time and assets into these items.
They avoided debt and built equity.
They lived within their means (not always but from the point their success began to grow)

One of my favorite subjects on this single minded focused plan is Warren Buffet. His biography - Snowball does a tremendous job capturing the larger plan. So, what is the ONE secret to creating the personal wealth, security, and fulfillment that is your goal?

Choose a path, stick to the path, invest time and cautiously capital, stay within your means, strictly limit debt or hold no debt, and achieve steady consistent gains. This should apply to your jobs, your outside activities, and your investments. Warren Buffet says a diversified portfolio is a sign of ignorance of your investment area. Avoid ignorance and as Rich Dad Poor Dad suggests increase your financial IQ and knowledge in your focus area.

Consider that if you could save $500 per month for 25 years with no appreciation you would accumulate $150,000. Now consider that even if you only make 6% annually on those investments you will accumulate several hundred thousand dollars. Additionally, in the same time frame you will likely purchase and pay off your home. Considering that the markets normally average an inflation adjusted 8.5%.

The point this is, that while this plan doesn't promise millions the plan offers almost no downside risk, assures a very positive upside result. Once this is in place, over the course of a career or even if you are having to make a fresh start in your 40s or even 50s, a very significant financial success is within your reach and with work you will eventually improve your results over the base plan. One step at a time, one action at a time, create wealth, secure your future, and build a foundation for the future.

Blake Ratcliff has raised millions in equity capital, bought and operated 10s of millions of assets. He is a former Marine Officer, a United States Naval Academy Graduate, a father of 4, an avid reader, and starting all over again. Let's walk the journey together.

http://thejourneytogreatliving.wordpress.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Blake_Dale_Ratcliff

Friday, April 2, 2010

Become Rich Overnight

Are you the sort of person who could be attracted by a headline such as the one above? Do you really believe that it is possible to make that kind of money without any effort on your part? Of course you don't because you are a sensible rational adult who know that in this life you get nothing for nothing.

So if you and I cannot be fooled by these sort of smoke and mirrors claims who are the millions of people who respond to headlines and sales letters with almost as outlandish claims every day? Guess what, it is people just like you and me.

Be honest have you never responded to some advertisement or sales letter that seems just too good to be true. I suspect like me you probably have and within a short time you have realised that what may have appeared a great idea on paper is simply is a load of old rubbish.

So what is it in all our natures that make us want to believe that there is some hidden secret of creating wealth from nothing? I suppose that it is the same reaction as when we buy a lottery ticket and just for a few minutes we imagine what life would be like should we win.

I think possibly it is the optimists that get suckered into these wild schemes because somewhere in the back of their brains they know that the plan almost certainly will not work, BUT.. it just might. Most people use the glass half full half empty image to define optimists and pessimists but I have another analogy. An optimist is some who when buys a lottery ticket EXPECTS to win, a pessimist KNOWS he is not going to win.

Quite frankly there has never been a better time for anyone to build themselves considerable wealth. It is possible to start with practically nothing and in a relatively short time build considerable wealth. A ex work colleagues have mine has a son you was going to go to further education and wanted to get some cash to pay for his time at university. He came up with a simple idea, got some press coverage and made over $1 million in a very short time. He was the guy who got the idea of selling 1 million pixels on his web site for $1 a time; you may have read about him.

The formula for how to become wealthy can be broken down into plan, effort result. You need a plan or idea, add dedication, effort and determination and this will equal wealth. If you take a plan or idea and add nothing that will always equal nothing.

Someone once told me that there is a name for having a goal but taking no action, it is called day dreaming.

Wherever you are in the world to learn how eBay is changing and how you can build a profitable Online Auction Business visit http://www.ukauctionline.co.uk.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=D_J_Bromley

Secrets of the Rich and Wealthy

Here are the real secrets of getting rich from the people that have actually done it. These are secrets that you do not learn at school and normal people do not teach you because they do not know these. They will help you live a life of prosperity and allow you to help you achieve your dreams. Whether it is to get out of debt, help a true cause or have fun - these are the secrets to getting rich and wealthy.

Secret Number 1 - Live Within Your Means

The rich do not spend all their income on consumer debt or purchase items that will not add value to their lives. They manage their finances with budgets and only use debt to invest in assets that increase in value such as shares, properties and businesses. "The more you earn, the more you spend" so always keep an eye on your cash flow.

Secret Number 2 - Mindset

In order to be a wealthy millionaire or even billionaire, you need to think like one. If you want to become richer and wealthier, you need to set achievable goals for them every day. Remember that goals must be SMART - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and have a Timeframe.

Secret Number 3- Leverage

Leverage is one of the most powerful tools and secrets to getting rich in the universe. It is about doing a small amount of initial work for processes that can be repeated many times in order to achieve a big outcome. For example: putting down a deposit of $10,000 to borrow $100,000 is leverage at work. Starting your own business then hiring some Staff is leverage.

Secret Number 4 - Other People's Money (OPM)

This is a secret that the Banks use. They put you into debt, while they make the profits via interest and fees. You can turn this around by borrowing other people's money to do your investing. For example: loans, borrowing from friends, putting things on credit. You do not need your own money to invest; you can use other people but be sure to share some profit with them.

Secret Number Five - Time

Getting rich and wealthy is done over time - not overnight. There is no "get rich quick" secret that is safe and realistic. Investing in quality assets such as property over time will increase their value and also your income cash flow.

Follow these 5 secrets so that you can achieve the dreams and things you desire. Opportunities for being rich and wealthy are out there but you just need to work out how to get it.

Get an easy-to-use, step-by-step book on the secrets of wealth now at: http://www.debtsecret.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kobe_Chan

Financial Independence - Go Get It

Financial Independence is something that countless people dream about but few ever achieve. So why is that? What's holding everyone back? The truth is its likely all in your head. A lack of drive or getting lazy can occur because your current situation is comfortable. Well if you really want that financial independence, the good news is you can have it. There's no magic formula or step by step manual to get there. You just have to go get it.

Now it's important to understand something first. Money is only good for the good it can do. If you're just trying to get rich so you can buy a Maserati, build a ridiculous house, and roll around in dollar bills all day, you're missing the point. Financial independence is about much, much more than that. It's about having the means to take care of your family, and to be a steward of your money to benefit the lives of others. It's about leaving the world a better place than when you got here and having a little fun in the mean time.

Ok, so now that you have your moral compass pointed in the right direction, how do you get there? It starts by taking control, changing your old habits and starting some new ones. Trade in that laziness and lack of drive for discipline and passion about getting where you want to be. Be focused, determined, and willing to push. Live like no other now, so you can live like no other later.

Start by creating goals. What is it that you really want? How do you get there? You've heard it a thousand times but goals need to verbalized and then written down. The most successful individuals are people who write goals down and grind and scratch until they achieve them. Are you willing to do that?

The first goal should be to get rid of bad debt. Quit carrying unnecessary balances on credit cards or buying cars you need to finance over 10 years. Did you really need that 65" LCD TV for the basement when you already had a 52 incher upstairs? Is driving around in a new Hummer worth sacrificing your retirement? Put as much extra money as you can toward the credit cards and car payments each month until they're gone.

Next, pay yourself first. This means that out of every paycheck a good chunk (at least 10%) needs to go into savings of some sort before you buy anything else. Once you have a cash cushion, start pumping money into qualified accounts 401k, IRA, Roth etc. Make sure to talk with your financial consultant about how to invest in these accounts. Do your best to max them out each and every year. Don't save based on what's left after you spend, spend based on what's left after you save.

And if you decide you want to increase your earning power, find your passion. Are you happy with your current job or do you want something more? Maybe you should consider taking night classes towards your masters, or sharpen your axe in another manner to increase your income. Do what you love, and the money will follow.

The last step to Financial Independence is to give freely. Make sure that you don't wait until you've "made it" to start helping out. Improving the lives of others by sharing what you've earned is one of the most important principles we can live by. It ensures that the money doesn't become too important, because if it does take center stage, everything else will crumble around it.

Remember there is no magic formula to attain financial independence. It takes discipline, passion, and the willingness to set goals and follow through on them. It means changing old habits and finding what you're passionate about. Pay yourself first, invest for the future and start giving. Keep your priorities straight, have a little fun, and forget about the money. That's what financial independence is really about. Now go get it!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Derek_Swedberg

Friday, March 19, 2010

How to Become a Billionaire - Michael Sharkey

Find your Billionaire Mind


Here are the skills and tools billionaires have that you must have to achieve financial abundance!


Today more than any time in the history of the world it is possible to become a millionaire or even a billionaire if you learn the right skills, systems, and build a highly qualified team. In order to have the highest chance of reaching financial abundance need to develop the following.


1. Clarity – Eighty percent of success comes from being clear on who you are, what you believe in and what you want.


2. Competence – You can’t climb to the next level on the ladder until you are excellent at what you do now.


3. Constraints – Eighty percent of all obstacles to success come from within. Find out what is constraining in you or your company and deal with it.


4. Concentration – The ability to focus on one thing single-mindedly and see it through until it’s done takes more character than anything else.


5. Creativity – Flood your life with ideas from many sources. Creativity needs to be exercised like a muscle, if you don’t use it you’ll lose it.


6. Courage – Most in demand and least in supply, courage is the willingness to do the things you know are right.


7. Continuous learning – Read, at the very least, one book a week on business or ways to make money to keep you miles ahead of the competition. And just as you eat and bathe, organize your time so you spend 30 minutes a day exploring e-mail, sending messages, going through web sites, because like exercise, it’s the only way you can keep on top of technology.


There are also powerful online and offline ways in which you can make money. The goal is to be always thinking about multiple sources of income. If you do this than when one source drops you still have other income sources to fall back on. A couple of examples of ways to make money that could lead you on the path to become financial free are…


Making money Online


There are many ways that you can make money online and offline. Here are a couple money making options to look into…..


1. Joint Ventures- This is where you find different websites and offer them a service or promise to promote each other’s product online which the idea of sharing the profits


2. Affiliate Programs- If you have a website and you are willing to advertising on your site you can offer links that lead you back to the companies website where you can get paid a commission for every sale.


3. Selling Information- If you know something that you feel a lot of people don’t know about you should sell the information online. Who knows there could be serious profits in the information you know.


4. Advertising site- You can offer advertising on your site and receive a commission for letting people put banners on your site.


5. Offer a service- Examples of services you can offer is web design, Internet service provider, and web hosting.


6. Marketing- You can market other products and service by writing a company a marketing strategy, Advertising, and Copywriting.


7. Online Auctions- One person’s junk is another person’s treasure.


Making Money Offline


There are many ways you can make money offline, but here are just a few options you can do from your home in a few hours a day.


1. Investing in real estate- Looking for real estate deals that include checking hud, and local city foreclosers! There are many no money down or low down payment ways that are cover in my money makers newsletters. But if you don’t have a lot of time check at you local bank to see if they have in foreclosed houses.


2. Lien taxes- Using lien taxes can make investment returns of 18% to 50% percent!


3. Network Marketing- This is a powerful way to make residual income for years!


4. Licensing- Do you know some who has a great product. Sign a contract and connect them with the right people and you can make residual profit from it as long as the product is being sold.


5. Selling Information- Each person has a life story that could be worth millions. Why not write a book and let the whole world know about it and profit from it!


Passion


Also another smart way to become a millionaire you must not forget about is to start a business doing your passion. Following your passion or doing something you’re passionate about is a great way to make sure that the money will come. The reason why is because when you’re passionate about something you never give up because you don’g it for the love rather than the money and so work becomes easier and you end up doing better. People who do what they are passionate about are happier and live happier lives and have better productivity. Who knows your passion may also inspire others to follow their passion. So be inspired and know that there are people out their who are doing what they love every day. All they had to do is make the decision to follow their dream and the rest was history!


Millionaire Weapons


There are certain resources millionaires use to achieve their goals. These resources when used together can create a power way for people to achieve their goals. Here a the reveal.. secrets of millionaires………


1. Leverage


2. Mentors


3. Teams


4. Networks


5. Infinite Networks


6. Skills and Tools


7. systems


8. Real estate


9. Building business


10. Coporation


11. Tax Control


12. Retirement Plan


I’ll just mention a few below to give you a the tools to get started on you road to money more than you can ever need. The weapons above are powerful tools and when they are used correctly they can create powerful results in short periods of time.


Leverage


When trying to make your dreams come true is is important you use leverage. Here are some of the advantages of leverage.


1. Leverage equals speed. To make in goal come true in a minute you must master the power of leverage which is to use other peoples skills, talents,understandings to help you achieve a goal. Learn how to use other people’s talents to get your dreams done. You’ll find that you goals will get down a lot faster if you use this skill.


2. The longer the lever, the greater the impact. The Enlightened person knows that ease and speed are the new wants of life. So that’s why more resources you use the easier and the faster things get done. Hence very long and strong levers.


3. Masters are using all five kinds of leverage in the world have better success.


• OPM- Other people’s money


• OPE- Other people’s experience


• OPI- Other people’s Ideas


• OPT- Other people’s time


• OPW- Other People’s Work


4. Millionaires are constantly looking for leverage. Millionaires constantly ask: How can I leverage this situation, this opportunity, this idea? To become an Enlightened Millionaire. Always ask yourself “Where is the leverage?”


5. There are six key forms of leverage that give you maximum leverage.


• Mentors


• Teams


• Network


• Infinite Networks


• Tools and skills


• Tools and skills


• System


When you apply all these forms of leverage you become unstoppable.


Mentors


If you are to be successful it is important to you have a mentor. Here are something to know about mentoring.


1. Everyone successful person has mentors for their different needs. A mentor is a shortcut to perspective, proficiency, and patience.


2. Mentoring is powerful from of leverage . Drawing from your mentor’s experience is the quickest, safest, and easiest way to climb the Millionaire Mountain.


3. Mentors are everywhere. Each person you meet can “ accidentally” teach you something to advance your cause.


4. Mentors don’t need to be people. Anything that causes you to change the course in your life – a life threatening disease, losing a job, reading a book, or an encounter with an animal can serve as a mentor.


5. Constanly seek out mentoring relationships. When you find yourself lacking in anything- an attitude, an awareness, a skill, a habit, a technique, or a strategy-seek a mentor to show you the shortcut.


6. Assemble a Dream Team of your favorite heroes and sheroes, present and past. Form an imaginary Council of light consisting of your selected leaders. Imagine being able to counsel with them as if they were communicating with you in person.


7. Set a goal to search out as least one millionaire a month. Request an audeience, either in person, by phone, or by email to pick your millionaire mentor brain.


8. The best kind of mentor is a transformational mentor. A transforming mentor who creates a environment and offers context in which you experience enlightment.


Teams


1. You need a team to obtain your dreams because 2 minds always work better than one.


2. You must look for the hidden talents for your team because it’s the l little things that make a difference. The most talents you find the less you have to personally do.


3. Make sure you establish the values of a team. These values will help guide you when trouble times arise.


4. Determine what your team’s strengths and weakness are.


5. Make sure you have the right people doing the right job.


6. Always be looking for new member who may fit better into you dream team.


7. Make sure to set team goals and know where everyone stands on these goals.


For more information please check out http://www.findyourinnergenius.com


Michael Sharkey’s goal is to empower people with knowledge that can change their life. He wants to show people that they can have what they want if they believe.

http://www.mastiarena.com/?p=923&cpage=1#comment-21770

Saturday, March 6, 2010

The Secret to Success is to Make Yourself Obsolete

Why is it that 80% of companies that are able to survive the first five years of business will usually fail in the next five? Shouldn't they know what to do after being in business for the first five years?

The reason is because markets and economies are changing so fast that what works in business today will not work in three to five years. If you have the mindset of constantly doing things the same way and maintaining the status quo, you will soon be out of business.

Successful entrepreneurs are engaged in constant and never-ending improvement (CANI). They are always finding ways to innovate and improve their business operations, marketing, products and services. They know that if their business is not improving and growing, it is dying. Bill Gates (founder of Microsoft) once remarked that the key to succeed in business is to innovate and make yourself obsolete. If you don't make yourself obsolete, your competitors will make you obsolete.

This is why the moment a software like Windows is released, Microsoft is already working on the next version and upgrades like Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Vista and so on. Bill Gates knows that the moment they stop innovation, another company will create an even better software and take over their customers.

This is exactly what has happened to companies that did not change fast enough. Back in the 1990s, the top selling mobile phone was Motorola. Motorola produced the best-designed and technologically advanced phones. Everyone, including me bought a Motorola phone. So, where is Motorola today? Last I heard, their mobile phone business has been losing so much money that Motorola is thinking of shutting down the whole mobile phone business altogether. What happened? Well, Nokia and Sony Ericsson happened to innovate even better designed and more user friendly handsets that captured all of their market shares and profits.

Do you know which is the first search engine on the Internet? Is it Google? Yahoo? MSN? The answer is none of them. The world's first search engine is Alta Vista. Many of you may never have heard of this brand simply because it has it is an obscure site that very people go to. Needless to say, the company that was once a market pioneer and leader is now a business failure. Again, what happened was that the founders had the mindset that their search engine was good enough and there was no need to change what was working.

This left the door wide open for Yahoo! to come in and take away that leadership position. Then what happened next? Well, Yahoo! was too slow to extend their service range and innovate their advertising services such that Google (one of the newest Internet search engines) came along and took away 70% of the market share, leaving the remaining 30% to be fought over by the other search sites. In today's ever-changing marketplace, a company that is the market leader today could be bankrupt five years later, if they stop innovated and finding new ways of doing things.

Instead of seeing this fact as a threat, see it as a fantastic opportunity. This means that your new company could take over the leadership position of the largest competitor today and even put them out of business! The key is to find a way to serve their customers even better then they can!

So, let me emphasize again that unless you keep innovating and changing the way you do business, you will be out of business soon enough. I can tell you that if I did not grow my business to enter new regional markets like Indonesia, China, Thailand, India and Malaysia, I will be bankrupt today! My company's monthly overheads are about $500,000 and Singapore only accounts for 50% of my sales and profits. If I did not constantly focus on creating new programs (i.e. the Wealth Academy and Internet Marketing Academy series), writing new books (two a year) and changing my marketing and distribution strategy every day (i.e. entering the Singapore schools market), I wouldn't still be the market leader in personal development training in Asia. Another competitor would have caught up and blasted me away to oblivion.

Today, it is impossible to maintain your position in the market by doing the same thing. The reason is because customer's expectations change constantly, competitors improve constantly, employees work habits change constantly and so forth. So if you keep doing business the same way, you are actually going down, as everything around you is improving.

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, master investor, best-selling author and a self-made millionaire by the age of 26. Over the last 15 years, he has trained over 350,000 professionals, executives and business owners tap their personal power and achieve excellence in their various fields of endeavor. Visit his blog at http://www.Adam-Khoo.com or download your FREE bonus report "Supercharge Your Success" at http://www.SuccessWithNLP.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Khoo

What is Comprehensive Financial Planning?

Financial planning is about building an objective plan for your financial future. You should follow these principles to ensure that every aspect of your financial life is covered, and therefore build a solid foundation to meet your goals.

Your goals will depend on your own personal situation and what you want for the future. For example, you might want to plan for retirement, buy a second home or send your kids to private school. The list is only limited by your imagination.

This is all based on a common sense approach. Anyone can do it, you just need to be methodical and objective.

What about financial advice?

Unfortunately, most financial advisers do not offer comprehensive financial planning. Most of them are glorified sales people. This is proved by the fact that they usually sell products rather than plans. If your financial adviser starts by talking products he is thinking about himself rather than your future!

Of course, there is a place for products, but only at the end of a comprehensive analysis of the reasons why you need that solution. What's more your financial plan might reveal that you do not need further products!

What should be in my plan?

Here are the main areas which need to be covered. There may be other areas, depending on your own circumstances.

Gathering data

You need to think of your plan as a whole because your financial decisions are inter-linked. For example, if you have an expensive mortgage this may impact on your ability to save for the future. You will need to get together data on every aspect of your financial situation.

Setting goals

Without an end in mind, it will be difficult to evaluate your progress. Therefore you should think carefully about what you want your future to look like. These goals should be measurable.

Income and outgoings

This is fundamental to building your plan. If you spend less than you earn, you have a chance to affect your financial future. If you spend more than you earn you will have limited options and could spiral into debt. Understanding tax is a big part of this.

Assets and liabilities

You need to build up assets to underpin your financial future. And more importantly you need to build up the right kinds of assets. The sooner you can be debt free (unless it is the 'right debt'), the sooner you can be in control. For planning purposes we ignore certain types of assets.

Emergency funding

Making sure you can cope with short-term crises is vital. We recommend that you set aside 3-6 months worth of outgoings.

Protecting what you have got

You should think about what happens if things go wrong. This includes all types of insurance to ensure your lifestyle is defended from catastrophes. You should also consider making wills and powers of attorney etc.

Paying off debt

Generally, any debt is a barrier to your future prosperity. The sooner you become debt free, the sooner you have control over your future. Remember that your bank manager includes your mortgage as one of his assets!

Saving for the future and investing wisely

You need to work out how much will be needed to fund your future goals, how much risk this requires, and the effect of external forces such as inflation, charges and future legislation.

Tax

While this should not drive your plan, it is certainly an important part of the equation. Understanding how tax affects your life should run throughout your plan.

Monitoring your progress

Financial planning should be much like servicing your car. You would not spend £20,000 on a new car and then never take it to the garage for a service. Likewise, you should regularly review your plan to ensure your remain on target to meet your goals.

Of course, your circumstances will also change over time, so your ultimate goals may also need a tweak from time to time.

Conclusion As you can see, a proper financial plan should be extremely detailed, and will take some work. However, the rewards will really benefit you as you will be back in control of your life.

Want some help?

We work closely with our clients to develop and maintain their financial plans. If you would like some help in preparing your plan, please contact us.

Dan Woodruff is a Certified Financial Planner and Independent Financial Adviser based in Colchester, Essex, UK. He regularly writes articles on financial planning and investments aimed at UK business owners and investors. Go to http://www.woodruff-fp.co.uk to find more content, or sign up for his free newsletter or financial planning blog.

Woodruff Financial Planning is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_Woodruff