Jaskri Doyou

If it weren't for you...

Retirement Doomsday - Dan Ackman

Paying Off Mortgage Vs. Investing, Re-Examined

Is "Retirement" a Dirty Word?

James 1:2b-4

Will there be a tomorrow?

You could've stayed home today!

Human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitude

Winning With People

When was the last time

The Science of Getting Rich

Let It Be You

Nature and Nature's Laws lay hid in Night...

One of those days....

Cut the ends of the ham off...

Aim high, dream high

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Thursday, 19. May 2005, 08:43:54

I’ve just read this book I bought from Amazon.com, "If It Weren't For You, We Could Get Along! How to Stop Blaming and Start Living" by Lewis E. Losoncy.

Here’s the preface:

Five years from now, which decision will you wish you had made today?

Continue to ...

1. Blame the other person, or build yourself?

2. Blame your past, or build your future?

3. Blame your weaknesses and fears, or build on your strengths and potential?

4. Blame the outer world, or build your inner confidence?

5. Blame reality, or build your frustration tolerance

6. Blame people at home or work, or build yourself as an encourager?

7. Blame that huge challenge in front of you, or build yourself to conquer it?

Whatever your choice, 5 years from now will arrive, very soon.

You’ll learn down to earth examples and tools on how to stop blaming, judging, instead choose to understand and live, really live life. After all,

Blaming will find you right where you are today …
Building yourself will give you 5 more years of life. And then some.

JD <http://www.eliteffsi.com>

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Wednesday, 4. May 2005, 16:07:19

http://www.forbes.com/retirement/2005/05/04/cx_da_0504topnews.html?partner=rss

JD <http://www.eliteffsi.com>

NEW YORK - According to Ben Stein, the fault lies not with Social Security but with ourselves.

Stein is on a crusade to warn Americans about the coming retirement crisis. It has less to do with Social Security or its reform, and more to do with the dramatic decline in U.S. savings and the absence of individual retirement planning.

"This is the greatest crisis facing the country that people can do something about," Stein says. The crisis is that they are not.

Stein, 60, is a paid spokesman for the National Retirement Planning Coalition, a group that includes nursing homes and sellers of annuities and other financial products. But he says his advocacy arises from his work as an author and journalist, and from the fate of people he knows, including some of his rich Hollywood pals, some of whom are now in financial deep water.

With less than 20% of U.S. workers now in employer pension plans (many of those plans are on shaky financial footing) and with Social Security typically replacing less than 40% of pre-retirement income, personal saving has never been more important.

But savings rates have never been lower. In 1999, the national savings rate dipped below 3% for the first time since 1959, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. It has been declining further since then, and in 2004 it was at a mere 1%. The low savings rate, coupled with large deficit financing by Asian banks, is dangerous for the U.S. But it's more dangerous for individuals.

The nest eggs are cracked. Nearly 28 million U.S. households--37% of the total--do not own a retirement savings account of any kind. Among the households who owned a retirement savings account of any kind as of 2001, according to a 2004 report by the Congressional Research Service, the average value of all such accounts was $95,943. That number was distorted by the relatively few large accounts, and the median value of all accounts was just $27,000.

The median value of the retirement accounts held by households headed by a worker between the ages of 55 and 64 was $55,000 in 2001, the CRS says. To that, Stein adds that just 11% of all Americans have retirement savings of $250,000 or more.

He figures that in order to replace an income of $100,000, most retirees would need savings of $1.5 million, and very few people have that. The median net worth of U.S. households where the head of the household is between 55 and 64 was just $181,500 as of 2001, the CRS reports. No, not everyone is a millionaire.

The problem persists up and down the income scale. Even among households with incomes of $75,000 or more, 23% had no retirement savings account or pension plan. Stein notes that someone who makes $1 million a year needs savings of $15 million to maintain his or her pre-retirement income. Stein, who lives in Malibu, Calif., knows more than his fair share of these folks, and he says they don't have it. Even the minority who do have employer pensions are not immune, as companies like United States Steel (nyse: X - news - people ) and UAL (otc: UALAQ - news - people ) and many others are looking to the federal Pension Benefit Guarantee Corp., itself wobbly, to back their plans.

Microsoft's (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ) Bill Gates, Dell's (nasdaq: DELL - news - people ) Michael Dell and even CEOs with lavish retirement packages, like General Electric's (nyse: GE - news - people ) former chief Jack Welch, don't have a problem. Most everyone else does.

It's a fair bet that many people figure the equity in their homes will bail them out. And it is true that some people will be able to sell large homes and take cash out in their old age. But it's not likely to be enough, Stein says, and you can't rely on home prices rising ad infinitum. He cites Stein's law, which was coined by his economist father, Herbert Stein: "If something can't go on forever, it will stop."

Stein, the greatest lawyer-actor-economist-journalist-game-show-host that the U.S. has yet produced, does offer some solutions. He has just published a new book with Phil DeMuth, Yes, You Can Be a Successful Income Investor, a sequel of sorts to Yes, You Can Time the Market, which emphasizes strategies for later-in-life investors. He likes the Cohen & Steers Quality Income Realty Fund and other real estate investment trusts. But they all start with one solution: "Save more money."

OK, so how does one do that? "I really don't know where to start. I really don't," Stein admits. But it must be done.

1 Comment

Wednesday, 4. May 2005, 00:54:33

(An article picked up from newsfeeds that I subscribe to)

JD <http://www.eliteffsi.com>

Two weeks ago a reader, D.J., sent an interesting question. The sale of a recently inherited house would bring enough money to pay off the mortgage on his home.

His question: Should he pay off the mortgage or invest the money?

I gave a pretty abstract answer, warning of the impact of mortgage payments during a down market and suggesting it was more difficult and risky than it looked.

"This isn't a no-brainer. It isn't a slam-dunk, either," I concluded.

Well, it isn't. But you can get a better idea of what this is all about if you see it in real figures rather than abstractions.

D.J., looking backward, was thinking Vanguard Wellington fund would be a good choice.

Given perfect hindsight, it would have been. With $100,000 to invest or pay off his mortgage, he could pay off a $100,000 mortgage and enjoy freedom from mortgage payments and tranquility. At the end of 10 years he would still have no mortgage, and he would still be free of investment worry.

If he had invested in Vanguard Wellington fund and had withdrawn enough money each month to make his mortgage payment, however, he would have ended the period with a lower mortgage balance and an investment account that was larger than his original $100,000 investment.

Ten years ago mortgage interest rates were much higher, with a national average rate of 7.75 percent on a fixed-rate 30-year mortgage. Using Morningstar Principia software, I found that his original investment would have grown to $143,064 if he had made payments of $733.76 a month on a 30-year mortgage at 8 percent. His original investment would have grown to $155,484 if he had made payments of $665.30 a month on a 30-year mortgage at 7 percent.

Either way, he would be way ahead of the game. At the end of the period, his 8 percent mortgage balance would have been whittled down to $87,725. His 7 percent mortgage balance would be a bit less, $85,813. He would have been even further ahead had he taken an adjustable mortgage at a lower interest rate because he would have enjoyed a decade of declining interest payments.

Other funds could be used as well. Vanguard Balanced Index would have ended the period with a balance of $122,711 making payments on an 8 percent mortgage, $134,347 making payments on a 7 percent mortgage. He would also have come out ahead investing in Fidelity Magellan and Putnam Voyager, two funds that have been disappointing (Magellan) or terrifying (Voyager) during the period.

In spite of superior returns for their categories, however, the strategy would not have worked for Vanguard Total Bond Index or Vanguard GNMA. Similarly, it would not have worked with two well-known international stock funds, Templeton Foreign A shares or T. Rowe Price International Stock, although one specializes in value stocks and the other specializes in growth stocks. (The results for a variety of mutual funds are shown in the table below. These funds are intended as illustrations, not as recommendations.)

Looking at these results, you may shake your head and say, "Gee whiz, Burns is a worrywart."

Pick a good balanced fund and have the fund make an automatic monthly payment for your mortgage. Forget about it for five, 10 or 15 years. Then cash in your accumulated difference when you need it.

Even so, I believe there is more risk in this strategy today than there was 10 years ago. Ten years ago, interest rates had plenty of room to come down -- and they did. As a consequence, bond investors enjoyed a decade of bull market. Ditto stocks. As interest rates fell, bonds offered less competition to stocks, and price-to-earnings multiples rose. (And that happened entirely without the Internet bubble.)

Today, interest rates appear to have bottomed. And while stock valuations -- as measured by price-to-earnings multiples -- aren't as high as they once were, they are still high by historical standards.

What is missed looking backward to a particular year is that each starting year will produce very different results. Many who retired in 1971, near the top of a bull market, felt safe to make large withdrawals from their nest eggs. They were wrong. Many who retired in 1981, the bottom of a long bear market, worried even as their net worth multiplied.

MORE!

Mortgage rate history: www.fhfb.gov/MIRS/MIRS_index.htm#2004

(Questions about personal finance and investments may be sent to Scott Burns, The Dallas Morning News, P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, TX 75265; or by fax: (214) 977-8776; or by e-mail: scott@scottburns.com. Check the Web site: www.scottburns.com. Questions of general interest will be answered in future columns.)

COPYRIGHT 2005 UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE

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Wednesday, 23. February 2005, 16:03:29

Below is an excerpt from Tom and David Gardner's recent best-seller, "Money After 40: Building Wealth for a Better Life"... a very interesting read (I am a promoter of the Financial Freedom Society that helps people achieve financial freedom and retire quickly).

The book is divided into four parts:
- Get Ready
- Having Enough
- Having More Than Enough
- Having It All

The eBook is yours FREE when you take a 30-day free trial of the Motley Fool Rule Your Retirement newsletter. Go to:

http://www.fool.com

The word "retirement" has a regrettable but pervasive association in our society. Most people, of course, use it to refer to those days after the conclusion of formal full-time work: "Congratulations to Bob, who is retiring today following 37 years of postal delivery" -- or "To Susan, who is retiring after two decades of leading this august organization."

Here's the way it comes out: "So long, Susan," we think -- bye-bye, Bob. "Retirement" carries heavy baggage, with its implications of departure and resignation. Standing there with a drink in your hand lifted for a retirement toast, it's hard not to think, "Their worthwhile days, their recorded life and times, are over." Do Susan and Bob want to be written off this way?

Bob and Susan are probably subconsciously falling into the same thinking, which is what happens when you're constantly exposed to a given word and its underlying concept without questioning its claims on you.

Listen, retirement is exactly what we should be trying to avoid in our lives. Up until the Ultimate Retirement, we should focus on the present and the future, asking what more we can learn, who else to help, how better to live day to day, all the questions that have always been asked and answered by human beings looking to improve their lots.

So let's please agree not to refer to any period of our lives as "retirement." We should almost always shoot for its exact opposite: engagement. Engagement will make you forget to ask yourself, "What are you retiring from?" Engagement asks the much more relevant and interesting question: "What are you living for?"

This is a fine question for so many people to ask at (more) frequent intervals of their lives; your harried authors are again reminded of this even as we write and suggest it. The great thing about heading toward the second half of your life is that not only are you old enough to recognize the importance of asking "What am I living for?" but you're also young enough to fully exploit all of the opportunities wrapped up in the answers. (For a closer look at these opportunities, take a 30-day free trial of the Fool's newsletter service, Rule Your Retirement. We wanted to call it Rule Your Reengagement, but we were overruled by editor Robert Brokamp.)

If you've been traversing space these past few decades asking yourself when you will retire, replace any fantasies of escape with something much better: the answers to that key question. Because another synonym for "retire" is "withdraw" -- which provides the perfect play on words when we recognize that withdrawal is exactly the condition so often faced by those who leave the working world only to discover that disengaging from society can be a hollow experience.

Why retire? We intentionally take a radical view to make as strong a case we can for not retiring, since most of the treatment this topic gets assumes that retirement is the Ultimate Goal of All Your Working Years. We hasten to add that some people truly wish to stop taking any salary of any kind and just rest, relax, relax some more, rest again, etc. Occasionally, when we're wearied by work, this sounds really good to us, too. We don't mean to suggest that aspiring to couchpotatodom is bad or wrong. We do mean to challenge you to look deeper when we ask the questions "Why retire?" and "What are you living for?"

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Sunday, 14. November 2004, 04:45:38

Wow, today is a real contrast from yesterday. The sun is shining brightly, there's celebaration in the air, and then of course today is Sunday!!!

Yesterday's experience taught me the heart-felt meaning of the word 'empathy', and this beautiful verse spoke straight to my heart:

"..consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything." James 1:2b-4

JD <http://www.eliteffsi.com>

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Saturday, 13. November 2004, 04:19:04

No, I'm not committing suicide and no, I have not found a shred of evidence in the Bible that the end of the world is in fact today!

There is just so much that is happening to me right now that I am tempted to just give in, give up, call it a day....

But then...

If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don't.
If you'd like to win but think you can't,
It's almost certain you won't.

If you think you'll loose, you're lost
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow's will
It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you're outclassed, you are
You've got to think high to rise,
You've got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.

Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man,
But sooner or later, the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.

***- Anon -***

No, I will persevere!

JD

1 Comment

Monday, 8. November 2004, 01:06:06

Just stumbled into a great article. All credit goes to Stephan Iscoe, the author. I don't know if this is old stuff but I find the article beneficial. I hope it will benefit you too.

Enjoy
JD <http://www.eliteffsi.com>

How to Find, Sponsor, and Retain Leaders to Grow Your Network Marketing Business - Part I
By Stephan Iscoe

Network Marketing is a great business that offers many people the ideal alternative to a traditional job or business.

Do you know a better way for the ordinary person to achieve independence from the tyranies of working for someone else or from the day-to-day headaches of running a business?

It's terrific being your own boss and in control of your own time and financial rewards.

Sometimes the biggest problem in MLM is what to put on your business card: President, CEO, Marketing Director, Independent Agent or Queen of the World.

We tend to overlook the other important roles of Envelope Licker, Gopher, Secretary, Accountant, Student, or the most important role in your company - Chief of Staffing.

(Part I - Finding Leaders)

Recruiting is the lifeblood of your MLM business; yet we tend not to treat it as a vital professional function. Most people base their efforts on some pretty haphazard MLM industry approaches.

How many times have you heard, "It's a numbers game"? The theory being that if you talk to enough folks some will try your product, some percent of those will become distributors and some fraction of the distributors will evolve into leaders.

Do you know what the standard industry conversion rate is?

Neither do I.

How about your personal conversion rate?

Out of 100 people you talk to, how many buy product, become distributors and go on to be leaders? Probably not enough.

So let's re focus our efforts. Your goal for a successful network marketing business is to find, sponsor, and retain leaders.

These are the You,Inc. Division Heads. These are the people you need to apply successful traditional business methods to recruit and keep.

You'll want only the best people on your leadership team. To attract them you need to know what they want and be prepared to deliver it. The top people want to be associated with other successful people in the best companies.

For now, let's assume you've already applied our training in branding and market positioning and that Your Company is seen in the best light.

There are two things that have to happen - you have to find candidates or they have to find you.

Ok, let's look at just one way the top Executive Recruiters go after talented individuals:

Always be on the lookout for above average folks - people at the top of their profession, clerks who give outstanding service, an impressive speaker, columnist, anyone driving with vanity license plates. Introduce yourself and say you were impressed with their speech, car, service, etc., hand them two of your cards and state that you would like to talk to them if they ever consider a career change or business opportunity. Then be quiet and smile.

Now it's their move.

They will either say thanks-but-no-thanks, or they will ask for more information.

If they say no thanks, just ask them to hold on to your card or pass it on to another sharp friend. If they want more information, then set an appointment. Yes, resist the urge to launch into your technicolor brochures and laser-light presentation.

Professionals work by appointment; even if you set the appointment for 15 minutes later, on their break, or over lunch - set the appointment. We'll come back to the interview appointment after we examine the other scenario -

Q: How do candidates find you?

A: Handy
In order to attract high caliber folks you must be positioned and perceived as a leader with the best opportunity with the premier company in your field. You craft a Marketing Message and Customer-centered Benefit Statement that perfectly conveys your advantage over the competition. Now you will communicate this message at every opportunity and through every appropriate media.

Here are a few online and offline places to deliver your message:
1. Weekly and local business newspapers
2. Networking Business Clubs
3. Professional Associations
4. Church Directory
5. Personal Letters
6. Talk Show Guest
7. eMail Newsletter
8. Online Chat Rooms
9. Internet News groups
10. Online Free Classifieds
11. Billboard ("You could've stayed home today - our managers Telecommute!")
12. Trade Shows

Craft your ads so that they help disqualify inappropriate applicants. Your goal is to interview, qualify and sponsor high potential candidates.

Stephan Iscoe publishes the MLM Profit Letter, an online Newsletter featuring tips, strategies, and secrets that will skyrocket your MLM Profits! Get 12 Free Issues at http://MLMProfit.net, A Practical Resource for Networking Marketing. This article copyright, Stephan Iscoe, MLMProfit Network. Permission granted to reproduce, copy and distribute this article only in its entirety and including this statement.

No comments

Thursday, 4. November 2004, 14:35:13

I subscribe to a number of newsletters and ezines and one in particular that I have found very helpful is Networking Times:

<http://www.networkingtimes.com/>

Some of the articles in Networking Times are really great and are very helpful, whether you are a beginner or a seasoned networker. One such article that I have come across recenty is "The Secret to Success in Network Marketing." I have appended it below so you can read it too.

I hope you enjoy the article.

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

The Secret to Success in Network Marketing
By Kathy Robbins

More than anything else, your attitude will be a major factor between career success and failure. Network marketing is no different than any other business: there are ups and there are downs, peaks and valleys. Whether or not you make it to the top in this industry has to do with not only whether you survive the valleys, but how much you learn and grow while in the valleys.

When you enter network marketing, your dreams and goals are fuelled by a fire inside you that drives you to be successful. Then the inevitable happens: you have a bad experience. Now you have two choices. Either that experience acts like a bucket of cold water on your fire and it's over - or the experience is like bucket of gasoline and the fire burns hotter and brighter than ever before.

Having a positive attitude doesn't mean walking around in a fantasy world. It means facing reality with hope and excitement rather than with apprehension.

You are, right now, at this very moment, the sum total of all the thoughts you have had in the past. That means you can change today's thoughts - thereby changing your future.

"Human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitude."
- William James

"Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it."
- Lou Holtz

Here is a four-step program to make sure your attitude gets on the right track and stays there.

Step One: Pay Attention to What You Say To Yourself
Control what you say to yourself. 85 to 95 percent of what you say to yourself is negative. If you've ever been in a situation where things aren't going well, ask yourself this: Are your days consumed with negative? Do things get worse as you wonder what will happen if things do get worse? Rather than worrying about things getting worse, why not concentrate on things you can do to make the situation better? What you feed will become the strongest. Feed the positive and it will overpower the negative. Pay attention to what you're saying to yourself.

Step Two: Choose What You Visualize
What are your daydreams? Do you visualize appointments and telephone calls going well? Do you visualize success or failure?

Visualize yourself being successful. Visualize the people you're going to talk to about your business and the products reacting positively. They are so thankful that you chose them to share in your business adventures! It may be a little tough at first, but the more you practice, the more comfortable you will become and the greater results you will achieve. You know why? Because visualization works.

If you have any doubts about it read a book called "Love, Medicine and Miracles," by Bernie Siegel. Siegel deals with the terminally ill. Visualization is one of the things he uses, and he shares numerous success stories from people who have practiced this technique. What have you got to lose?

Step Three: Take Notice of the People With Whom You Spend Your Time
Most would agree that if we have children, we should be extremely careful about who we allow them to spend their time around. Just because we grow taller and older doesn't mean we are protected by a maturity shield that repels the negative influences in our lives! Write down the names of your five closest friends, the people that surround you. Then list what you believe to be their annual incomes. Add all five up and divide it by five. In most cases your annual income will be very close to that figure.

Evaluate the people you spend your time with: what is their influence on you? If that influence is negative, you really have only two choices. You can limit your association. Simply don't spend as much time with them as you have in the past. Or, you might make the decision that what they do to you is bad enough that you don't want to be around them at all any more. Form new associations with people who will encourage you, support you, and be positive about your potential for success. One of the greatest things about network marketing is that the majority of people in our industry are positive, excited, supportive people. If they aren't, they're usually not around for long.

Step Four: Pay Attention To What You Feed Your Mind
Make sure that what you read, listen to, and watch is positive and uplifting. These things have an enormous amount of influence on you. I would suggest that before you watch the next popular movie or television show, read the next novel or listen to the next CD, you take a look at its content and how it's going to make you feel when you finish. If you want to be successful, it's important to take advantage of all the things that will help you to build your business, and yourself.

If you will do these four things, you can get your attitude on the right track and keep it there. I know, because I have gone through periods where I have paid attention to these things and periods where I have not. As I look back over my life, it is clear to me that those times when I have actively worked on keeping a positive attitude have been the times that have been the best. The times when I have not paid attention or I have allowed myself to get bogged down in the negative have not been good times. We are each responsible for where we are today. What we think about today becomes our tomorrow.

I promise you, if you will practice the things we've talked about here, your business and your life will be better in the next 30 to 60 days.

No comments

Thursday, 28. October 2004, 14:23:29

How many times have you heard someone referred to as either being or not being a "people-person?" This term is used all the time to describe people we work with. But how do you become a people person? Can you learn to be more people oriented? How do you learn to deal with people who might be lacking in those relational skills?

John C. Maxwell has perceived the need for help with this type of relational issue and addresses it in his new book, Winning With People.

Successful CEO's of major corporations, entrepreneurs, top salespeople, and pastors all agree that the characteristic most needed for success in leadership positions is the ability to work with people.

Some people are born with great relationship skills, but others have to work at learning how to improve this skill. Questions we must ask ourselves if we want to win with people are:

Readiness: Are we prepared for relationships?
Connection: Are we willing to focus on others?
Trust: Can we build mutual trust?
Investment: Are we willing to invest in others?
Synergy: Can we create a win-win relationship?

JD <http://www.eliteffsi.com>

No comments

Friday, 22. October 2004, 02:25:14

10 days ago - that was when I last posted an entry in this journal. Not that there wasn't anything to write about, for there were plenty! But...

I wonder if this is how it is with journals? I guess ...you tend to skip a day, and the next time skip a few more days and then .... never?

Something from N i c e N s w e e t Adding a little magic to your life

Mind Your Language

The new Vice Principal, made an announcement, over the school intercom "The staff and students would like to congratulate Mr. Spenser on his forthcoming marriage."

Later, when she saw him he thanked her for the special attention. He added, that perhaps, for grade school, she should use smaller words. It seems 6 students had asked him about his 3 earlier marriages.

JD <http://www.eliteffsi.com>

No comments

Tuesday, 12. October 2004, 04:40:13

“If getting rich is the result of doing things in a Certain Way, and if like causes always produce like effects, then any man or woman who can do things in that way can become rich, and the whole matter is brought within the domain of exact science.” ... Wallace Wattles

One of the best books I've ever read...and the results are simply amazing! Thank you Mr Wattles!

JD <http://www.eliteffsi.com>

2 Comments

Friday, 8. October 2004, 00:41:50

Each and every day, there are people all around the world who are living their dreams. Millionaires are made every day. Families are experiencing tremendous relationships. People are becoming more and more healthy. Life-long learners are growing intellectually and improving their chances for success.

The fact is that living the life of your dreams is possible. People prove that every day. Someone, somewhere, is going to get rich, get healthy, and improve their life. My recommendation is this: Let it be you!

Someone is going to decide to improve their relationships. Someone is going to enjoy love with their family. Someone is going to schedule some meaningful time with their friends. Let it be you!

Someone is going to go back to school to improve their life. Someone is going to become a life-long learner. Someone is going to set a goal to read a book or listen to a CD each week for the next year. Let it be you!

Someone is going to look in the mirror and see that they need to lose a little weight and they will make the decision to become healthy. Someone will run their first marathon. Someone will join an aerobics class and improve their health. Let it be you!

I think that by now you get the point: Everyday people are improving their lives. Whether you do or not doesn't matter to those who do. They are going to do it, regardless. It is simply a matter of a decision being made. Let that person be you!

You may be asking, "Okay Jim, but how?" Well, let's cover the very simple actions.

The first and most important is to make a commitment to work on yourself. Are you going to improve or stay the same? No matter what you have achieved, you are at a certain point right now. What you have achieved in the past is fine, but it doesn't make a difference for the future. The decision about what you will become is made each day and every day. Each day someone is making the decision to better him or herself. Let it be you!

The second is to make a plan. Once you have decided to become better you will have to have a plan. It doesn't have to be a long, intricate plan. It can be simple. Save a dollar a day. Walk a mile a day. Read an article a day. That is a simple plan with achievable goals. Someone is going to develop a plan that will take them into the future of their dreams. Let it be you!

The third is to begin to act. All of the great ideas, without action, become stale and useless. The key to turning dreams into reality is action. People who have great ideas are a dime a dozen. People who act on their dreams and ideas are the select few, but they are the ones who gain the wealth, wealth and wisdom that is available. Someone will act today. Let it be you!

My encouragement to you is to stop looking at others who live the good life, wishing that you were as well, and instead begin to commit to your improvement, develop a plan and act on it. Someone is going to. Let it be you!

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

The above article landed in my inbox this morning ... So far it has made me do things I have been postponing for like weeks or a month or two. Thanks, Jim...

JD <http://www.eliteteammarketing.com/48021>

1 Comment

Monday, 4. October 2004, 23:46:19

... and you thought an orb isn't a fruit!? The above is from the Secrets of the Code, The Unauthorised Guide to The Mysteries Behind The Da Vinci Code by Dan Burstein (Editor). The epitaph on Newton's monument reads:

Nature and Nature's Laws lay hid in Night,
God said, Let Newton be! and All was Light.

No comments

Monday, 4. October 2004, 13:29:27

Oh, how myy DVD player misbehaved ... I was trying to watch Beyond borders (starring Angelina Jolie and Clive Owens). About 15 mins into the movie, it froze... I turned off the palyer and started it again ... it froze after about 5 mins playing... I took the player to the service center .... the technician took it, plugged it onto the tv, power on, disc in, ... and it played on and on and on....

"Nope, there's nothing wrong with your machine... he told me..."

Took the machine home... connected it to the tv ... and power ... popped the disc in ... it played ... and it froze!!!! GGGRRRRRR!!!!

JD <http://www.eliteteammarketing.com/48021>

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Sunday, 3. October 2004, 08:20:24

I drove home last night from an outing with some friends and as I try to do most times when I’m alone in the car, I listened to a tape by Zig Ziglar on "Goals setting and achieving them on schedule".

There was a story told by Ziglar in that tape that went something like this:

This guy went to buy ham and when he returned, his wife commented that he didn’t cut the ends of the ham off. Perplexed, the husband asked why, and she replied that mama always cut the ends of the ham off. "Mama is in the kitchen, let’s ask her", he suggested.

"I cut the ends of the ham off because my mama always cut the ends of the ham off" said mama. "Now, let’s settle this 3 generation mystery once and for all". So they called grandma long distance and asked her, "grandma, why do you cut the ends of the ham off?" Grandma replied, "Because my pan was too small"!

This story reminds me of the way most people build their MLM business. They advertise and spam everyone they know as if they're advertising for a garage sale. Their sponsors do one thing, and they repeat what their sponsors do. The trouble is they never bothered to ask (or never told the truth?) if it was working for them. They simply assume that it does since THEY were recruited, therefore it must work!

JD <http://www.eliteffsi.com/>

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Saturday, 2. October 2004, 14:43:13

If you can believe it, you can achieve it. If you can visualize it, you can realize it!
Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.

- Pamela Vaull Starr

Aim high, dream high.

If you aim for the tree tops, you might not get off the ground
... so why not aim for the stars, perhaps even a million dollars!

Believe in yourself and in your dream,

Though impossible things may seem

Someday, somehow you'll get through

To the goal you have in view.

Mountains fall and seas divide,

Before the one who in his stride

Takes a hard road by day

Sweeping obstacles away

Believe in yourself and in your plan

Say not - I cannot - I can

The prizes of life we fail to win

Because we doubt the power within.

- Anon

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Saturday, 2. October 2004, 03:17:18

Have you heard the BIG news?...........very, very exciting!

Here's an update Dan Robinson, Director of Marketing sent out recently.

Jaskri Doyou
<http://www.eliteffsi.com>
http://www.ffsi.com/48021
<http://www.eliteteammarketing.com/48021>

***********
Dan's update
***********

If this doesn't light someone's fire.......then all I can say is their wood must be wet!

COMPANY HISTORY

In October of 1999 RQ officially launched after being in the developmental stage since January, 1997. In October we will celebrate our 5th anniversary. During this time period we've seen many changes within the economy, our industry, and the Internet in general. Through all of this we've constantly moved forward implementing innovative strategies which have allowed us to stand out from the crowd.

Since inception, we've always worked to add more and more value to the services we sell and to make the opportunity better and better. And, just a few weeks ago, we set a new all-time high enrolment record.

Well, all that's great.................but the best is yet to come!

Even if you didn't believe we could possibly make the Society anymore valuable than it already is.

Even if you didn't believe we couldn't possibly make the opportunity anymore attractive than it already is.

Well....how else can I say it......WE DID! If you'll read the remainder of this major announcement, I'll make you a believer.

MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT

As you know, RQ's culture has always been that of a very conservative company. We still are and Kelly still is, but I can't help myself. This is major and I'm not going to hide my excitement.

These enhancements will literally make the Financial Freedom Society a household name in the United States, well respected within Corporate America, and even more attractive to the international market.

We are about to equip our representatives with the ability to help many more people experience financial wellness. These enhancements will position our folks to lead the way in our grass roots movement to spread the message. They deserve to receive the financial rewards that will surely come with such a noble achievement and I believe YOU deserve it as well.

Because there's so much to be excited about there is no way I can list everything in this email. After about a hundred pages I'd be tired of writing and you'd be tired of reading so I'm just going to give you the highlights here.

Are you still with me?...Good! This is definitely worth your time.

BRIEF OUTLINE OF ENHANCEMENTS

Effective October 1st, Retire Quickly Corporation’s name officially changes to Financial Freedom Society, Inc. (FFSI). This is a great move towards simplifying our service and story. This removes the need to explain what "Retiring Quickly" really means.

Here's just a brief listing of some on the new additions to the Society.

(ATTN: International Readers - Don't worry we've taken care of you also. Just keep reading.)

Tax Center - providing free unlimited tax questions answered within 24 hours via email, tax calculators, record and track income and expenses, Schedule C calculator, tax calendar, tax reminder email system, and IRS forms and publications.

Legal Services - providing fr^e.e face-to-face or phone consultations for all new legal matters, fr’e’e simple will with fr`e.e annual updates, fr_e_e living will (advance healthcare directive), fr.e`e document review (6 pages or less), fr.e’e letters written or phone calls made on your behalf, excellent discounts and caps on more complex legal issues.

Identity Theft Protection - providing online identity theft protection test and plan, 24-hour live customer service, & automated recovery wizard.

............plus the Ask Anything Service, alliance with Quicken Loans, discount health services such as:

Vision, Dental, Pharmacy, Counselling Services, Chiropractic Diabetic Supplies, Beltone Hearing Aids, Medical Records Storage, and Retrieval Family Consultation Services for child care and elder care.

............plus a 25-person conference room, website voice mail, FFS member's forum providing an online central meeting place for FFS members to share experiences, and to encourage each other to stay on the path to financial freedom.

.............plus discounts on selected fitness and health clubs through Fitness Advantage, and much, much more.

I'm sure we all have one or two things that really pushes our buttons. Just one of the things I'm looking forward to is the new membership booklet and membership card which will be mailed to all US-based FFS members. This seemingly little thing will dramatically help us turn an intangible into a tangible.

Another big addition will be the English-speaking, international membership. We've had phenomenal success in the international market thanks to our hard working reps. Now, we're going to make their lives so much easier with a specific membership for non-US members.

Another nice enhancement will be the new title of the eCourse from "How to Retire Quickly" to "The Art of Achieving Finan’cial F.re.edom".

Another neat feature will be the opportunity for future customers and business partners to review lesson 1 of the eCourse for fr'e_e. We'll replace the Seven Secrets report and the Virtual Millionaire report with lesson 1 of the eCourse including the audio link. This will let the masses experience a little of who we are, what we do, and why we do it.

CONCLUSION

From the very beginning, it has been our mission to create a community of people made up of folks like you and empower you to live a wonderful life of simple abundance. For you to have the time and money you need so that you can not only help yourself, but help others and make the world a better place to live because you lived.

Hopes and dreams are needlessly being destroyed for millions of people around the world because we were never taught how to manage our money or our time, nor shown where to get, or how to use the tools needed to do the managing. The result is snowballing debt, bankruptcies, business failures, divorces in record numbers and destroyed retirement dreams.

The Financial Freedom Society can help stop their suffering and restore their dreams, but we need your help. We're about to enter into a time where many who have watched us for a long time will take action. You can be there to help them. We're about to see many former society members return. You can be there to help them. We're about to see people become more proactive in their marketing efforts than ever before. You can be there to help them.

Since I left my career as an investment advisor and joined the RQ family, I've never looked back. My family and I have been blessed beyond our wildest dreams. I wish I could let you walk in my shoes for a day and experience the blessings I've experienced, but I can't. I had to get up everyday and put on my own shoes and make it happen. I had more help than I deserved, but I still had to do it myself. The same goes for you. We've provided the vehicle for you, but you must drive it.

We are about to see sweeping global marketing campaigns both online and offline. FFSI will be introduced to new markets and reintroduced to many others.

People follow conviction and if you can make our mission your mission, your life will never be the same.

WHERE YOU GO FROM HERE

Reply to this email and the person who contacted you will provide you a special audio link so you can hear even more great news directly from our founder and President, Mr. Kelly Reese. Go ahead, just hit the reply button at the top of your screen there to request for this SPECIAL audio link.

NEVER GIVE UP!

In closing, I want to leave you with an inspiring story that has re-energized me on many occasions.

Sir Winston Churchill took three years getting through eighth grade because he had trouble learning English. It seems ironic that years later Oxford University asked him to address its commencement exercises.

He arrived with his usual props: a cigar, a cane and a top hat accompanied Churchill wherever he went. As Churchill approached the podium, the crowd rose in appreciative applause. With unmatched dignity, he settled the crowd and stood confident before his admirers. Removing the cigar and carefully placing the top hat on the podium, Churchill gazed at his waiting audience. Authority rang in Churchill's voice as he shouted, "Never give up!"

Several seconds passed before he rose to his toes and repeated: "Never give up!" His words thundered in their ears. There was a deafening silence as Churchill reached for his hat and cigar, steadied himself with his cane and left the platform. His commencement address was finished.

To your success,

Dan Robinson
Director of Marketing
FFSI

P.S. Don't forget to reply to this email to receive a special audio link of a company wide announcement by Kelly Reese.

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