People have been saying that Google Voice should have the ability to send SMS texts to multiple recipients at the same time. Until Google Voice comes out with this feature, I have discovered a temporary workaround for this. It might seem a little cumbersome, but it works nonetheless. You can send an SMS text to multiple recipients simultaneously using Google Voice!

Instructions on how to send an SMS text to multiple recipients or contacts with Google Voice:

1.  First of all, after logging into your Google Voice account, make sure that you have the Forward SMS messages to my e-mail box checked.  Go to Settings -> Voicemail & SMS tab -> SMS Forwarding section to find this.  (See Google’s official post about this here:  http://googlevoiceblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/receive-and-reply-to-sms-messages-by.html)

2.  Send an SMS text in Google Voice (not from your e-mail client) to your contacts that you would like to group together for future multiple texts … you could say something like:  “Hey, please reply back to this text when you get a chance” or “Hey sweet thang, want to do some shopping at Victoria’s Secret later?”  I don’t recommend using the second line heh … but say something that will at least get them to reply to your text.

3.  When each contact replies to your text, you’ll get a notification in your e-mail inbox.  You’ll notice a reply e-mail address … this is the same exact e-mail address you can use for future texts to this individual.  This e-mail address contains a unique code for each individual and contains both your number and the other contact’s number.

As a quick hypothetical example, let’s say that my Google Voice number is:  (424) 234-1363.  Let’s say that the other contact’s number is (424) 555-1212, and he/she replies to my text.  The e-mail address for me to reply to will be of the format: 14242341363.14245551212.{random sequence of letters, numbers, and characters here which are unique to each contact}@txt.voice.google.com

Let’s say that I have another contact whose number is (424) 555-1213, and he/she replies to my text.  The e-mail address for me to reply to will be of the format:  14242341363.14245551213.{another random sequence of letters, numbers, and characters here which are unique to this contact}@txt.voice.google.com

4.  To send an SMS text to multiple recipients or contacts simultaneously, simply compose an e-mail and send it to as many of these e-mail addresses as you wish to.

For example, in the To field (when composing an e-mail), you might separate these multiple e-mail addresses by commas:  14242341363.14245551212.AbC1234567@txt.voice.google.com, 14242341363.14245551213.DeF7654321@txt.voice.google.com, … etc.

That’s it.  As I said, this might seem a little bit cumbersome, but this method of sending an SMS text to multiple contacts works with Google Voice.  It’s obviously easier to send an SMS to multiple recipients without Google Voice heh … but I figured that I would outline my discovery just in case anyone is curious enough to try this.

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Ok, onto the part where you have a chance of getting a free Google Voice invite.  The first two (2) individuals who completely follow all of the steps listed below will get a free Google Voice invite.

Note:  As of October 22, 2009, all invites have been given away!  Thank you for your participation.

1.  Register at the Talk Money Cafe forum.  [Click here to register an account for the forum.]

2.  Leave a comment on this blog post stating the user name that you chose when registering an account for the Talk Money Cafe forum.  [To comment on this blog post, visit this link: http://www.talkmoneycafe.com/?p=807#disqus_thread]

If you are the first or second person to complete the two steps listed above, then I will PM (private message) a Google Voice invitation link to you in the forum.

I am also not here to propose any solutions or take any sides with any political parties – by now, you should realize that no human government can truly solve the problems in today’s world.  Every form of government has been tried in the past, from democracy to Communism to monarchies … and the list goes on.  No human government has or will be able to fully eradicate sickness, death, terrorism, poverty, and all the other problems we see today … they can try, but they can only accomplish so much.

As a result, this series of blog posts will be more of a Talk Money Café exposé (you liked that, didn’t you?) into how these world events tie in with the economy.

If you look at what’s going on in the world, it’s almost like a pyramid scheme in itself – some refer to this as the pyramid of power.  A detailed diagram has been included below for your reference.

How is this pyramid of control affecting our economy?  Who are the criminals in control?  Stay tuned, and hopefully businessclix will express some of his thoughts in Part 2.

A mathematician and an accountant are in the same room for a job interview.  The interviewer’s first question to the mathematician is:  “How much is $500 plus $500?”

The mathematician replies:  “$1,000, of course.”

The interviewer then turns to the accountant and asks the same question:  “How much is $500 plus $500?”

The accountant replies:  “Whatever you want it to be.”

The interviewer then tells the accountant:  “You’re hired!”

I have nothing against accountants here.  My point is that there are dishonest people (they don’t necessarily have to be accountants) who fudge numbers and “cook the books” to exaggerate sales reports, company returns, scientific data, and much more.  Even advertising and marketing campaigns can include misleading statistical data.

Some try to use statistics to imply a cause and effect relationship between two items.  For example, when there were arguments that were being made against legalizing marijuana, the following statistic came up:  85% of marijuana users went on to become heroine addicts.

Someone else replied to this with another statistic:  “Yeah, well 99.8% of heroine addicts drank milk.”

The first statistic might lead you to believe that marijuana usage leads to a heroine addiction.  However, are you also to believe that drinking milk is worse and results in a greater chance of heroine addiction?

This example shows that statistics don’t always imply causality … there’s not always a direct cause and effect relationship between two things.

Also, charts can be very misleading, depending on the scale that is used.  There are other things that can be done to create a misleading graph, but scale manipulation is one of the most visually deceiving.  Here is one such example below.

With smaller vertical scaling, it appears that there is a massive increase in house pricing (the same principle can be applied to exaggerating tax increases, sales returns, etc.).  In addition, the vertical scale does not start at zero!  When the vertical scaling is done in increments of 10,000 instead of 1,000 and starts at zero, the price increase does not appear as drastic.

Also, some will attempt to make their mathematical calculations and algorithms appear so complex and complicated to give the impression that they know what they’re doing.  For example, Madoff sent out a monthly statement to investors which showed a list of companies that he had traded using a “complex” formula.

There are many other ways to play around with numbers in a misleading or deceptive manner.  Feel free to share your thoughts and comments below.

1.  The work in workout

If you do your own yardwork and housework, you definitely save money that would otherwise be spent on landscapers and house cleaning services.  As an added bonus, you can receive a nice workout.  Manually buffing the floors can result in buff muscles … just look at how Mr. Clean turned out … although having bleached eyebrows and wearing an earring might not be your thing.

If you have pets, you can save money by grooming them yourself.  If you have a dog,  it’s recommended that you take one to two 30 minute walks per day.  In addition to providing necessary daily exercise for the dog, you’re receiving the health benefits of walking. 

2.  Calisthenics

Calisthenics include pushups, crunches, and more.  The advantage of calisthenics is that they build muscular endurance without weights or gym equipment.  If you travel and don’t have access to a fitness center or gym equipment, you can always use the resistance and weight of your own body.  You are your own portable fitness center without the gym membership fee.

3. Run/chase after [flying] money – this one is a corny reference to “chasing money” … please ignore

Are there any other ways that you save money and get a nice workout at the same time?

People are losing their jobs, previously stable companies have collapsed, and most people are losing confidence with the current economic situation. There are so many challenges that could threaten your business. However, every time there’s a perceived threat, it would be beneficial to ask the following question: What’s the opportunity here?  It’s good to examine how you can adapt to your environment.  An earlier post addressed the need for businesses to adapt, change, and improve:  A clean slate:  What if you had the chance to start from scratch?

Amidst all of these challenges, there is still a lot of undeveloped and unexplored territory. At times, it’s necessary to lose sight of the shore and get out of your comfort zone … then it will be possible to discover new oceans and opportunities.  Do something “crazy” and unconventional to change your mindset.  Damien wrote a nice post about this here:  How and Why to Jump in a Freezing Pool

Some of the most notable innovations and developments were created around the time of the Great Depression: The construction of the Empire State Building, the Monopoly board game, cotton tampons, chocolate chip cookies, the electric dry razor, the supermarket, and the laundromat.  (For more information about the stories behind some of these inventions, click here.)

Is there any uncharted territory that you have not yet explored? Maybe a territory has been explored before, but it is still not fully developed. Whatever the case, now is the chance for you to, not only prosper, but even make your mark on history … if you have courage to lose sight of the shore.

Image courtesy of Gregory Kogan at Eeight.com

If you try to build on a weak or unsteady foundation, the structure will eventually collapse.  Without establishing a strong financial foundation for yourself, you will be vulnerable to the “winds,”  “storms,” and “earthquakes” that financial hardship can bring (today is Put All Natural Phenomena in Quotes Day – did you get the e-mail?).

When you’re contemplating a relationship with another person, there is much more to consider than just their personality traits and looks.  Among other things, a marriage is the union of two people with relatively unique financial backgrounds.  One might have a weak financial foundation, and the other might have a strong foundation.  Both might have a strong foundation, or both might have a weak foundation.  Whatever the case, there are two financial backgrounds coming to the table.  When finances are considered, a relationship or marriage almost becomes like a business proposition.

Many become smitten with love, and emotion can move them to do irrational things.  For example, a person might loan money to or openly share an account with someone who’s financially irresponsible or dishonest … and the outcome usually isn’t happy.

Here are some helpful articles that outline various financial factors to consider when entering into a relationship with someone.

>> Kiplinger:  Six Money Mistakes of Newlyweds

>> Kiplinger:  Ten Questions to Ask Before Saying ‘I Do’

>> Forbes:  Financial Tips for Young Unmarried Couples

Instead of being on the high ground, as it were, and talking down to your clients and customers, try to view things at their level.

Many companies conduct surveys in order to gain valuable feedback from customers.  In today’s age of communication, there is no excuse why you can’t elicit some sort of feedback about your brand.  The collected data can provide insight into the trends, mindset, needs, desires, etc. of the consumer.  It can provide answers to questions such as:  Do your customers identify with your business model?  Do customers identify with your brand?  In a sense, you can start to see the world through their eyes.  Paying attention and actively responding to consumer feedback is thus a helpful start in developing a common ground.

As Gary Vaynerchuk would say, “Get in the trenches and get dirty.”  People are much more likely to be persuaded by your vision if they see that you are willing and able to come down to their level, “get dirty” with them, listen, and relate to their concerns.

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Ok, onto the musical aspect of this post.  I came across an inspiring piano and cello arrangement by Jon Schmidt (pianist) and Steve Nelson (cellist & percussionist):  Love Story (Taylor Swift) meets Viva La Vida (Coldplay).  These seemingly unrelated songs were combined based on a common rhythm element between the two tunes.  It’s amazing what finding and developing a common ground, denominator, rhythm, etc. can do.  Enjoy the musical video which is embedded below.

We’re being nickled, dimed, and dollared to death by many fees.  We deal with a lot of fees, and I’m sure you’ll agree that most of these fees are designed to line the pockets of the company or institution.

Some bank accounts have a monthly fee if you don’t maintain a minimum balance … some accounts just charge a monthly fee anyway regardless of the balance.  If you’re earning a measly percentage with your savings account, when you factor in fees (and inflation), you’re actually losing money.  One of my favorite advertising slogans is by ING Direct:  “Money doesn’t grow on fees.”  Another one of their recent advertising slogans is:  “Fees take people’s lunch money.”

As illustrated by the cartoon above, airlines are notorious for charging various fees.  Southwest Airlines made a few commercials based on this idea of airline fees.  One of those videos is posted below.

Are your fees truly offering something of value?  There’s a big difference between charging a legitimate and reasonable price for a good or service and lining one’s pockets with fee revenues.

You might be familiar with Peet’s Coffee & Tea.  Their mission statement regarding freshness was noteworthy.

At Peet’s we take freshness seriously. It is only by roasting and shipping the same day that we can be sure that you enjoy the distinctive deep-roasted flavor of Peet’s. We call it “Roaster-to-Cup” freshness, and you can taste the difference.

When you choose Home Delivery, we ship right to your home – it is the freshest of the fresh. It’s the apple right off the tree, the bread right out of the oven…you get the picture.

Their mission statement brought to mind the following question:  When am I going to make a trip to the apple orchard to pick some fresh apples and buy freshly baked bread?

Actually, that wasn’t the question.  Here’s the question:  Do you take freshness seriously?

A while back, I wrote a post about being creative and unleashing the power of your imagination [click here].  Allow me to quote an excerpt from that post (actually, you don’t really have a choice in the matter heh).

There are many systems and programs out there that claim that you’ll produce your first million just by using a premade website that they provide to you.  What’s the problem with this?  If 1,000+ people are using the same “cookie cutter” website to promote the same product with the same information, there is no true product differentiation.  There are a bunch of clone websites all over the place, and you’re basically competing with fellow program members.  The market becomes oversaturated.  How can you expect to have measurable success in such an environment?

It is thus important to own who you are.  Offering a “canned” product to your prospects is certainly not fresh, and it doesn’t really express who you are.  If you take freshness seriously, then you will embrace challenges, seek to improve and/or adjust the “canned” approach to your unique personality, look for ways to simplify, and generally keep things interesting.

Just as people respond favorably to the scents and tastes of fresh coffee or food, people will also begin to notice and appreciate your strive for freshness.  It is important to be honest, sincere, and upfront, as onlookers will take note of this.  Sooner or later, someone will notice if you’re trying to falsely disguise a canned product as something that’s “fresh.”

Being fresh and innovative can actually be a blessing in today’s economy.  One news item from this week comes to mind regarding a payment processor, Revolution MoneyExchange.  Just this week, Revolution Money received $42 million in Series C funding from investors which include a Goldman Sachs affiliate, an AOL co-founder, a former CEO of Charles Schwab, the former JP Morgan Vice Chairman, Citigroup, and Morgan Stanley.

For a payment processor to receive that kind of funding in today’s economy, they must have a revolutionary business model … pun intended.  Revolution Money continues to offer fresh alternatives for merchants and consumers.

Here are some further news articles about Revolution Money’s funding.

>> Wall Street Journal:  Payment Processor Revolution Money Pumped With $42M

>> Reuters UK:  PayPal, Visa rival gets $42 mln from Goldman, others

>> Yahoo Finance:  Revolution Money Secures $42 Million in Series C Funding from Goldman Sachs Affiliate and Existing Investors

Do you take freshness seriously?  I’m not being fresh when I pose that question (this crazy admin really needs to quit the wordplay games).

Pictures courtesy of Museum of Communism

Under strict communism, the state owns everything.  Under Stalin’s rule, the only private businesses were run by individuals who could not hire anyone.  Since all businesses are owned by the government, there is little to no room for choice, branding, or differentiation.  If you’re going to build something that’s exactly the same as everyone else, why would it matter?  Where’s the competition?  The location and operation of a grocery store, for example, would rely very little on the principle of supply and demand.

In this interview, Gary Vaynerchuk relates that, if he had grown up in communist Russia and tried to become an entrepreneur, his only options were prison or death.

Choice is generally good for the economy and especially for people.  We are all endowed with free will.  What people buy or gravitate towards tends to be a form of self-expression … i.e. what they buy says something about them, their personality, their desires, their values, etc.  They are essentially branding themselves with a brand (just as long as they’re not branding themselves with a particular brand of branding iron).

On a concluding note, here is a comment by Bruce Philp that seems to nicely tie everything together …

Here’s what gets me up in the morning: I actually think that brands can save the world. They are the commercial equivalent of democracy… they make corporations publicly accountable for their behavior, and they make individuals declare their values when they buy things. They should be a powerful force for sustainability in this world, if we can just get marketers and consumers both to let go of their cynicism and face the responsibilities they each have in the system.

What are your thoughts about branding, business, and communism?  Fire away in the comments below.

However, is it also possible that the restaurant menu is designed in a particular way which further contributes to spending?

1.  Many menus contain special wording for the menu items.  For example, there might be a “Farmhouse chicken sandwich” on the menu.  The word “farmhouse” catches your attention, but was this chicken really slaughtered fresh from the farm?  How do you know that this chicken wasn’t slaughtered months ago, packaged, loaded with preservatives, and then stored in a freezer?  These exaggerated descriptions often evoke curiosity and may lead to spending more money on something that doesn’t quite live up to its name.

2.  Have you ever seen a menu that doesn’t have a dollar sign ($), pound sign (£), euro sign (€), or some other currency symbol next to the price?  Many purposely leave off the currency symbol so that you conveniently “forget” that you’re spending money.

3.  Have you ever seen the menu items that are surrounded by fancy borders and bold print?  These items are obviously designed to capture your attention.  Most of the time, these entrees also end up costing you a lot of money.  After all, restaurants want to capture your attention to get you to buy an expensive meal rather than something cheaper.

4.  How often have you seen a menu that has all of the dishes organized by price in ascending order like an Excel spreadsheet?  This is rarely the case – in fact, menu items are all over the place in terms of price.  If dishes were organized by price, it would make it easier to find cheaper options.  For example, two similar pasta dishes might differ by $3 or more in price … but because of the way everything is scattered on the page, these subtle price differences are harder to notice.  Once again, this is a tactic to get you to spend more money.

5.  This ties in with some of what was mentioned already.  Menu item positioning is key.  Certain menu items appear at the very top and bottom of each category and/or page.  As a result, these items are more noticeable and memorable when scanning through the list.  It is no wonder that these dishes are usually popular or profitable items for the restaurant.

If you know other ways that restaurant menus are designed to make you spend more money, then please share them in the comments below.

1.  Breakeven:  Investment in solar panels

2.  Breakeven:  Purchase of a hybrid vehicle

Coincidentally, not long after I had written these posts, some highly relevant news came out regarding solar panels and electric vehicles.  These topics will be addressed below.

Photo courtesy of Tesla Motors

Tesla Model S electric car

There has been a lot of buzz about this car, and you can see why from the various photos (such as the one above) and other info that is circulating around the internet.

The CEO of Tesla Motors, Elon Musk, outlined the economic benefits of an electric sedan versus a gasoline-only sedan.

As always, it is important to do your own research and calculate the breakeven point based on several factors, as was already discussed in this post – Breakeven:  Purchase of a hybrid vehicle

For more information about the Tesla Model S electric car, here are some links.

>> CNET News – Tesla Motors CEO:  Model S is cheaper than it looks

>> Ecomodder – Tesla Model S:  $50,000 Electric Car that Seats Seven

>> Technology Review – Tesla Unveils a Long-Awaited Electric Sedan

Rent solar panels

A company by the name of Citizenre ReNU is renting solar panels.  You can buy a 1, 5, or 25 year contract and pay the same flat fee for the corresponding life of the contract.  There are no installation costs or rate increases under the contract.

They even provide a solar savings calculator to see how much you could potentially save based on your state, local electricity provider, and average monthly electric bill.  It even shows the estimated impact you’ll have on the environment:  http://www.citizenre.net/extras/calculator.htm

Solar panel rental is not available in the following ten (10) states:  Alabama, Alaska, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

It is important to do your own research and calculate the breakeven point based on several factors, as was already discussed in this post – Breakeven:  Investment in solar panels

For more information about Citizenre ReNU and renting solar panels, here are some links.

>> Citizenre ReNU:  How the rental plan works

>> Planet Green:  Rent solar panels

Here are just a few factors to consider when doing your breakeven calculation.  As usual, there are many other criteria to consider, but we’ll focus on the main points for this example.

>> What is the price of the hybrid vehicle?

>> What is the average gas mileage performance?

>> Is a tax credit offered for the purchase of a hybrid vehicle?

>> How much does a similarly equipped gasoline vehicle cost?

>> What is the average gas mileage performance of the gasoline vehicle?

>> What is your estimated interest rate?  This may take into consideration things such as market rates, inflation, etc.

>> How many miles do you typically drive your vehicle every year?

>> How many years do you plan to use the vehicle?  (Make sure that both time periods are the same for the purpose of these calculations.)

Here is a relatively simple (and hypothetical) example to consider …

Hybrid:

– Price:  $22,000

– Average gas mileage:  40 miles per gallon (mpg)

– Tax credit:  $2,000 (This will reduce the quoted price to $20,000.)

Similarly equipped gas vehicle:

– Price:  $18,000

– Average gas mileage:  25 miles per gallon (mpg)

Assume that your rate of interest per year is 4%.  You plan to drive the vehicle 20,000 miles each year over a period of five (5) years.

Ok, now we’re going to determine the breakeven point in terms of gasoline costs.

First, we’ll find the equivalent uniform annual cost for each vehicle.

Hybrid:  ($22,000 – $2,000)*(A/P, 4%, 5) + ($C/gal)*[(20,000 miles per year)/(40 mpg)]

Similarly equipped gas vehicle:  $18,000*(A/P, 4%, 5) + ($C/gal)*[(20,000 miles per year)/(25 mpg)]

Note that A/P means to find the annual worth given a present worth.  Since the car prices are given in terms of present worth, we need to convert it to annual worth to find the equivalent uniform annual cost.

Notice that C, the cost per gallon of gasoline, is the unknown variable.  Simply set the expressions for the hybrid and gas vehicles equal to each other, and solve for C.

$20,000(0.2246) + 500C = $18,000(0.2246) + 800C

300C = 2000(0.2246) => C = 2000*0.2246/300 = $1.50 per gallon

For this example, solving for C yields a breakeven cost of approximately $1.50 per gallon.

In this example, if the average cost of gasoline over the next five years is less than $1.50 per gallon, then it’s more economical to purchase a similarly equipped gasoline vehicle.  On the other hand, if the projected estimate of gasoline costs over the next five years is more than $1.50 per gallon, then it’s more economical to purchase the hybrid vehicle.

As mentioned before, this is a relatively simple example.  There may be many other factors to consider in real life, such as maintenance, parts, etc.  Nevertheless, this is a good model to play around with.  Feel free to experiment with the different factors and variables in this example.

You or someone you know might be wondering whether to invest in solar panels.  It’s fun to watch the electric meter run backwards and sell unused electricity back to the power company; however, it’s also important to determine how long it will take for your energy savings to offset the initial installation cost.

Here are some important factors to consider.  Of course, there are many other criteria to consider, but we’ll focus on the main points for this simple example.

>> What is the average cost for energy/electricity in your area?

>> Is there a government subsidy on your solar panel investment?

>> How much power will each square foot of panel produce each year?

>> What is the installation cost, per square foot, of these solar panels?

>> How many square feet of roof space do you have available?  Will this generate sufficient power?

>> What is your estimated interest rate?  This may take into consideration things such as inflation, market rates, etc.

Here is a relatively simple (and hypothetical) example to consider …

The average cost for energy in your area is $0.15/kWh.  The government subsidizes 60% of your initial investment.  Each square foot of solar panel produces 20 kWh every year.  The cost of installation per square foot of solar panel is $100.  The building has 400 square feet of available roof space.  Assume that your rate of interest is 7% per year.

Ok, now we’re going to determine the breakeven point.

Let’s calculate what your initial investment would be:  400 square feet of roof space * $100 per square foot = $40,000.

With a 60% government subsidy, you would only pay 40% of the initial investment:  0.4($40,000) = $16,000

To find the breakeven point in years (N), we set the initial investment equal to the annual energy savings as follows …

$16,000 = (400 square feet)(20 kWh/sq ft-yr)($0.15/kWh)(P/A, 7%, N)

40/3 = (P/A, 7%, N)

Note that P/A means to find the present equivalent worth given an annual worth.  Since you’re dealing with annual savings, you have to convert it to the present, just as the initial $16,000 investment is in terms of present worth.

The formula for P/A at 7% for N years is as follows:  [(1+0.07)^N - 1]/[0.07(1+0.07)^N]

Simply set this formula equal to 40/3 above, and solve for N to find the breakeven point in years (you can solve this with a computer, graphing calculator, etc.).  For this example, solving for N yields approximately 40.025 years to break even!

As mentioned before, this is a relatively simple example.  There may be many other factors to consider in real life.  Nevertheless, this is a good model to play around with.  Experiment with varying interest rates, installation costs, square footage, goverment subsidies, power production, average cost of electricity, and more.

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Stay tuned for the next breakeven post dealing with the purchase of a hybrid vehicle.  If you haven’t subscribed to this blog already, please do so by clicking here.

For example, upon first glance in the 1990s, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) could have been dismissed by skeptics as a dead desert town.  Back then, it would have been hard to believe that all kinds of tourists and international visitors would flock to a wealthy maritime desert city.  The pictures below illustrate how the city has grown over the years.  In fact, there appears to be even more potential for growth, as indicated by plans for future structures that are mentioned here.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates around 1990

Dubai, United Arab Emirates in 2003

Dubai, United Arab Emirates in 2004

Dubai, United Arab Emirates in 2007

However, it is also important not to overlook or cloud out the negative future potential of something.  It can be tempting to fall prey to misplaced optimism and Kool-Aid drinking.  Nevertheless, something which appears to be fine and dandy at the present may just be a recipe for disaster.  I’m sure you can think of many examples of this, especially in light of the economic events that have unfolded.

No matter how terrible or great something appears at the present time, it is important to consider both the positive and negative potential.

Upon arriving to the detour, would you give up and tell everyone in the car that you’re turning around and driving back home?  Or would you continue, take the detour, and have confidence that you would eventually arrive to your final destination?

Of course, it would be silly to give up after driving such a long distance and getting so close to your destination.  You would take the detour, even if it took a little longer than expected to arrive to your final destination.

There are many times that you may chart a course in business or money matters.  You get so close to achieving your goal, and an unexpected obstacle comes up.  After all, most things don’t work 100% as planned.

Many times, obstacles create delays.  A revision to the original plan is necessary, and it may not always feel comfortable.  A revision can project you into uncharted waters, just as a detour sign can direct you to take unfamiliar routes or roads.  However, a revision of the action plan will eventually get you “back on the road” so you can still reach your final goal.  Without flexibility, determination, and a proper perspective of your accomplishments, plans crumble; it becomes tempting to just give up.

It is beneficial to learn from these temporary setbacks or detours.  However, after reaching the final destination, it is also important not to rehash the past and dwell on these temporary setbacks.  Rehashing the past would be like sharing vacation pictures and, instead of showing pictures that were taken at the vacation destination, only showing pictures of the detour.  Instead of talking about the good times on vacation, you would only talk about the detour.  This would quickly become boring and discouraging.

So … how do you handle detours?  Feel free to share your stories and experiences.

With all of the economic news we’re hearing about people losing a majority of their 401k, losing their money to Ponzi schemes, etc., it behooves us to ask this question.

Sure – investments fail, people lie about what they’re doing with your money, the future is unpredictable … we could create a laundry list here … but the fact of the matter is that you ultimately decided to invest your own money.  No one was holding a gun to your head or holding you hostage against your will to join a program or invest your money (at least, I hope not).

You are solely responsible for performing your own due diligence before investing your money in anything.  Think of how this simple idea could have spared so many from falling victim to Ponzi schemes and other scams.  Many people wait until they’ve been scammed (i.e. when it’s too late) to start their research.

Also, as cliche as this may sound, do not invest more than you can afford to lose.

Take the time to do research before parting with your cash.  You are the one who is ultimately responsible for your own money.  The tag line of Fox Reality’s Solitary sums this up nicely:  “You only have yourself to blame.”

Here are some figurative seeds that, if planted and cultivated, can yield marvelous results with money, business, and life in general.

Five rows of peas:

1. Perseverance
2. Patience
3. Practice
4. Philanthropy
5. Prudence

Five rows of beets:

1. Beat your own paralyzing fears
2. Beat your own expectations
3. Beat your competition with ingenuity (click here for a further explanation)
4. Beat the “Can’t Get No Satisfaction” Syndrome (excellent post by Zen Habits here)
5. Beat the urge to do useless tasks (another excellent post by Zen Habits here)

Five rows of squash:

1. Squash jealousy
2. Squash strife
3. Squash dangerous spending habits
4. Squash debt
5. When life gives you sour grapes, squash them and make wine.

Five rows of turnips:

1. Turn up for volunteer activities
2. Turn up to various networking events
3. Turn up the figurative treble, bass, volume, etc. buttons on life – there is so much to attune your senses to, learn, and savor
4. Turn up to drive home a good bargain (literally or figuratively)
5. Turn up your game a notch

Five rows of lettuce:

1. Let us all be grateful for what we have.
2. Let us continue to focus on giving.
3. Let us look at life through the windshield and not the rear-view mirror.  (Based on a quote by Byrd Baggett)
4. Let us all remember that we have to do our own growing no matter how tall our grandfather was … or how vibrant our grandfather’s garden was.  (First part based on an Irish proverb)
5. Let us take time to smile and laugh each day.

So (sowing seeds?) … what are you growing in your garden?

Prandtl’s first encounter with fluid mechanics was when he was working on designing factory equipment as an engineer.  He had to redesign an item that removed machine shavings via suction.  He couldn’t find any official scientific literature about the fluid mechanics of suction, so he devised his own experiment to study the flows involved with suction.  As a result of his experiment, he was able to make several modifications to the pipe design which resulted in optimal suction at 1/3 of the original power consumption!

His studies didn’t stop here.  Over the years, he made several contributions to the study of compressible flow and aerodynamics.  In 1905, he built a small Mach 1.5 supersonic nozzle in order to study steam turbine flows and the movement of sawdust in sawmills.  Note that he was studying supersonic (supersonic = above the speed of sound, roughly 800 miles per hour, or Mach numbers greater than 1) flow at a time when the Wright brothers made planes that could barely exceed 40 miles per hour (roughly Mach 0.05)!  He was ahead of his time and thought way beyond Mach 0.05.  Prandtl was conducting these studies around 1905, and the first supersonic planes didn’t come out until at least the late 1940s/early 1950s.  Needless to say, his studies still contribute to the design methods of supersonic aircraft, wind tunnels, and rocket nozzles in modern times.

One of his many interesting contributions was the Prandtl-Glauert singularity, also known as the notable “vapor cone” or “shock collar” that appears at transonic and supersonic speeds.  A sudden drop in air pressure occurs which creates a visible condensation cloud around a supersonically traveling object.  This effect can be observed with a whip on a humid day – if you crack a whip, as it becomes supersonic near the tip, a cloud forms around the tip.

This effect can also be observed with supersonic aircraft and nuclear explosions, as seen by the pictures below.  One of the pictures depicts the FA-18 Hornet breaking the sound barrier, and the other shows what happened during Operation Crossroads.

This whole post was not meant to be a biography or scientific discourse.  There are lessons to be learned from Ludwig Prandtl.

1.  Don’t hesitate to experiment and invent.  If something doesn’t exist yet or there doesn’t appear to be enough information to solve a problem, don’t be afraid to play around.  You never know what things you’ll discover along the way.  Many great businesses and technological advances have arised as a result of experimentation, improvements, and innovations.

2.  Be a visionary and pioneer in your field or passion.  This ties in with experimenting, improvising, and inventing.  It doesn’t take a rocket scientist (aerodynamic pun intended) to be revolutionary.  Even the seemingly minor improvements that you make can create a huge impact on a global scale.  As the saying goes:  “There are no new inventions, only improvements.”  As a visionary and pioneer, it’s the adjustments, new thinking, etc. that can make all the difference in the world.

Word of mouth is still one of the most effective forms of advertising today.

Arkadi Kuhlmann, the founding CEO of ING Direct, is quoted as stating:  “The final verdict on a brand is what people say about that brand when the company is not present!”

Thanks to modern communication, search engines, blogs, and social networks like Twitter, information about a company or business (good and bad) can be spread on a viral scale.  Even when the business is not physically present to address and monitor these comments, people are still talking.

Are you memorable?  People often spread ideas that are easily remembered.  Also, if you have done something unique, noteworthy, controversial, or scandalous, the news spreads like wildfire.  (You can observe this happening with celebrities in the media all the time.)  What kind of a reputation have you established?

Also, keep in mind that, while your advertising may not appear to have any immediate effect on your intended audience, there’s a good chance that it’s being shared with others; it doesn’t have to be exclusively discussed with other members of your target audience.  In this sense, your advertising could have an unanticipated and far-reaching effect.  People will often share information about a product or service with their friends and family, especially if it fills an important demand.  Even if they personally don’t want or need the item, they may refer it to others who might benefit.  As a result, you may still attract other clients and customers in the long run.

No doubt, you can think of many offline and online business models that employ word of mouth to advertise their product.

How are others talking about you even when you aren’t present?  When you are present, are you listening?  Are you responding and interacting?

[ As a side note, here is an informative blog post by Darren Rowse regarding blog branding:  http://www.problogger.net/archives/2009/03/04/how-to-shape-your-blogs-brand/ ]

Would you like to relocate to Aruba? Hawaii? San Diego? Tokyo? Costa Rica? Melbourne? Somewhere closer to home?

There may be many logistical and personal reasons to move to another location. Maybe you want to eventually retire at this location. You might prefer the weather and climate somewhere else. Another place might provide you the opportunity to pursue a specific career path. Maybe you don’t trust your country’s government and thus want to move to another country.

Whatever the reason for your move, there are several factors to take into consideration. Just four (4) of many monetary factors will be considered in a series of posts over the next few days.

A fourth monetary factor to consider when relocating is:  Accessibility

How far are you from the nearest major airport?  How much would it cost to take transportation to the airport?  What are some of the costs that you can expect for domestic and international flights into/out of that airport?  If relatives or friends were to come and visit you, are you virtually inaccessible?  Do you still plan to travel abroad or visit other relatives and friends?  Of course, don’t live too close to the airport unless you can deal with the noise.

In addition to airports, just consider the local roads, stores, businesses, etc.  Is everything so remotely located that there’s a premium cost on common items such as fuel, food, and even water?  How far would you have to travel to arrive to a major shopping center?  Are there any means of reliable transportation to get to a major city?  How much would it cost to travel to the nearest major city?

Hopefully these four posts gave you something to think about when planning your next move.  Feel free to add your own comments and experiences to the mix.

Would you like to relocate to Aruba?  Hawaii?  San Diego?  Tokyo?  Costa Rica?  Melbourne?  Somewhere closer to home?

There may be many logistical and personal reasons to move to another location.  Maybe you want to eventually retire at this location.  You might prefer the weather and climate somewhere else.  Another place might provide you the opportunity to pursue a specific career path.  Maybe you don’t trust your country’s government and thus want to move to another country.

Whatever the reason for your move, there are several factors to take into consideration.  Just four (4) of many monetary factors will be considered in a series of posts over the next few days.

A third monetary factor to consider when relocating is:  Cost and quality of available medical care

In the event that you had a medical emergency, are there any great hospitals nearby?  What is the distance to the nearest major hospital?  Are there any qualified specialists who will be able to quickly address your medical condition?  What medical bills will be incurred?

A person I know had talked of moving down to Costa Rica.  When asked what he would do if he required serious medical attention, he said that he would have to fly to the US.  Imagine the complications and inconveniences that could arise with those circumstances … not to mention the cost of flights to and from the US.

If you plan on remaining within the US, here are the rankings for America’s best hospitals:  http://health.usnews.com/sections/health/best-hospitals

Stay tuned for the fourth and final post of this series.

Would you like to relocate to Aruba?  Hawaii?  San Diego?  Tokyo?  Costa Rica?  Melbourne?  Somewhere closer to home?

There may be many logistical and personal reasons to move to another location.  Maybe you want to eventually retire at this location.  You might prefer the weather and climate somewhere else.  Another place might provide you the opportunity to pursue a specific career path.  Maybe you don’t trust your country’s government and thus want to move to another country.

Whatever the reason for your move, there are several factors to take into consideration.  Just four (4) of many monetary factors will be considered in a series of posts over the next few days.

A second monetary factor to consider when relocating is:  Taxes

Some states, like Delaware, have no sales tax.  Other states, like Florida, have no state income tax.  To compare the tax structures of different states, check out this link:  http://www.retirementliving.com/RLtaxes.html

You’ll also have to consider property taxes, which goes hand in hand with Part 1 (cost of living).

Each country’s tax laws vary, so make sure to do your homework in this regard.  Research the rules for gift tax, wealth tax, inheritance tax, and any other taxes you may be responsible for.  A good place to being your research can be accessed by clicking here.

Stay tuned for the third post of this four part series.

There may be many logistical and personal reasons to move to another location.  Maybe you want to eventually retire at this location.  You might prefer the weather and climate somewhere else.  Another place might provide you the opportunity to pursue a specific career path.  Maybe you don’t trust your country’s government and thus want to move to another country.

Whatever the reason for your move, there are several factors to take into consideration.  Just four (4) of many monetary factors will be considered in a series of posts over the next few days.

We’ll start with the first and most obvious of these factors:  Cost of living

You must consider your salary relative to the cost of living.  There might be cheaper housing in another location that provides an equivalent standard of living; however, you might have to take a drastic salary cut too, depending on your profession.  Is there some way to maintain your previously higher income level while enjoying a lower cost of living?

If you are considering a move within or to the United States, here are some helpful sites that will allow you to compare salary relative to the cost of living.

>> Salary.com

>> RealEstate.com

>> Realtor.com

Stay tuned for the second post in this four part series.

This film entitled The Job was written and directed by Jonathan Browning of Screaming Frog Productions.

The Job

In the movie Fun With Dick and Jane, Dick loses his once lucrative position at a company.  In this humorous scene, he waits on the street corner with other laborers who are seeking employment.

Fun With Dick and Jane: Laborers scene

Feel free to share your thoughts on these films, the current situation with unemployment, etc.

In the last post, it was emphasized how you can be wearing a proverbial ball and chain if you’re living on debt.  However, is it still possible to be a slave of money even if you’re not a slave to debt?

When your main concern and love is money and nothing else, your balance is disrupted, other matters fall by the wayside, and you have effectively made money your master.

Simple and extreme example:  If you were to focus just on money but shunned food, drink, and sleep, you’d be dead.

There are those who may neglect their family, friends, and their health in the pursuit of more riches.  Instead of building them up, overindulgence in the pursuit tears them down mentally, emotionally, and physically.  Insatiable greed can result in frustration, stress, fear, broken relationships, and declining health.

In order to avoid becoming a slave of money, balance is necessary.  Money should be kept in its proper place like everything else.  For example, you might love a particular dessert.  You might love it so much that you brag that you could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  However, if you made this dessert your only meal day after day, it would quickly become boring and unsatisfying … not to mention the empty calories that can accompany it.  In a similar way, extra cash and the things it can buy are sweet.  However, if it’s your only pursuit and love, then it will result in an empty, unsatisfying feeling.

Look for ways to give to others.  Generosity can go beyond charitable donations – sincerely offer yourself to others.  There’s an unbounded happiness that results from giving and making someone else happy.  People need people.  Spend time with those you love.  Take the time to meet others and widen out.  These are just some of the opportunities that abound when money isn’t your only focus.

If you make money your master and live only for it, it may be too late when you wake up to the need to change your priorities.

Just because someone makes $100,000 a year, has a nice home, and drives a fancy car, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are financially independent.

Shira Boss found out that most people with seemingly extravagant lifestyles were actually living off of debt.

Many are leveraged down to their underwear in debt.  They have to take out new loans, get more credit cards, etc. just to pay off old loans.  Even some businesses and companies are or were leveraged through significant debt, and we can see the results of that.  Large institutions have collapsed overnight.  Others are begging for bailout funds … talk about being a slave of money.

Image courtesy of whiterabbitcult.com

What is true financial independence?  It simply means that anything and everything you do is paid in full.  You do not live on debt.  You’re not a slave to credit, interest, and/or minimum monthly payments.  Instead of being a slave to money, you are a controller of cash flows.  You accumulate, invest, and consistently grow your money.  You develop multiple streams of increasing residual income.

You’re not truly independent if you find it almost impossible to get to the end of the month (or even the end of the week) without running out of money.  You’re not independent if you constantly worry about how you’re going to find money to pay the bills.

Are you dragging a ball and chain, or are you ruling over your money with a golden scepter?

Crowds lined up in the cold to get their cash (cold cash anyone?) – all they needed to do was tell why they needed the money. After they did that, they were eligible to receive anywhere from a minimum of $50 to a maximum of $5,000.

Bailout Bill isn’t done. He plans to hand out more cash in other US cities … and in the process of doing so, he’s advertising a new website: http://www.bailoutbooth.com.  Talk about a clever way to generate buzz and attract attention i.e. advertise.

Are you generating buzz?  Maybe you can’t afford to hand out $50,000 in cash in one day, but there are plenty of other ways to stand out and be creative.  You can start by learning from the masters.

Enough about buzz (or Buzz Lightyear and his mission to surpass infinity) … I wanted to touch on other aspects here.  People stand in line for free cash.  Also, on Black Friday, people will camp out, wait in line at 5:30 AM, and even trample over each other to catch good buys.

Many of these people are willing to fight just to catch a good buy or get free money.  (Side note:  When stores offer outrageous sales or coupons, it’s like they’re printing money!)

So these people will sacrifice their time, energy, and even sleep just to catch a good buy.  Yet, when it comes to taking decisive action to change their financial situation, get rid of debt, and stop chasing money, they lack the same zeal and passion.  Imagine what would happen if all of these people channeled this enthusiasm and stamina to launch a business that they were truly passionate about.  Imagine if they put the same kind of hustle into marketing, advertising, and attracting the masses.

Do you want to meet Bailout Bill, or do you just want the free cash?  Would you want to know how Bailout Bill became successful to the point where he’s able to freely hand out cash?  Maybe you can learn how to employ some of his strategies to launch or improve a business, generate more cash flow, etc.

Do you want to learn how to successfully manage the store and cash in, or do you just want to chase the good buys?  Would you wake up at 5:30 AM if you were the owner of the store and it meant raking in a ton of cash that day?  It might not be the most pleasant experience to deal with crowds of consumers … but hey, is it any more pleasant to camp out, wait in line, and fight for deals?  You’re dealing with crowds either way, whether you’re a shopper or the manager.  You’ll do what it takes if you have the drive and determination.

Think about the sacrifices you make to do other things.  If you can channel that same kind of energy into taking decisive action to change your financial situation, learn new ideas, explore, network, etc., you might be blown away by the results.

—————————–

News articles about Bailout Bill:

>> BBC

>> AFP

>> WalletPop

>> Google News search results

Let’s think about products and services in real life.  For example, if you had to see an auto mechanic, would it matter if he did cartwheels, did backflips with a pirate patch on his eye, and performed ballet dances?  For the most part, you just care that he is qualified to fix your car.  Any other irrelevant yet amusing activities that he performs would be a bonus entertainment factor.

With that being said, entertainment should not be your only goal.  The main focus of your message should clearly communicate why your product or service is relevant to people’s needs.  The LMAO factor and fancy computer animation are added bonuses.

I couldn’t resist adding a coffee illustration to the mix.  Suppose you like adding sugar to your coffee.  If you add a little bit of sugar, it sweetens the coffee but still allows the flavor of the coffee to permeate through to your taste buds.  On the other hand, if you add a heaping mountain of sugar, the overwhelming sweetness overpowers the coffee’s flavor.

Too much funny can overpower the message that you are trying to communicate about your brand.  The right integration of the LMAO factor, however, can sweeten the deal.

Here are three particular ads that I enjoyed from this year’s collection of Super Bowl ads.  They clearly communicated the message in an entertaining fashion.

Hulu

Monster.com

And, of course, what would a post about the LMAO factor be without the LMAO NBC ad?

You can view more Super Bowl ads here:

>> http://www.youtube.com/adblitz
>> http://superbowlads.fanhouse.com/

I first noticed this method of advertising when viewing a Citi Cards statement online.  I have included some example screenshots below for your reference.

Screenshot 1A

Screenshot 1B

Screenshot 2A

Screenshot 2B

You can’t see it from these screenshots, but there is a [+] sign to the far left of each transaction.  When 1A and 2A are expanded (by clicking on the [+] sign), a full text ad appears with a link, as shown in 1B and 2B.

In the first two screenshots (1A and 1B), you’ll notice that there was a purchase of an e-book.  The corresponding advertisement is for free shipping from Barnes & Noble.  This assumes that, considering the fact that I purchased and downloaded an e-book online, I might be interested in buying a hard copy of a book if there’s free shipping … makes sense and seems relevant.

In the last two screenshots (2A and 2B), you’ll notice that there was a transaction at The Turning Point.  Note that The Turning Point is the name of a restaurant.  Keeping this in mind, the corresponding advertisement is for a Credit Protector program.  In the event that someone was to be suddenly hospitalized, unemployed, homeless, or otherwise unable to make credit card payments, these payments would be cancelled or deferred under the Credit Protector arrangement.

The funny part about this is that they seemed to take “The Turning Point” literally.  Maybe they were figuring that, if I was at a turning point in my life, I might be experiencing financial difficulties.  (If it was known that The Turning Point was a restaurant, then the advertisement may have been about dining or something relevant to eating out.)

These ads seem to rotate at times, too.  For example, when I checked my credit card statement online yesterday, there were targeted ads for two different transactions.  One of those ads was in response to a Wegmans transaction (Wegmans is a supermarket for those of you who aren’t familiar with it) – the advertisement was for Mrs. Fields cookies.  Maybe it was assumed that, if I shopped at a supermarket, I might be interested in purchasing Mrs. Fields Cookies online or even offline (e.g. in a grocery store).

This is the first time I’ve noticed this particular form of advertising.  Do you think that it’s an effective means of target marketing?  Does it have the potential to generate substantial revenue?  Share your thoughts.

Mortgage applications, tax documents, and credit card applications are riddled with fine print.  The little tricks in the fine print are like a brick wall between the customer and the company.  It can divide relationships.  The customer will be inclined to choose a simpler, more straightforward alternative.

Now think of all the companies who have been successful by simplifying the user experience.  For example, the sign up process is simple.  Using the product or service is intuitive and enjoyable.  This approach to technology has especially made things appealing to people of all ages and backgrounds.

When you keep things simple, it usually means that you are transparent.  You have nothing to hide or cleverly conceal in volumes of fine print.  Your pitch doesn’t need to be like the 647 page economic stimulus bill that the House of Representatives just passed (nor does it need to be as lengthy as this sentence).  As you continue to demonstrate honesty, you build trust.  The best relationships — whether they be in friendships, business, or marriage — are based on trust.  More people will be attracted to your opportunity, business, etc. based on the good reputation that you have established.  As an added bonus, they’ll have a simple and intuitive user experience that saves time and money.  What better invitation could you offer?

Don’t be a brick wall.  Offer a clear window into your world.

I’m going to keep this blog post simple and clear by ending it here.

Should you try to beat your competition with force or ingenuity?  While conquests and total world domination may seem appealing, these overly aggressive traits often yield unpleasant consequences.  In a fight, there are winners and there are losers.  While you may appear to have the upper hand at one moment, the tables could quickly turn in the blink of an eye.  Someone is going to end up as the loser lying on the ground, figuratively speaking.

Instead of involving yourself in these destructive activities, why not take a more constructive approach?  Create value.  Instead of investing all of your energy in competitive price wars, channel your energy towards ingenuity.  Find ways to make things more fresh, simple, intuitive, convenient, and fun for the customer.  Be innovative – continue to seek out unique ways to offer your product or service.

Yesterday, I was reading an article on Inc.com that explained how online retail stores can beat the competition (the overall theme of this article can apply to any kind of business):  http://www.inc.com/news/articles/2009/01/etail.html

Consumers who purchased most often from a particular store were attracted by an innovative user experience moreso than price.  While different stores may have had slightly varying levels of price and quantity in stock, the main thing that these frequent shoppers were attracted to was the shopping experience.

Ninety-three percent of power shoppers said that it’s a critical need that sites have fresher content and new features to improve user experience, including easy-to-use checkout, easy browsing and item-location, and clear and simply accessible product information.

Forrester Research analyst Sucharita Mulpuru agreed that shoppers are becoming more sophisticated. “Consumers expect to get material more rapidly, in a more easy-to-manipulate form,” she said. “If it takes too long to load, there are too many other options—anyone without great performance metrics will suffer,” she said.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once stated:  “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

At times, it is tempting to go down the path of retaliation.  Instead, invent a new path that will challenge others to try to follow in your footsteps.  Leave your unique mark.  If you show that you can create value, then customers will vouch for you with their wallets.

There are two blog posts which provide helpful information regarding this move – they even provide steps on how to move everything now instead of waiting until February:  (1) http://michaelmartine.com/2009/01/21/feed-count-chaos-transfer-your-feedburner-account-to-google-now/ and (2) http://www.problogdesign.com/general-tips/make-the-move-from-feedburner-to-google/

I successfully and painlessly made the move yesterday.  In addition, I updated the subscribe via RSS and e-mail links at the top right of this blog.  The updated links are also shown below for your reference.

>>  Subscribe by RSS:  http://feeds2.feedburner.com/tmcafeblog

>>  Subscribe by e-mail:  http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=tmcafeblog

I’m using the Structure theme by Justin Tadlock and, while it was easy to update the RSS subscription link in the theme settings, updating the e-mail subscription link required a few more steps.

Thankfully, I was able to figure it out on my own, and I’m going to share these steps to save others some time and/or frustration.  Hopefully this tutorial proves to be helpful to a fellow Structure theme user (or anyone else who is facing a similar predicament).

How to update your e-mail subscription link to the new feedburner.google.com format (for Structure theme users):

1.  Find the filters.php file.  This can be accessed via:  wp-content/themes/structure/library/functions/filters.php (Yes, by examining and analyzing the code of various PHP files in each of the directories, I figured out that this was the specific file that had to be modified.)

2.  Open the filters.php file and look at roughly lines 18 through 20 of the code.  That section of the code should look something like this (before making any changes) …

if($settings['feed_id'])
$feed .= '<li class="feed-email"><a href="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/emailverifySubmit?feedId=' . $settings['feed_id'] . '" title="' . __('Subscribe by email','structure') . '"><span>' . __('Subscribe by email','structure') . '</span></a></li>';
$feed .= '</ul>';

3.  Change/modify the code so that it looks like this (the change is outlined in green below).

if($settings['feed_id'])
$feed .= '<li class="feed-email"><a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=' . $settings['feed_id'] . '" title="' . __('Subscribe by email','structure') . '"><span>' . __('Subscribe by email','structure') . '</span></a></li>';
$feed .= '</ul>';

4.  Save your changes and upload the modified filters.php file to that same directory as mentioned in Step #1.

5.  From the Wordpress Admin panel/dashboard, go to Structure Settings | General Settings.

6.  There will be a field to enter your Feedburner ID.  Enter your new Feedburner ID (not the old one that contained a string of digits for e-mail subscriptions – e.g. your old ID may have been 0123456).  For example, my new Feedburner ID is tmcafeblog.

7.  Click on Update Options, and you’re done!

On another note, if you use the Mint application to keep track of your statistics, an updated FeedBurner pepper (version 2.03) can be downloaded – it supports Google’s new FeedBurner API:  http://haveamint.com/peppermill/pepper/48/feedburner/

Happy FeedBurner days are just ahead, even if you appear to have zero subscribers today.

To stay up to date with future posts here at Talk Money Cafe, please be sure to subscribe by RSS and/or e-mail.

Many people dream of being able to work at something they are truly passionate about.  Would you like to cash in on your passion?  You need answers … answers to questions such as:  How do you know if there is a viable market that will be willing to pay for your goods or services?  How can you effectively use online and offline resources to determine whether or not such a market exists?  Can you create a new market or improve an existing market?  What are some of the legal factors involved in starting and running your business?

Career Renegade by Jonathan Fields answers these questions and more.  He provides straightforward, practical, and empowering advice which you can immediately apply in order to cash in on your passion.  This is a must read if you’re searching for specific and solid answers … useful answers that will lead to and turn your passion into money.

The whole book is informative, well-structured, and is chock full of modern tips and real life case examples.

As a side point, Jonathan Fields has quite a diverse background.  He was a securities lawyer for the SEC (Securities Exchange Commission), hedge fund lawyer for a large firm in New York City, entrepreneur in the health and fitness industry, yoga instructor, and more … almost like the modern day Renaissance Man.  For more information about Jonathan Fields, you can visit these two links:  (1) http://www.careerrenegade.com/about/ and (2) http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/about/

Rather than providing a traditional review, synopsis, or spoiler, I’m just going to highlight some brief teasers from each chapter.  You’ll have to read the book if you want more information.

Introduction

You can download a free copy of the introduction to Career Renegade via this link:  http://www.careerrenegade.com/files/CR-Intro.pdf

Part 1:  What Makes You  Come Alive?

Chapter 1:  You Don’t Have to Be World Class to Make a World-Class Living

>> Jonathan Fields discusses how he “ran from the law” to delve into yoga and fitness

Chapter 2:  What’s Your Secret Passion?

>> Introductory thoughts on how to find your secret passion

>> Three (3) specific key elements that can help you discover your passion

Part 2:  What Kind of Renegade Will You Be?

Chapter 3:  Introducing the Career Renegade Paths

>> How conventional wisdom can actually be a great asset for career renegades

>> Lays the groundwork for the career renegade paths that are discussed in Chapters 4 through 9

Chapter 4:  Turn Your Passion Loose in Unexpected Places

>> Discover how an artist got people to stand in line to eat her art

>> Consider how a former office worker become an artist in wine country

>> Three (3) specific key elements to find a good market that will generate a demand for your passion

>> Online tools that can help you determine the “pulse of the people” … i.e. what’s hot at any given moment

Chapter 5:  Got Information?  Sell It!

>> Questions to ask yourself when determining whether or not to sell information

>> Researching and revealing hard to find information

>> Consider how a man made money selling insider guides and secret tips for sports video games

>> Funneling and filtering the vast amounts of information – how this can be used to make money

>> Discover how a coder became a tech editor

>> Aggregating and compiling information – how this can be used to make money

>> Find out how a former sales executive aggregated information regarding personal growth

>> Utilizing various online resources and methods to monetize your information (lots of useful tips here)

Chapter 6:  Want to Teach?  Expand Your Reach

>> Discover how a mother and artist created a large business by teaching art to little children

>> How to teach countless numbers of people in your sleep

>> Consider how a marketing guru became a virtual teacher

>> Discover how another marketer created an interactive learning environment – this marketer also shares some specific key insights into the teaching process

>> How to test before you invest

>> Three step process to creating your course material

>> Online and offline resources for course/lesson planning, writing, printed material production, audio & video editing and production (there is a lot of information regarding the audio & visual teaching materials)

>> Resources for business expansion, franchising, and licensing

>> Resources that can help you utilize technology to grow your teaching business (part of this includes a few specialized resources regarding a subscription-based learning setup)

Chapter 7:  Exploit the Need for Stuff

>> Consider how a yoga student made money by improving the traditional yoga mat

>> How to define your prototype

>> Patents & legal matters involved with your prototype

>> Deciding whether to manufacture or license

>> Helpful online and offline resources for prototyping, manufacturing, and licensing

Chapter 8:  Exploit the Need for Community

>> Build an online community – turn it into money

>> Discover how a tavern keeper’s daughter built an online community

>> Build a high-value peer network

>> Consider how a former lawyer connected thousands of women entrepreneurs

>> Build upon what you know

Chapter 9:  Make It Easier for People to Do What You Love

>> Questions to ask yourself if you wish to reveal gaps in the way a product or service is being offered in your field of passion

>> What does the iPod, iTunes, Apple, etc. have to do with all of this?

>> Jonathan Fields shares some insights regarding gaps as they applied to his yoga studio

Chapter 10:  Planning and Protecting Your Vision

>> Learn a little about business formats (e.g. corporations, LLC, partnerships, etc.)

>> The importance of business plans

>> Online resources for developing a business plan

>> Protecting your intellectual property

Chapter 11:  Is the World Ready for You?

>> How to determine if a market actually exists for your passion

>> Intuition and observation of market demand

>> Start broad and then dig deeper

>> ** How to use various online and offline resources to your advantage in order to dig deeper and really analyze trends in the market – there is a goldmine of information in this section alone – highly recommended reading!

>> Competition, entrepreneurship, and partnering

>> Three (3) options when it comes to dealing with your competition

Part 3:  How to Master Your Passion and Build a Worldwide Following

Chapter 12:  Are You Ready for the Renegade World?

>> What is the fastest, most cost-effective way of gaining knowledge that will turn your passion into cash?

>> Discussion of various online and offline educational resources – there is a wealth of useful information in this section

Chapter 13:  Launching Your Quest for Authority

>> How to establish clout and authority in your field

>> Blogging

>> Discover how a former lawyer and tech CEO became a popular blogger

>> How to launch your blog and get started

>> Useful online and offline resources about blogging

>> Guest posts and contribution to popular blogs – how to approach this process

>> Online resources for determining where to make a guest post

>> Aggregating useful information in one place on your blog

>> Micro-blogging and micro-blogging resources (covers Twitter and other micro-blogging platforms)

Chapter 14:  Getting Social Online

>> Two (2) major types/categories of social media hubs

>> Discussion of the various sites that fall into either of those two categories

>> List of major sites that fall into either of the two categories

>> Lifestreaming/community aggregators

>> Social bookmarking

Chapter 15:  Building on Blogging and Social Media

>> Discussion of podcasting, internet radio, and blog talk radio

>> Helpful resources for starting your own podcast, radio show, etc.

>> The advantages of Google Alerts – very good discussion in this section

>> Online release and alert resources

>> Joining media lead services and groups

>> Tips on how to take advantage of these services

>> Online and media query resources

>> Do something others want to do and then share how you did it – demonstrate your mastery of a particular skill

>> Consider how a rookie copywriter became an established copywriter and marketer with high-paying clients

>> Be ready to handle the fire

Chapter 16:  Marketing that Won’t Break the Bank

>> Focus on buzz and facilitate word of mouth

>> Find out how Jonathan Fields received so much buzz for his various ventures without using publicists or PR firms

>> Pay for action, not advertising

>> Discussion of internet marketing and direct advertising

>> Useful online and offline resources for learning copywriting and the art of persuasive writing

Part 4:  Let the Revolution Begin

Chapter 17:  Cultivate the Renegade Mind-Set

>> Discussion of failure

>> Jonathan Fields talks about his “big, fat failure”

>> How to overcome fear of failure and refocus on success

>> Simple yet powerful threefold approach to success and failure

>> Discussion of this threefold approach

>> Is it better to visualize the goal or visualize the steps?  This analyzes the differences between process simulation and outcome simulation

>> The advantages of a dual simulation (process and outcome simulation)

Chapter 18:  How to Be a Renegade without Ending Up Divorced and Penniless

>> Learning how to deal with family members and close friends who may be skeptical of or concerned about your newfound pursuits

>> Are you going nuts or just waking up to something powerful and real?

>> Learn how to “prepare the pitch” of your newfound pursuits to your family members and friends

>> What about the security and lifestyle of your family?  How will that be affected if you pursue another career path?

Chapter 19:  Don’t Do It Alone

>> How to find others who will guide you on the path to success

>> Tips on how to potentially grab the attention of higher-profile people

>> What if you want to do something that has never been done before?  How can you ever find a mentor?

Chapter 20:  Hold On to Your Life Preserver Until You Can Swim

>> Consider how a former journalist and speechwriter gradually made the transition over to blogging and writing (while leading a double life during the transitional process)

>> Find out how a former surgeon gradually made the transition over to coffee growing (while leading a double life during the transition process and traveling great distances)

Chapter 21:  Be Your Own Guru

>> Taking full responsibility for the advice that you ultimately decide to apply in your own life

>> An empowering conclusion!

I wasn’t joking when I said that this book is chock full of modern tips and real life case examples.  If you’re searching for answers that will allow you to cash in on your passion, check out this link for further information about Career Renegade:  http://www.careerrenegade.com/book/

The idea that you are going to miraculously transform a muddy puddle into a clean pool of water (with the aid of clean clothes alone) is certainly illogical and crazy.  You would become filthy from the puddle first, no matter how hard you futilely try to “make it clean.”

The same idea applies to our associates, whether they be in business or casual matters.  Many times, we think that our good habits, practices, ideals, etc. will rub off on those with entrenched bad habits, practices, ideals, etc.  However, their bad habits usually end up rubbing off on us like a dirty puddle on a pig.  In addition to affecting individuals, these potentially troublesome business associates can even contaminate and threaten our business operations.

Claim to fame

Some people may join your business or brand just so that they can gain recognition and fame … i.e. they want to make their mark.  It’s great that they want to accomplish something and contribute; however, if this zeal is misdirected or involves ulterior motives, they may do the very opposite of what your business or brand is actually trying to accomplish.  As a leader, you must judge whether or not someone is developing their skills and attitudes within the context of your brand’s mission.

Impatience, skepticism, and misplaced optimism

Others are impatient and fail to see the long-term picture, and this often leads to skepticism.  Sacrifices and unpopular or uncomfortable choices may be necessary in order to preserve the long-term sustainability of the company, even if these decisions don’t seem quite clear or logical at first glance.  Sometimes, impatience can even lead to misplaced optimism.  The potential profits for a new investment may be tempting, and it’s easy to get blinded by dollar signs.  Just think about all of the people who try to get rich quickly with Ponzi schemes, pyramid schemes, HYIP, and other fraudulent programs … this very mentality is what has perpetuated the existence of these schemes.  (I addressed HYIP in another blog post which can be accessed by clicking here.)  Whether impatience leads to skepticism or misplaced optimism, it can result in decisions that would be detrimental to the long-term vision of the company.  It can even lead to dissension within the company.

As a leader, you have the power to choose your business associates wisely.  If left unchecked or condoned, these misdirected thoughts and behavior patterns can affect your brand’s mission.  As I mentioned earlier, these are “potentially troublesome” traits, so they have the potential to be addressed before they turn into a threat.  Don’t let your clear vision become muddied!

Try to find people who will offer wholesome or positive peer pressure … those who sincerely share your dreams, passions, desires, goals, and overall vision for the company.  This will help to build and strengthen your brand’s mission.

I just mentioned a few points here – there are many other potentially contamining traits that your business associates may possess.  Feel free to share your thoughts and comments on potentially corrupting influences that can detract from a brand’s mission.

On a more serious note, here are some announcements for today.

1.  I wanted to personally acknowledge all of you who have made comments on my blog posts thus far.  Your names and websites are listed below.

>> Bart Gatsby:  http://invest-retire.blogspot.com

>> BusinessClix:  http://businessclix.blogspot.com

>> Damien:  http://www.damienriley.com

>> DawnAshby:  http://www.supercheapsigns.com/shoponline.php

>> Gabriel:  http://www.gadflyrevolution.com

>> MadMadMargo:  http://madmadmargo.blogspot.com

>> Nauticus:  http://www.nauticusptc.com

>> Tom Humes:  http://www.wealthbuildingworld.com

>> Zentastic:  http://www.confidenceforgeeks.com

a.  Speaking of comments, I have installed a common plugin known as CommentLuv.  You can now automatically leave a link to any of your most recent blog posts when you comment.

b.  I have also installed another plugin called Wordpress Thread Comment.

c.  If you’re experiencing difficulty making comments, please contact me.

2.  There are more ways to contact the crazy admin, including Twitter.  I have updated the Contact page to reflect these new ways to get in touch – please click here to view the changes.

3.  You’ll notice some minor changes to navigation along the sidebar and in the footer.

a.  In the sidebar, you’ll notice that I have removed the Bookmarks tab that was originally present.  Now there are only three tabs:  Archives, Latest, and Tags.  If you scroll down just a little bit, you’ll notice four more distinct boxes which contain links according to each corresponding category:  Blogroll, Chat, Forum, and Register & login.

The Bookmarks tab originally contained a list of uncategorized links.  The four categories mentioned above help to separate and organize things, especially since I have acquired a larger list of favorite blogs within the past month.

b.  There is now a way to navigate by page number in the footer.  This is an alternative to selecting “Next page” or “Previous page” when browsing through earlier posts, archives, etc.

4.  As always, if you want to be informed of the latest updates here at Talk Money Cafe, please subscribe.

a.  Subscribe by RSS:  Click here

b.  Subscribe by e-mail:  Click here

Note:  A link to this announcement will be placed in the forum (click here) for future reference.

Just to give you a quick background … Cesar Millan’s philosophy is that we need to be a calm and assertive pack leader for our dog(s).  This projected energy of the human, in turn, can induce calm and submissive behavior in a dog.  If the human is not fulfilling this role as pack leader, then the dog will often resort to unwanted behavior.

Cesar often says:  “I rehabilitate dogs.  I train humans.“  He often has to train the human, or dog owner, how to see the world the way a dog sees it.  Dogs live in the moment – they don’t live in the past.  The power of intention is also very important … whatever we intend to do at any given moment exhibits a certain level of energy.  Dogs are very keen to pick up on whatever energy we are sharing, and this can induce a particular type of behavior.

What does this have to do with money?  As was mentioned earlier, dogs live in the moment, not in the past.  It is human nature to reflect on our past, but we have to be careful not to get bogged down by previous failures or negative experiences.  As hinted to in a previous entry (click here), allowing ourselves to be hindered by past failures can only impede future growth and progress.

Also, this calm and assertive leadership role plays a part in how we handle our money, clients, business partners, and more … it doesn’t necessarily have to be restricted just to dogs.

Remaining calm or cool under pressure makes it easier to look at things from a more rational or objective viewpoint.  On the other hand, becoming overly anxious or worried can lead to irrational decisions (whether it’s with money, business policies, etc.) – emotions cloud clear thinking.

Remaining calm is not enough.  We must also intend things to happen.  This demands that we take action, so an assertive role must be coupled with the calm energy.  Notice that this is not calm-passive energy or calm-aggressive energy.  Being passive implies taking a more uninvolved, unresisting, or unassertive role … very little action, if any.  Being aggressive, on the other hand, is the polar opposite of being passive … this can imply being overly forceful, intrusive, threatening, and even warlike (think “road rage” or “Gaza strip”).  While aggressiveness may appear to have its advantages, it often creates tension.

Assertiveness is the fine balance between passiveness and aggressiveness.  The Oxford English Dictionary equates assertiveness with confidence and forcefulness, two fine qualities for a pack leader.  Be confident in your vision, and follow through with forceful action to make that vision become a reality.  By coupling this assertiveness with calm energy, this creates a powerful combination that can yield desirable results.

When I was a mere young boy, I was told that three Disney characters could be used to illustrate passiveness, aggressiveness, and assertiveness:  Goofy, Donald Duck, and Mickey Mouse, respectively.

Passive:  Goofy

Aggressive:  Donald Duck

Assertive:  Mickey Mouse

Take this analogy with a grain of salt; I brought this out for fun.  Nevertheless, remember to be a calm and assertive pack leader, even if you aren’t exactly like Mickey Mouse.  Try to live in the moment, intend things to happen, and your energy just may induce positive results.

Of what good is money to a dead man?  No doubt, you realize that material possessions are no good unless someone is alive to make use of and/or enjoy them.  Even the pharaohs of ancient times who wished to take their riches to the grave couldn’t really enjoy them.  In fact, throughout history, grave robbers have stolen and pillaged the tombs’ treasures.

All the money in the world cannot help a dead man.  In fact, it cannot even prevent him from dying.  Money cannot always buy better health.  Andrew Carnegie was a well-renowned and wealthy individual in the steel industry.  He once commented:  “I am not to be envied. How can my wealth help me? I am sixty years old, and cannot digest my food. I would give all my millions if I could have youth and health.  I would gladly sell anything to have my life over again.”  He died of bronchial pneumonia about 23 years later (from the time he made this comment) at age 83.

On top of this, our life is not guaranteed from one day to the next.  Overnight, we might become seriously ill even if we were healthy the day before.  One day it seems like we have a secure job, and the next day we are out of a job.  Car accidents or other unanticipated events may leave us seriously injured or dead.

I’m not bringing out these points to discourage or depress you; rather, this is a way to put things in the proper perspective.  It’s wise to  make reasonable plans for your financial future – in no way am I encouraging you not to do that.  However, as with most things in life, we must be balanced and do things in moderation.  In this instance, it’s good to have a balanced view of money as it relates to our life.

While money allows us to enjoy a certain lifestyle, it cannot guarantee better health or buy more time.  Regardless of whether we’re rich or poor, we all have 168 hours in a week.  You can’t save time (rollover minutes are one exception ha ha), but you do have the potential to spend it more wisely while you’re alive.

In the first blog post referred to at the outset, there was an illustration that likened money to a knife.  If you haven’t yet read that illustration, then I suggest that you do so by clicking here.

All jesting aside, this is a valid question for individuals and businesses to ask.  How many of us would have loved to go back in time with the knowledge we have now?  It would appear advantageous to start anew and get things truly right the first time around.  Unfortunately, we live in the real world, and every fraction of a second that goes by becomes history.

If you’re looking to grow and make changes as a business, it’s important to take the time to step back, monitor your performance, and make a post-evaluation of your results.  This often involves comparing the actually achieved results with the previous estimates or predictions.  The main goal is to use this data or information to learn how to improve or how to handle the same situation when it arises again.  Like people, some businesses may learn from their mistakes the first time, while others may make the same mistakes repeatedly before eventually learning from their mistakes.  Samuel Smiles is quoted as stating:  We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success.

Every day is a gift, and it presents new challenges and opportunities.  As a business continues to grow, it must address issues of competition, labor, machine replacement, capital investment, taxes, economic conditions, and a host of other factors.  Each day provides an opportunity to invent new ideas to handle these ever-growing challenges.

If a business becomes complacent, takes things for granted, is resistant to change, dwells too much on the past, is insistent on following old practices or “protocol”, is held back by fear due to previous negative experiences … then this is a recipe for lethal stagnation.  Stagnation is simply not an option for a growing business.  If a river (or some other moving body of water) was to become stagnant, it would quickly evaporate in intense heat.  In a similar way, businesses could quickly evaporate or dissolve if they don’t adapt and make the proper adjustments, especially in the intense heat of today’s economy.

The world, marketplace, and consumers are constantly changing.  Thus, it’s important to have this mindset that every day is a new day.  Building a business is truly a never-ending journey.  It requires energy, foresight, wisdom, proactive measures, and determination to keep it pointed in the direction of its goal or mission.  A constant reinvention, renewal, and embracing of change is necessary in order to sustain the level of energy that is needed to drive the business.  At the same time, the vision must be clear and consistent with the goal or core mission of the company.  Nevertheless, a growing business is continuously adapting and being molded by new experiences and challenges.  Your work is far from done … it is as if it’s just beginning every day.

And with that short, true story, I pose the following for consideration:  This year (2008) is ending – how many payments do you have left?

This is something that most of us don’t like to think about, but it’s a valid point to ponder.

If you walked into work on the next official business day and your company went under, what would you do?  If the company goes belly up and can’t afford to pay anybody, you just lost your job.

You can only collect so much from unemployment.  Do you have enough money saved up for the next six months to a year while you’re actively searching for another job?  Will it support you beyond the mere required monthly payments?

How many payments do you have left?  How much money do you need on a monthly basis just to make the payments for utility bills, car payments, credit cards, food, the mortgage or rent, etc.?

If you were to suddenly lose your job overnight, how are you going to faithfully keep making those payments every month?

If you can’t keep up with monthly car payments, your vehicle will be repossessed.  Those who weren’t able to keep up with their mortgage payments received foreclosure notices.  If you didn’t pay the rent, the landlord would kick you out a.k.a. evict you.

With all of these payments, living paycheck to paycheck is a dangerous thing.  You could quickly become homeless and lose all of the possessions that you acquired.

You must be financially independent, responsible, and have a surplus of funds (beyond your monthly expenses).  The idea of having a surplus of funds was discussed in an earlier post which can be accessed by clicking here.

Most people reason that, as long as they’re able to make the monthly payments, then they can afford an item … but think about what really goes on.  Could they really afford to pay for that item in full without resorting to credit, monthly payments, financing, etc.?

Some people don’t even make $70,000 a year, but they’ll fill out a credit application for a $70,000 car.  Even if you make exactly $70,000 a year, the price tag matches your income – how could you afford to pay for it in full without resorting to financing/monthly payments?

In recent news, we have heard plenty of examples of people who have obtained mortgages when they barely made enough to make the monthly payments (some were given mortgages when they didn’t even have jobs!).

Again, what happens if you go to work tomorrow only to find out that you don’t have a job anymore?  What happens if you’re not responsible with your money?

This is one of the reasons why it’s so important to have a surplus of funds … having an income that greatly surpasses your monthly bills.  Otherwise, you’re living a life where you’re constantly chasing money just to make the monthly payments.

If you wake up in the morning knowing that you have to work just to get by and make the payments, that’s not the most inspiring feeling.  If your furniture, TV, car, refrigerator, etc. is purchased with credit and you’re squeaking by on the minimum payment, then you’re enslaved to making payments.  If your being comfortable is based on credit, it’s not going to get you far.  If you lose your job or something else goes seriously wrong, then you won’t be able to afford those payments anymore.  One person nicely illustrated the principle of bank loans/credit cards this way:  When a bank loans you money, it can be likened to handing you an umbrella on a nice day.  If you’re not careful, they’ll snatch the umbrella back on a rainy day.

As simple and cliché as this may sound by now, acquire a surplus of funds so that you can pay for everything that you have in full; this way, you’re not living a life based on payments!  Instead of wondering how you’re going to afford another payment, you can be confidently satisfied that you’ll be able to make the full payment.

This year (2008) is ending – how many payments do you have left?  Please consider this question, not only now, but into the future as well.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is quoted as stating:  “Take the first step in faith.  You don’t have to see the whole staircase.  Just take the first step.”

A rigid plan can be quickly thwarted by unanticipated obstacles and challenges.  On the other hand, a more flexible approach that takes into account the big picture isn’t as afraid of the unknown, unpredictable, or unseen.  When you’re not as focused on following a prescribed process, this allows you to be more keen to new ideas, new people, possible adjustments, and more.  Before, obstacles and challenges may have been viewed as a hindrance or roadblock; now, they are a stepping stone to bigger and better things that were never before imaginable.  As Ronald Burt said:  “Serendipity is the ability to see bridges where others see holes.”

After you take the first step, opportunities may arise in the form of ideas, people, etc.  You can either choose to embrace or reject these opportunities.

The example of Jack Canfield was related in a previous post (found here).  His thought was to sell 400,000 copies of his book at a quarter each.  He didn’t know how he was going to accomplish this, for he had never done it before; nevertheless, this was his ultimate goal.  To make a long story short, he ended up meeting a freelancer who sold most of her stuff to the National Enquirer.  He participated in an interview with her, and the article was published shortly thereafter.  His book sales started to take off after that.

Jack didn’t know exactly how he was going to sell all of those books.  However, he still took action, took the first step, and eventually met a valuable connection that boosted his book sales.

By having a clear sense of purpose and commitment to the final outcome, it allows you to be more open to all kinds of opportunities and forms of inspiration.  Doing things without a prescribed plan or “roadmap” may not always feel comfortable, but it will take you to worthwhile places throughout your journey.

If you restrict yourself by putting yourself in an “income bottle”, then you will not make more money … no matter how much you want or need, and even if you’re a diligent and loyal worker, you’ll be limited by the income bottle that you place yourself in.

It is said that selling time has a very limited value.  After all, there are only 24 hours in a day.

“I don’t have time”

“I’m busy”

“I can’t afford that”

“I’ll never be able to make that much money”

All of these are excuses that provide limitations, restrictions, and place you in a figurative bottle.  Financial freedom has to be a major priority in order to overcome all of the potential objections and excuses.  If you really want to do something, you’ll do whatever it takes to accomplish the task at hand … you’ll make the time, gather funds, etc.

If you just wait for everything to fall into place before taking any action, then the “right time” will never happen.

You must be flexible, adaptable, and ready for change with regard to growth.  Standing still and doing nothing (i.e. staying in the bottle) is not an option when it comes to growing your wealth.

The power of choice is yours – you can choose to be restricted to an income bottle, or you can choose to take action and change your financial mindset.  You can grow giant pumpkins.

If you are being coerced to give someone a gift because of a ritual formality, where’s the joy?  Where’s the sincerity?

The true happiness that comes from giving can only be experienced if the motive is sincere and unselfish.

If you want blessings, be a blessing to others … not just one day, but every single day.  After all, every day is a gift and offers an opportunity to give back to others, even if it’s just a simple act of generosity.

On a side note, here is an interesting illustration that reveals the underpinnings of Christmas celebrations.

Suppose a crowd come to a gentleman’s home saying they are there to celebrate his birthday. He does not favor the celebration of birthdays. He does not like to see people overeat or get drunk or engage in loose conduct. But some of them do all those things, and they bring presents for everyone there except him! On top of all that, they pick the birthday of one of the man’s enemies as the date for the celebration. How would the man feel? Would you want to be a party to it? This is exactly what is being done by Christmas celebrations.

Some people are willing to risk their life just to make some extra money.  For example, one man was regularly taking care of his grocery store around midnight in a high-crime area of Brooklyn.  He claimed that it was necessary to keep the store open late at night … they “needed” the extra money.  One night, two men came into the store, shot him dead, and robbed him.  Two times before this occurred, he was also held up by robbers.  Those times, the robbers pulled the trigger, but the gun was not loaded.

This man was willing to risk his life by regularly keeping the store open late at night … just so he could make a few extra dollars.  Did he really need the extra money?  Reports showed that, within just three months after purchasing the store, he had paid off all of the debts.  Ultimately, his decision cost him his life!

Besides money and your life, here are just some other common costs involved in starting a business.

1.  Time

Running your own business usually takes more time than working for a company.  Working for yourself definitely takes a lot of self-discipline and commitment.  Will running your own business cut into taking care of more important priorities?  Will it take away time from paying attention to your own physical health and well-being?  Many people reason that they’ll have plenty of time to spend with their family, go on vacation, etc. once they start working for themselves.  However, this is often easier said than done, especially when considering the effort that is needed in the very beginning to start a business.  Even these so-called “autopilot” or “turnkey” solutions require an investment of money and/or time to get started and to keep things rolling.

2.  Friends

Many times, people consider going into business with their friends or even family members (such as a spouse, parent, etc.).  However, because of the complications that arise in running a business, this may result in strained relationships.  You may promise to share a certain percentage of profits with your friend(s), but when things don’t go as planned or expected, things can turn sour very quickly.  It is imperative to have contractual agreements/obligations in writing for this very reason … a person’s word or verbal agreement is mere hearsay.

Also, some “friends” may disagree with your business ideals and even try to sabotage your plans.

3.  A good conscience

Dishonesty and fraud is commonplace in today’s business world – the recent events with Madoff are just one prime example of this.  Many are looking to get their piece of the pie at any cost and often resort to unethical practices.  Others may appear to succeed in their dishonest endeavors without ever getting caught.

Honesty is put to the test when it costs something.  It is tempting to follow what other people are doing or resort to illicit methods to satisfy the desire for more money, especially when it appears that you could do it without getting caught.  However, is it really worth it in the long run?  Is it “just a little white lie”?  Lies really don’t have a color … a lie is a lie no matter how you slice it.  If you are dishonest in seemingly “small” matters, then this will most likely carry over to your dealings with more substantial matters.  As it becomes easier to entangle yourself in a web of deceit, it becomes harder to unravel yourself from the trail that you have created.

If you are honest, you have nothing to hide or fear.  As one saying goes, the softest pillow is a clear conscience.  In addition, since honesty is a rare commodity in today’s world, you will be in demand.  In the long run, honesty is a win-win policy for everyone involved.