Getting to the root of a problem can be tough. Often we think the "leaves" are the problem, when in fact the root is malnourished.
Case in point. Over several months my eyes occasionally became blurry as I looked at my computer.
My solution? Dim my lighting. That didn't help. Then I thought my computer's resolution should be adjusted. That too didn't fix my problem.
Finally I met with an Opthomologist. He triple checked my eyes.
His conclusion?
My eyes were blurry because I didn't blink often enough.
Wow!
What I learned:
-experts' thoughts are not my thoughts
-simple is better
-ask
Are you focusing on 'roots' or 'leaves' when you face a problem?
Last week shortly before I went out of town on a business trip I had one of those days. One of those days where something unexpected happens threatening to ruin your budget by a few hundred bucks.
I had noticed a couple cracks in my windshield and wanted to get it replaced. Unfortunately because I was heading out of town I had to wait a few days to get it fixed.
The windshield installer told me I would need to get body work done on the top of my car for the windshield to be properly installed. I told him I didn't want to spend a few hundred dollars on the body repairs and to try to replace the windshield without the repairs.
It worked. I didn't have to spend a few hundred dollars to fix some minor body damage . And my comprehensive deductible was zero so my windshield was no cost as well.
Essentially I paid nothing for a potential $600 repair ($209 windshield and $400-700 body work).
It occurred to me while at Nickel Mania that Super Mario Bros is at least 100 times better than Mario Bros.
Ninetedo made both. Three years after Mario Bros they launched Super Mario Bros.
Knowing that an obscure company could get so much better in just three years makes me believe ANYONE can become MUCH better with effort and betterment.
Recurring income (40 million Super Mario Bros sold in 30 years), multiple derivatives (Mario Kart, Mario Slugger, Mario Galaxy) are a few of the rewards for excellence.
What project needs you to make it better? How much better can you make it?
How big will be your reward for excellence?
In the mid 1980's Fuji Film sent a team of individuals to observe what was going on in Rochester, New York.
They spent several days at Kodak finding out what Kodak was doing to develop the digital film market.
The visit was reminiscent of Apple going to Xerox park in the early 1980's to copy Xerox's mouse and GUI. Fuji wanted to see how Kodak developed digital film. Fuji learned and APPLIED what they learned.
Kodak taught but failed to DO. They didn't pursue digital film aggressively for another 20 years.
Fuji is now the dominant player in digital photography. And Kodak? Kodak is nearly extinct.
Kodak forgot Darwin. Evolve or die.
Families do the same thing as Kodak sometimes. They forget to evolve. They cling to past traditions, forgetting growth comes by being willing to change for the better.
Don't cling to the past simply because it's tradition.
Be open to progress, to change!
A new friend of mine told me how he had to take $22,000 out of his retirement account to buy a new car.
Why? Because he 'needed' a new car to replace his old one. Unfortunately that insanity will continue unless he changes his thinking. His wife's car is old and he might need to replace that one as well.
Often we don't need a new car or a new home.
We should get nice things but we need more than new things.
What we need is a new mindset. Change your way of thinking.
When something is old, fix it up where it out or do without.
Or simply upgrade for less money. Expand experiences and lifestyle, contract costs.
Make vehicle buying an asset and income generator or a least a breakeven point. But absolutely don't make buying cars a depreciating liability or a drain on your wallet.
Prosperity and abundance are available for less: less cost, less rushing, less silly decisions.
Some frugal pundits should be classified as fiction authors. Perhaps their books could be sold right next to the Loch Ness Monster books.
A few days ago I read several myths put forth by an alleged frugal person. He is a single tight-wad, not a happily married, frugal guru with an abundant life-style.
A car should NOT be bought based exclusively or even primarily on gas mileage. A reliable, quality, safe car is vital. Gas mileage is also important, but not vital. Car repairs and death are more expenisive than gas mileage.
Living with in-laws may save money short-term but it just may cause serious marital conflict as interfering parents OFTEN offer unsolicited advice.
Taxes are not to be overlooked since it will invaiably be your top 1 or 2 expenses.
Turning off lights in your house can save you maybe $100 a year. Decreasing TV watching may save you more money. But if your're gonna turn off TV and lights, you might want to read a story about Scrooge and how he lived in a dark, cold house with no TV. Sound familar? Turn on the lights, watch a little TV and enjoy life while living better for less... not cutting out life. Life is about abundant experiences with loved-ones. More joy for less...not simply less for less.
Tightwad misers might be thrifty, but usually they are simply cheap. But frugality is about quality, joy, others.
Your money is your god when your're a tightwad.
Saving money by DIY shavecream? Your time and a happy shaved spouse is a money invested not blown.
A budget is simply YOUR plan to invest money by allocating it to memorable experiences andlife-enhancing products.
Don't simply 'not-spend'. Allocate your money to your dreams. Don't discount your dreams and life-style.
Dream bigger, live better for less.
A car should not be bought based exclusively or even primarily on gas mileage. A reliable, quality, safe car is vital. Gas mileage is also important, but not vital. Car repairs and death are more expenisive than gas mileage.
Living with in-laws may save money short-term but it just may cause serious marital conflict as interfering parents OFTEN offer unsolicited advice.
Taxes are not to be overlooked since it will invaiably be your top 1 or 2 expenses.
Turning off lights in your house can save you maybe $100 a year. Decreasing TV watching may save you more money. But if your're gonna turn off TV and lights, you might want to read a story about Scrooge and how he lived in a dark, cold house with no TV. Sound familar? Turn on the lights, watch a little TV and enjoy life while living better for less... not cutting out life. Life is about abundant experiences with loved-ones. More joy for less...not simply less for less.
Tightwad misers might be thrifty, but usually they are simply cheap. But frugality is about quality, joy, others.
Your money is your god when your're a tightwad.
Saving money by DIY shavecream? Your time and a happy shaved husband is a money invested not blown.
Invest money through by allocating it to memorable experiences, life-enhancing products and etc.
Don't simply not-spend. Allocate your money to your dreams. Don't discount your dreams and life-style. Dream bigger, live better for less.
Melissa and I invested in our children's financial intelligence when our first child was a toddler.
We bought Cashflow For Kids, an excellent game for understanding Income Statements and Balance Sheets.
Now our children generate their own income running micro businesses. They speak about money openly and with understanding. To them assets and income are great. Debt and liabilities are worse than homework on the weekend.
Neophytes are problem solvers. They have challenges like anyone else but they overcome challenges very quickly.
Why?
Neophytes believe in timing. God's timing, not their own. Neophytes work while they wait.
Neophytes trust in multiple solutions. They know that linear, narrow-minded thinking is ineffective.
Neophytes are focused on the new and the true. They are learners.
Remember Jim Varney (aka Ernest)? He personified ignorance and ineptitude.
We laughed at his antics knowing no one could be so clueless. His silly movies were never blockbusters but they offer insight.
Most money turn-a-rounds happen when we overcome Ernest-like mistakes.
Years ago I pulled an Ernest. I knew the importance of discussing potential purchases with my wife. And yet I bought a house (yes you read that right) without her consent. I was inept, incompetent. I knew better, but I acted poorly.
We must learn about money, overwhelming ignorance.
And we must become competent, overcoming ineptitude.
Garner knowledge and then apply it...especially when buying a home.
(Photo courtesy Wikipedia)
Our neighbor to the left just laid down sod and now she has a luscious green lawn.
Across the street neighbors typically use fertilizer from Lowes to green their lawn.
We use fertilizer from IFA to ensure a green law amidst the Utah desert.
There are many ways to get and keep lawns green.
Thankfully there are also many ways to become prosperous and free of money concerns.
Read and talk about finances, you'll discover several viable ways to win with money.
(Wikipedia photo illustrating green grass)
When you do something is as important as what you do. Proper timing must be coupled with doing the right things.
Never underestimate timing.
Zipf's Law,* usually applied to language, applies to timing too.
"Given some corpus of natural language utterances, the frequency of any word is inversely proportional to its rank in the frequency table. Thus the most frequent word will occur approximately twice as often as the second most frequent word, three times as often as the third most frequent word, etc. For example, in the Brown Corpus of American English text, the word "the" is the most frequently occurring word, and by itself accounts for nearly 7% of all word occurrences (69,971 out of slightly over 1 million). True to Zipf's Law, the second-place word "of" accounts for slightly over 3.5% of words (36,411 occurrences), followed by "and" (28,852). Only 135 vocabulary items are needed to account for half the Brown Corpus.[3]"
The most important obligations must be paid first. Then all other obligations will either take their proper place or drop out of our lives.
Pay tithing first.
Then savings.
Housing should come next.
Don't forget food.
Followed by transportation.
It's tempting to pay nagging creditors first or perhaps a car or smart-phone bill.
Don't.
Give disproportionate attention to bills that provide and protect your family.
Properly prioritizing bills will give you contentment and peace.
(Illustration of Zipf's Law courtesy Wikipedia)
*Zipf's Law courtesy Wikipedia
External indicators of success such as money, job status and diplomas are easily observable.
Internal indicators of happiness such as contentment and divine harmony are immeasurable. There is no light to indicate inner success and happiness.
There is no light to measure frugality. No light for financial acumen. No way to measure love and gratitude.
And although we can't measure the inner virtues of discipline, thrift, love, and frugality, we bless the world by focusing on these immeasurables.
A few months ago I began using duolingo
To better learn Spanish.
It's a wonderful app that combines ease of use with immersive learning.
Then last week I discovered a glitch. After I correctly translated and typed sentences, I received failing marks.
This continued until I Googled the problem. No one else seemed to have a similar problem.
No one? I then wondered if the problem wasn't with the app.
Maybe my problem was PEBCAK (Problem exists between chair and keyboard).
So I decided to slowly read and answer each question.
And to my surprise I found I had been translating and writing sentences when I was supposed to merely transcribe sentences.
I had complicated, blamed and sped towards temporary failure.
How often have I made money and marriage more difficult? Often?
Are other people or things really the problem? Or is it me?
I determined to slowly, responsibly simplify all aspects of my life.
My wife, Melissa, and I juggled college and family while I held down three part time jobs. It was a very stressful time.
During a particularly tough financial stretch we sought out financial advice from a "financial advisor."
After a free half hour session I learned a few things. Incidentally the next session would've cost $500 to learn about his retirement products.
Financial advisors make money by selling investments, not customizing budgets.
Financial advisors care about your investable income, not your livelihood.
Financial advisors are often deep in debt.
Financial advisors receive certification upon completion of tests, not by paying down debt.
Financial advisors often leave ethics, morals and especially religion out of money discussions.
Financial advisors leave marriage and relationships out of money planning.
Financial advisors plan the future, but neglect the present.
Years later I started this blog to help people get tangible, practical advice designed to enhance relationships and create abundance.
A few weeks ago my wife and I attended a law presentation or symposium of sorts about writs of habeas corpus.
A writ of habeas corpus allows an arrested person to appear before a judge.
The presentation was spectacular, providing an historical perspective and a modern adaptation from Lincoln to Guantanamo Bay.
Unfortunately a lady, who felt parts of the presentation were contrary to her views, screamed in objection.
Not once. Not twice. But three times she yelled at the performers to adjust their lines to fit her beliefs.
Several hundred people were baffled by her behavior. Why didn't she act in a more subtle manner?
The screamer reminds us that the courage to keep quiet is needed.
And she provides a non-example of respect and consideration.
Money difficulties demand listening ears, mutual respect, loving concern and a love of people more than possessions.
A few years ago I decided to get an MBA degree. For years I had felt the need to further my education in order to provide for my family and learn about money and business.
But where should I get my degree?
I knew many big names in business had attended Wharton (Jon Huntsman, Sr., Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Warren Buffet, and Donald Trump to name a few) and so that became my goal. I had a plan and wanted to stick to it: An MBA from Wharton.
I then put my head down and plowed ahead. I studied everything I could about Wharton. But costs and time commitments seemed overwhelming. I began to search for alternatives.
Stanford, Marriott at BYU, and several others began to emerge as options.
Eventually a friend suggested WGU because he had reviewed WGU curricula. In then end I saved $165,000 and two years of time.
A great idea emerged, while I applied my original plan.
Clayton Christensen beautifully explains emergent ideas in his reflective book, How Will You Measure Your Life?. We must move ahead with ideas yet remain wide open to new emerging ideas.
Most growth in marriage comes from emerging ideas. As you lovingly, kindly strategize and brainstorm with your spouse new, better ideas will always emerge.
Emergent ideas are what pops up when your head is down plowing towards objectives.
As I sat at the dentist today I thought of my daily routine. It's full of disciplined actions calculated to make me more useful to others.
An influential friend once taught me how to maximize each day. And for the last 22 years I have worked at it.
Each day I start with an hour long Spiritual devotional. Sometimes I listen and other times I read to uplifting literature.
Then on my daily commute I listen to part of a transformational book. It may be Percy Jackson, a Seth Godin book, Eat to Live, or Heir to a Dream.
During the work-day I listen to one complete book.
When I need creativity I turn to Pandora while I generate, curate and synthesize ideas. Ideas flow freely when I have inspirational music alternated with pure silence.
On my lunch break I spend 45 minutes at Golds Gym. Cardio, weights, and stretching are my three key focuses. Five or six workouts each week with a week off every few weeks.
Then in the evening I seek to unplug and relax with my family. The six of us eat together most nights. We talk, attend Scouts, visit with friends and read.
Many people wonder how I read/listen to 200 or more books a year, travel several times a year and keep fit.
The secret lies in being inspired by a higher power and then doing daily disciplines that shape my destiny.
A friend shared his formula with me. And now I share it with you: daily develop your body, mind, Spirit and relationships.
Your life will transform into greatness streaming from your small acts of greatness.
What trumps intellect?
Intuition.
Gaining investment intelligence is important.
Still more important is being receptive to inspiration, intuition.
Intuitive thoughts derive from accumulated intelligence and experience as well as from Providence.
Couples desiring to obliterate debt should place faith in their joint ability to learn, intuit, and apply knowledge and instincts.
(Photo courtesy Wikipedia)
Too often application of financial knowledge is a one-off proposition. Regularity, consistency and longevity seem opposed to our natures.
We learn how to budget and we try it only once.
We begin squirreling away money only to cease saving a week later.
Repetition is the antithesis of one-off efforts.
Consistent, repetitive application of knowledge requires a beginner-mind.
Know-it-alls and the encumbered should seek to cultivate a beginner mind.
Continuously learn and apply...it's the Zen way.
(Photo courtesy Wikipedia)
Redundancy, according to Merriam-Webster, is a part in a machine, system, etc., that has the same function as another part and that exists so that the entire machine, system, etc., will not fail if the main part fails.
Airplanes contain several redundant systems to ensure no vital systems completely fail.
Two engines, multiple back-up switches and fuses are components on the redundancy system.
Cables on bridges are also a form of redundancy.
Computers too may contain a redundant power supply.
When financial storms threaten, redundancy is vital.
Statistically two systems are much less likely to fail than one.
Who is your back-up, your support when money woes happen?
When two spouses are fully functional, permanent failure is rarer than a panda in Wyoming.
Redundancy opens our eyes to see the importance of planning for failure.
Fear of failure is a snake, ugly and paralyzing.
Faithfully prepare for future failure by embedding redundancy/back-up features into your plans and work.
What system will save you when your income disappears?
How will you ensure your retirement has redundancy built-in?
What is your secondary skill that will ensure you get income quickly when your primary competence falters?
A few retired people told me of their multiple streams of income. If one source dries up, they still have enough.
People too can act as a redundant resource.
Often my wife's talents and insights have saved me from failure. She is my greatest redundancy.
Being a contrarian shouldn't be confused with ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder).
Only choose to be different when the crowd chooses fluffy fallacies.
When the crowd chooses to embrace degrading humor and carping criticism, choose genuine praise and ennobling words.
If the crowd asserts apathy, then actively aspire to rescue.
When the crowd sells, buy quality at a deep discount.
Earlier today an acquaintance advised me to forget about involving several young friends in a service project.
Perhaps he thought it would take too much time to invite them.
I heard him, but chose to ask the youth help.
They did help and we enjoyed a good time working together.
Contrary to popular belief, Contrarians such as Warren Buffet feel invigorated swimming against the current.
(Photo courtesy Wikipedia)
The difference between a stepping stone and a stumbling block is dependent on preparation and attitude.
During recessions prepared, optimistic people (think J. Paul Getty, Steve Jobs) buy assets on the cheap as springboards for future growth.
Unprepared, pessimistic people sell assets during a recession (remember how many people emptied a 401k in 2008 and 2009?)
Worse, they may acquire additional debt during down times.
When a stumbling block threatens your financial well being, consider using it as a stepping stone to prosperity.
(Photo courtesy Wikipedia)
Much of modern advice is like using a fire extinguisher during a flood: the advice might be good but the timing or teaching is wrong.*
We must synchronize counsel with appropriate timing and filter teachings through the lens of truth.
For instance many financial pundits tell people to shop for insurance annually.
This might be great advice for those who don't have accident forgiveness.
State Farm, Farmers and Allstate typically 'forgive' customers for one or more accidents with five years of tenure.
Thus those who perennially change insurance companies may eliminate 'accident forgiveness.'
Make sure the advice you implement puts out fires because the advice is timely.
*HT to Neal Maxwell
(Photo courtesy Wikipedia)
Parents know many ways to remove ink, grass stains, gum, and food from clothes.
They may use bleach, vinegar or some other method to eradicate stubborn stains.
'Stain remover' is also needed for our shortcomings, omissions, and oversights.
It's easy and far too common to cede power to our 'stains' and allow 'stain removers' such as forgiveness, mercy and
grace to be eclipsed by fear and depression.
Those who cling to past stains, forgetting to treat their past with stain remover, are blocked from beautiful, crisp views.
How can your stains be removed today?
Hint: usually we are much too hard on ourselves. Forgive, move on to greatness.
(Photo courtesy Wikipedia)
It seems that true growth is a function of noticing, feeling and doing.
We must notice those in need, feel compassion and then act/do/help/lift.
Doing is the tough part.
My sister reminded me that ODD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, is prevalent
in our society.
People (myself included) tend to angrily, stubbornly defy and disobey any truths from authority figures (e.g. spouse, parents, religious leaders).
The irony is authority figures usually love us and want us to learn.
I determined to be willingly receptive instead of oppositional defiant.
I want to agree with those who know and grow. I want to happily support those who choose to lead.
(Photo courtesy Wikipedia)
Over the last few months I have contemplated a few profound thoughts.
Anger blinds, love clarifies.
Despair is the gap between knowing and doing.
Elasticity in thought is refreshing.
Boundarylessness in learning is to be admired.
Powerful thoughts proceed revolutions: political, financial, marital.
Although Marine One, the President's helicopter has 30,000 parts only 300 parts are flight critical.
A wonderful video on the Secret Service provides insight on the importance of the 300 vital parts. 1% of all the parts must function or the helicopter can not fly.
99% of Marine One parts are nice but not vital.
Same goes with money.
Flight critical components of finance are:
Pay as go; live within your means; pay off debt as fast as possible; save for a rainy day; invest wisely; avoid get rich quick schemes; pay tithing; and increase your earning capacity.
Always ask yourself is this critical or nice?
Being a wise financial steward requires a combination of science and art.
The science of abundance is best captured in the truisms: live within your means. Save. Invest. Pay down debt as fast as you're able.
The art if abundance is evidenced by the ever present need for Divine guidance.
Recently as I visited Palmyra, New York I read of the importance intimations, or heavenly hints, played in the protection of sacred records.
In money matters heavenly hints are needed to know when to apply for a job or when to invest.
Intimations are useful for validating decisions and fortifying certitude.
A vast amount of confidence stems from a concrete conviction that heaven has helped form your thoughts.
Next time you apply for a job, start a business, invest or begin saving for college, remember to seek intimations: helpful heavenly hints.
Have you ever noticed how sharp your mind is when you've slept well?
Or how clear your thoughts are when you routinely exercise?
Or the vast number of lucid cognitive
connections that occur when you invest hours and hours playing and praising your family?
It's hip (and often poignant) to talk of doing more with less.
Less is often more. Such as more vitality with less junk food consumption.
The corollary: you can do and become more when you do more of the right things.
Clayton Christensen wrote about right answers to wrong questions and it caused me to think of finances.
"Why I am broke?"vs "Where do I want my money to go?"
"How long can I finance this car/truck/home/braces?" vs "How can I pay in cash?"
"Why are kids so expensive?" vs "What are ten things my children could do to earn money?"
"What is the monthly payment?" vs "Who do I know who paid cash for this? And how can I pay cash too?"
"Why do I seem to live paycheck to paycheck?" vs "What can I give to others to earn more money?"
Because are brains are powerful we will get right answers to questions.
But are we asking the right questions to create bounteous blessings?
(Photo courtesy Wikipedia)
In the BBC series Sherlock it seems as though Holmes has an autistic flare for seeing every detail in his surroundings.
He doesn't filter. He seems to see and hear everything.
Thus he has many illuminating insights.
Ordinarily we filter many environmental considerations so as to focus on one task at a time.
Then we pre-fill what we anticipate. A moon looks like a face. A tree looks like a body.
Our lack of seeing details and connections causes us to be blinded to new solutions.
Filtering impedes hope.
What if we experienced life like Sherlock?
What if we saw connections and sequences via a non-filtered perspective?
Solutions to debt and struggle often come when we look widely for connections and solutions.
Only open eyes see liberating light.
Got debt? Open your eyes like Sherlock.
(Photo courtesy Wikipedia)
Revolutions are exciting. Think Berlin, Germany in 1989 or France in the late 1700's. Revolutions dramatically usher in new thoughts and actions.
Less titillating but infinitely more sustainable is evolution. Little changes over time equates to massive sustainable growth.
Hershel Walker used a daily- routine of push-ups and sit-ups to evolve into one of the best running-backs of all time. He worked daily on his fitness instead of a once a year burst of exercise.
When infinite improvement is the goal we occasionally need a revolution.
Though more often we need evolution.
Willingness to learn is genius.
Learners love more fully and give more deeply. After all they have more knowledge, experience and wisdom to impart.
I became learnable when my first-grade teacher constantly complimented me. She praised me so often and sincerely that my desire to learn became insatiable.
Dunces, those who are unwilling to learn broadly and deeply, never discover the joy of being learnable.
In what area could you be more learnable?
An elbow infection forced me into two clinics for treatment.
One clinical physician encouraged me to get immediate emergency care at an Emergency Room.
So my wife and I went to the closest ER. But we promptly left upon learning of a three hour wait-time.
We have discovered the value of time. Time is for family, work and play.
We are accountable for our use of time. So we use companion communication and money to create memories with loving people instead of needlessly waiting.
Our solution to a three hour wait?
We chose another hospital with a 30 minute wait-time.
We drove 20 minutes to preserve two hours of our time.
A day later I needed more treatments for my infected elbow.
This time we found a closer ER with only a five minute wait-time. It also was modern and less- crowded.
Ten minutes of exploratory calls yielded several hours ROI.
Time is a critical component of true wealth.
Use technology to maximize your time. Don't allow time-suckers to sap your wealth of time.
After all, time isn't money; time is wealth.
(Photo courtesy Wikipedia)
My dad once owned a Farmall C that rarely worked.
Often It had to be dangerously hand-cranked. The crank occasionally would come loose and fly through the air at my Dad.
Or other times my Dad had to jump- start the Farmall by coasting down a hill while simultaneously releasing the clutch.
It was a fun tractor....when it started. My dad gave his children rides down a long country road in Upstate New York.
And occasionally he plowed our driveway using the old Farmall C to create massive snow-banks from the heavy snow.
But most of my childhood saw the old Farmall sitting inoperable.
Oftentimes finances become inoperable. It feels like hand-cranking a stubborn, old tractor. We wonder if we need a jump-start.
Why do family finances fail to work?
Lack of unity.
Selfishness.
Laziness.
Broken focus.
Mere mortal efforts without Providence.
On the other hand united, self-less work, with a focus on other family members, reaps abundance in much more than mere money.
(Photo courtesy Wikipedia)
Have you ever eaten tongue-burning hot soup?
Often I impatiently take a bite of soup before it has cooled down sufficiently.
Soup that normally tastes delicious scalds my tongue not because of poor ingredients or an inept cook, but because of impatience.
Impatience causes education, purchases, investments, repairs, and relationships to scald our tongues.
We hurry to fix a repair only to find out we overpaid by hundreds or thousands because we never sought advice from multiple sound sources.
We hurry to get excellent grades only to discover we didn't get knowledge with our education.
We hurriedly attempt to fix our spouse or child when we should use our energy to improve ourselves.
We may have the right ingredients for massive, sustained success, but waiting for the right time is critical for delicious soup and a fulfilling life.
(Photo courtesy Wikipedia)
To gain strength, endurance or speed weightlifters use periodization.
"Periodization is the modulating of volume, intensity, and frequency over time, to both stimulate gains and allow recovery."
One set might be eight repetitions at 150 pounds. And the next set might be four repetitions at 200 pounds. Or maybe even one lift at 300 pounds.
The goal is to keep the body from acclimating to a standard time, weight, and intensity.
In other words boring, mundane workouts are less effective than creative workouts.
Periodization in finances include stashing away large amounts of money, attending a seminar on money management, being uber-frugal for a time, reading several finance books, or steadily improving employable skills.
Variety in financial management increases money muscle better than a pedantic routine.
(Photo courtesy Wikipedia)
The more readily we accept Divine timing, the faster we progress.
The corollary: If we push our own timing, the less real progress occurs.
True, a child may obey us immediately but only when we're watching.
We find out how well our children have learned by noticing what they do when we are not around.
Fathers who play with and listen to children attain better relationships faster than those who seek change by yelling and threatening.
"Do it now!" vs. "Can I play/read with you?"
In relationships, slow is fast.
Especially if slow entails Divine timing.
Dogmatic people hold firmly to one (usually incorrect) opinion.
If we grew up watching comedy movies we may cling to the view that only comedy movies have merit.
A Republican might easily assume that a Libertarian is a quack.
Truth can be discerned by subjecting ourselves to many teachings.
We dogmatically cling to a single opinion when we have exclusively studied or lived that opinion.
Choose to learn about many good things.
Breadth is the key to a depth-filled life.
Persistent practices aren't always propellers for perfection.
"We don't use the Internet in meetings."
Really? Why not harness connections to enhance the meeting?
"I only talk to people face to face."
Perhaps e mail and texting were inspired to help people connect in multiple ways.
"My spouse deals with the budget/finances/shopping/cooking/etc."
You can change. You can help. You can enhance and even revolutionize your marriage by putting persistent, personal practices aside for principle-based action.
Quite often persistent practices are dull drudgery and trite traditions.
Persistent practices are only valuable if they perpetuate principles and truths.
Jettison persistent practices if they are mere half-truth habits.
Be courageous enough to hold tightly to forever truths and quickly expel long-held inane traditions.
Photo courtesy freedigitalphotos.net
In your quest to be debt free and prosperous you will encounter disinformation, false or inaccurate information.
Often disinformation comes from well meaning friends or relatives.
The more you study financial truths (from multiple sources), the better you become at discerning misinformation/black propaganda.
The victim of disinformation is the ignorant.
Go ahead and read Richard Paul Evan's classic on money--The 5 Lessons A Millionaire Taught Me. Read George Clayson, Dave Ramsey, Robert Kiyosaki, and Joe Dominguez.
(Photo courtesy freedigitalphotos.net)
Getting relationship advice from a talk-show host, especially one who has been divorced multiple times.
Good Advice:
The things you hate in others are often the very things you struggle with. So fix yourself.
No advice:
An accountant told a lady that he couldn't do some of her tax preparation because he was under investigation by the IRS. Don't accept any of his advice. She should run and find an excellent accountant.
(Photo courtesy freedigitalphotos.net)
Bruce Lee used a different approach for each opponent.
He knew that a flexible ("be like water") approach could beat a quick Chuck Norris or a 7' 2' Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and anyone in between.
He even beat up on a young Jackie Chan and apologized with kisses!
Bruce Lee is widely regarded as the pioneer of mixed marital arts because of his extensive repertoire.
Bruce Lee was known to bite, scratch, kick, punch, use nunchucks and sticks in his quest to be ready for any opponent.
A MMA approach to money allows motives to dictate style.
In other words, the people we love and the memories we cherish allow us to at times spend with abandon or invest or rapidly pay off debt.
Technique will vary as opponents change from survival, to debt reduction, to retirement.
The key is to have a broad repertoire of financial tools and then know what weapon to use at any given time.
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Great thinkers seek questions, rather than answers because excellent questions contain multiple answers.
Great questions elicit energy and focus. And energy and focus are success seedlings.
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A mattress firm near my home uses the same three card monte trick every weekend. They hire a few sign-holders with signs declaring "going out of business sale." They have been "going out if business" for over a year.
Beware other "going out of business" tricks.
•Low monthly payments used to obscure the value of one-lump-sum.
•Putting your family on hold while you amass a pile of money.
The thimblerigs, shell games and three card Monte schemes always entice the unquestioning and the ignorant.
Get and stay money smart. And always question the three card Monte.
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Every year my Mom makes peanut brittle for Christmas. It tastes great and invariably each bite causes shards of brittle pieces to cascade down on my lap. The very name implies fragility and resistance to external events.
Contrast that with taffy. I think of taffy stretched out on machines at Canal town days in upstate New York. Taffy stretches, bends, twists and contours to external forces with ease.
The quest of life is to be like taffy. To move with the bends, twists, stretching and heat with a flexible attitude that makes us sweet instead of broken in pieces.
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Many tenacious people occasionally wonder why they aren't able to achieve a particular goal.
After all, if you focus tenaciously on a goal you should obtain it. Right?
The missing ingredient is often clarity. Focusing on meaningless minutia instead of key indicators impedes success.
Discerning-clearly seeing where to focus-creates power.
What three key indicators should you focus on to move your prosperity forward?
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Vincent van Gogh knew the science/fundamentals of painting. But what made him legendary was his style, his unique art.
The science of financial prosperity is found in daily routines, habits and to do/to be lists. These fundamentals lay a foundation insuring financial stability. Although these bascics are banal or pedestrian they must not be skipped.
The art of financial prosperity is how (style) we make financial fundamentals work for us individually. The art involves choosing how well we apply the basics. The better our art (style) the greater our financial abundance.
Interestingly van Gogh practiced Sunflowers and other masterpieces multiple times leading some people to think he was a born artist who never had to master the basics.
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A differential in Calculus is a tiny, nearly imperceptible change in a number/function.
Wealth is accumulated by finding a differential. You buy five investments and lose money on two. But you make money on three. The differential is one.
You start seven businesses over 15 years and only one makes it. But the one sets you free. A massive differential.
Learn to value a small gain in prosperity. Rich people are right just a little more often than they are wrong. After all the difference between financial freedom and bondage is often a differential.
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