THE FOUR PATHS TO WEALTH

I've concluded there are only four ways to make money and
accumulate significant wealth in this world.
1.  Make an unusually valuable contribution. This is the
easiest and most successful path wealth, but since it
usually comes disguised as hard work, it's also the path
most resisted. The world pays for our expertise, our
effort, our ideas and our inventions, and it pays extremely
well if make unusually valuable contributions. 
2.  Save and invest. This, too, is a reliable and nearly
fool-proof road to wealth, but since it takes time,
personal discipline and has absolutely no sex appeal, it is
largely ignored. Spend less than you make, save the
difference, let time and compound interest make you rich.
3.  Inherit money. I've read that in the next few years
twenty trillion dollars of accumulated wealth will be
transferred from the older generation to the younger one.
Nothing like that has ever happened before! It pays to
select the right parents!
4.  Be lucky. Be in the right place at the right time. Know
the right people or win the lottery. While this one is
unpredictable and fickle (and gives rise to a sense that
life isn't "fair"), it happens often enough to give us
hope. Unfortunately, the statistics are against you. But
who knows? Luck happens.
Unfortunately, I didn't know these rules before I was born
and so chose wonderful but poor parents, and the statistics
have proven entirely reliable--I've won no lotteries. So,
from personal experience I can only recommend paths one and
two. 
Get good at what you do. Love it enough to get VERY good at
it, and the world will pay accordingly. Then, save and
invest, and let time be your friend. 

STACKING THE ODDS FOR SUCCESS IN 2015

There are two ideas that have made an enormous difference
in my life. I've talked about them before, and want to
explore them with you again.
The first is that success is almost never a matter of
unusual talent or luck. There are very few geniuses and few
people get rich by stumbling across a pile of gold. Rather,
as Jim Rohn said, success is "the predictable result of
doing the right things, in the right way, at the right
time."
The second concept that changed my life is that success
comes from "ordinary people doing ordinary things,
extraordinarily well."
Those two ideas changed my own life, and they have
transformed life for thousands of other people, as well.
Society encourages us to look for "instant cures" or
special "secrets" for success. The clich�is that we want
to take a pill, meet the right person or attend the right
school and suddenly life gets better.
But it doesn't work that way. Successful people do ordinary
things, but they do them in smart, disciplined and timely
ways. They take thoughtful risks. They take action, create
value and show up on time. They learn skills that open
doors and make them just slightly more productive, more
attractive, more valuable than their competitors.
In almost every case, success is a long-term growth
process. It requires hard work, focus and organization.
That's the bad news.
But there is good news--almost anyone can do these things!
There is no mystery and there are no limits. You can join
the elite at the top, no matter what your goals or dreams.
You can accumulate great wealth. This week, I read that
America's youngest self-made billionaire is a woman, age
24. You can create music, build a business, have a loving,
happy family. It has never been easier to travel or have
your own television show. But, there are specific steps
that will increase your chances for major success.
If you want to increase your chances for remarkable success
in 2015, I have some suggestions. They are not dramatic and
they won't necessarily impress you. They are not unique or
original or risky. They are the ordinary things that
ordinary people do to become extraordinarily successful.
1.  Use a Calendar. I strongly prefer the year-at-a-glance
wall calendars, especially the plastic ones that use the
write-on and wipe-off  markers. Begin by marking important
birthdays, anniversaries and family celebrations. I
recommend marking them in red. Then, in my case, we mark
conferences and speaking trips in blue, with vacations in
green. The objective is to see your priorities and your
plans at a glance. You want to see your future!
2.  Specific, written Goals. I've written much about this.
Now is the time to create your objectives for 2015. Do not
wait until you're distracted in December! Good goals take
time. They require thought, discussion, agreement with
family and business partners. You'll need to sleep on them,
change your mind, find the perfect wording. This takes
time. Do the work!
3.  Action-based Plans. This brings us back to that
Calendar! What measurable, specific results do you need in
January to reach your goals for the first quarter? Spend
more time on plans, budgets and action-steps than you do on
setting goals. The "HOW" you'll get there is even more
important than defining the destination. Put your plans on
your Calendar.
4.  Team-building. Successful people work with friends,
partners, family and a MasterMind team. No one achieves
great success by themselves. Who will help you? Who has the
skills, networks or resources you need? Be specific. You'll
need to recruit people to help you. And I recommend
starting with your family and friends. Be sure they are
behind you every step of the way.
5.  Plan Celebrations in Advance. Americans do not
celebrate enough. We work hard to accomplish goals, but
then we rush straight on to the next one. Don't do that!
Plan to celebrate your victories. Plan parties and dinners
with loved ones. Decide exactly how you will reward
yourself as you achieve your goals through the year. That
new car, vacation or whatever is waiting for you! All you
have to do is complete your tasks and claim your prize.
Plan celebrations in advance! (And include loved ones.)

There's an old allegation, usually born in jealousy or
envy, that claims highly successful people don't play fair.
They must "lie, cheat or steal" to get to the top. Nothing
could be further from the truth! No one who is dishonest in
any way can achieve and sustain long-term success. At least
not in my experience.
But high achievers absolutely do stack the odds in their
favor. They use specific, learn-able skills to increase
their chances of winning, every time. And they do it
honestly! Most of the winners I've talked with are happy to
share their most valuable "secrets." They simply do "the
right things, in the right way, at the right time." And
they use Calendars and Goals, Plans and motivational
Celebrations to keep themselves on track.
You can, too! In 2015, stack the odds in your favour.

DECODING BODY LANGUAGE: WHAT YOU'RE SECRETLY COMMUNICATING ABOUT YOUR LEADERSHIP

What are you saying with your body language, without speaking a word?Like it or not, your non-verbal communication is painting the big picture of what you say, far more than your words.
Imagine a time before the spoken word, thousands of years ago when cavemen relied on gestures and eye contact for communication.
For one thing, it was prudent to speak out loud only when necessary. You might scare away big game or attract enemies. For another thing, language and syntax were concepts barely in their infancy. With populations so sparse, body language was the common speech.
During that time, if you puffed out your chest to the clan leader, you might wind up in hot water, maybe even ostracized from the tribe. Meanwhile averting your eyes at just the right moment might win over an attractive member of the opposite sex.
Hey, it could happen, even among Neanderthals.
And here we are today in modern times, still dealing with the same classic questions. What do you think would happen if you stood up in the middle of a meeting and puffed out your chest to the division manager? Or turned your back when someone on your team was talking with you? Or turned your eyes away from your spouse in the middle of an important conversation?
Sending the right message with your non-verbals is keenly important. Your voice inflection is part of that message, but it’s not the total package. Here are factors to consider in leadership and in life.

Eyes:
The eyes truly are the windows to the soul. Be sure you’re making eye contact with those you’re having a conversation with. Glancing around the room, looking past someone or simply phasing out all indicate that you’re just not engaged in the conversation.
If you’re giving a talk, eye contact with your audience is even more important. Keep your eyes focused on those you’re speaking with, and you’re half-way home to winning their trust.

Posture:
Your posture conveys a number of factors to the people you’re with, including how you feel about your topic and even your energy level. If you’re slouched, resting your chin on your hands or crossing your legs, you’re conveying a casual attitude. This can be a big benefit in certain situations, but be careful. It can also imply carelessness.
Standing solidly on two feet conveys strength and energy. With your weight distributed on the balls of your feet, you’re ready to move. Square shoulders and chin up display confidence and self-respect.
The great thing about displaying good posture is that, even when you’re not feeling confident and interested, adopting this body language will help you feel brighter and more energetic immediately.

Arms & Hands:
When your hands are open, you’re ready to receive. With your arms outstretched or at your sides, you’re in a neutral or even a welcoming position.
Folding your arms across your chest is a great way to keep warm. After all, you’re covering your vital organs, including your heart. But it also could convey a closed attitude. Be careful how you use this gesture.

Feet:
You may be surprised to learn that your feet are talking as much as your hands are, telling the story of your interest in the conversation. If you’re looking at someone but your feet are pointed toward the door, guess which way you sub-consciously want to move.
Crossing your ankles or legs indicates a casual stance or even a feeling a comfort. You’re certainly not about to go anywhere in that posture. But here again, be clear about what you want to convey. This can be great for bridging the gap, but it also could be inappropriate in formal settings. Understand what’s standing under you.

Distance:
Everyone has a comfort zone, that personal space they’ll let you into. If you come closer than arm’s length, you’re likely to incite strong feelings – either of romance or anger. When you’re talking with someone, don’t encroach into their personal zone unless you’re absolutely sure you’re invited.
Using these tips for non-verbal communication may not win you any public speaking awards. On the other hand, they’ll help you keep your feet on the ground where they belong – and out of your mouth!
 

ADVERTISING, PROMOTIONS & MARKETING

I've been struck by the glut of advertising coming my way. 
Spam and junk mail are full of it, television is full of
it, even magazines seem to have more.  And, I don't buy it.
I've often written that businesses cannot "advertise their
way to success".  Of course there is a time and place for
advertising!  You have to let people know you exist, and
you need to make a splash with new products or new
services.  Advertising is a good thing.  But you probably
can't buy enough to build a business with it.
And promotion, particularly self-promotion, has a similar
limitation.  Obviously, if you believe in a product or
service, you MUST tell people about it and invite them to
buy. You owe that to yourself, and to the customers who
need and want your service.  Promotion has it's place.
But in the end, marketing is a different animal.  Marketing
is about your reputation.  It's about customer satisfaction
and retention.  It's about your relationships.  Marketing
is about letting people know who you are, what you do and
what you offer.  (Never keep yourself a secret!  There is
no advantage in being shy!)  Marketing is about YOU more
than your product or service.  It's about your reputation,
your level of responsibility and your follow-through.
In the end, most marketing is "free" because it comes from
being who you are and doing what you do, to the best of
your ability. 
Many small businesses would be far ahead to scrap their
advertising budget entirely and invest the money in
themselves, their personal development, and their
relationships.