3 Most important learnings from the Apple Man

(picture taken from the net)

Last week, we were saddened by the news of Steve Jobs' death, one of the greatest CEOs of our time. I was easily captivated by this great man when I watched his video of his speech in a commencement exercise of Stanford University. He capsulized his learnings in life in three things:

1. Connecting the dots - Steve Jobs said that "you can never connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect the dots looking backward. Believe that the dots will connect down the road." that means that whatever is happening in our lives right now, trust that somehow, it will connect in your future and that future will be far greater because of what you are experiencing today.

2. Love and lost - Steve Jobs mentioned to "find what you love and do what you believe is great work. If you haven't find it yet, keep looking....don't settle....as all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it." I absolutely like this! It consoles you to be patient util you find what you love and encourages you to stand up and fight for it. On losing, Steve Jobs added that "sometimes, life will hit your head with a brick but don't lose faith!

3. Death - Steve Jobs shared that "remembering that you are going to die is the best way to avoid the trap of thinking that you have something to loose. You are already naked, there is no reason not to follow your heart. Your time is limited so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma which is living the results of other people's thinking." Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become, everything else is secondary." This gives me a realization that our time is limited, hence, we must do what we really want to do, to follow our heart. There is no better way to live your life but to live it without fear, hesitation and wandering.

As the legend said, Stay Hungry, Stay foolish! Thank you Steve Jobs!

Path towards Self-empowerment

I was reminded that I promised to echo to you the things that I would learn from the seminar given by Mr Rex Mendoza last March. Truth of the matter is, I already forgot most of the things he said as months had already pass but there is one thing that he said that I still remember as I've learned to embrace his advice since then.

He mentioned in the seminar that to be truly empowered, We must practice "An hour of self-empowerment a day". How? 20 minutes of prayers, 20 minutes of learnings and 20 minutes of exercise a day. It doesn't matter how you do it in a day, be it 20-20-20 all in the morning or you may want to split it at 10-10-10 in the morning and in the evening or in any other way...as long as you complete the 1 hour of prayer, learning and exercise every single day.

This practice will renew you physically, mentally and spiritually, hence, making you empowered through out the day. As I've said, I've been practicing this since I learned this from him. I do pray when I wake up and at night before bed time. Before, I read before bed time but I realized that I'm not actually learning as I think I am as sometimes I become so sleepy that I don't understand what I'm reading anymore. So now, I read just a few pages or even just a few paragraphs at night, and most of my readings are now done in the morning right after I pray. This makes me comprehend more the books that I read as our mind is fresh in the morning, hence, it is the best time to learn. I read all kinds of books, be it financial, inspirational, novels and even fiction (yes, I love the series of shopaholic books :), see my post Confessions of a shopaholic). With all the three, I am most challenged with the exercise thing...haiz...after praying and reading in the morning, I exercise before taking a shower. This I do only in the morning as I'm already tired when I go home at night. I try to swim twice or even once a week, sometimes I succeed but most of the time I don't. Perhaps, I should really persist in this part.

I hope that you did not only learn from this post but also be inspired to do "An hour of Self-empowerment a day".

3rd Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo

If you are thinking of putting up your own business in the coming days or in the future, this event will surely help you. Attend the 3rd Philippine Business Entrepreneurs' Expo at the Megatrade Hall 2 this coming March 17-20, 2011. This entrepreneurs' expo is free of charge and will provide you seminars in starting and growing your own business. If you are still hesitant on what business to pursue, the Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo will surely give you a hint to find the right business for you. Grow your knowledge in business and entrepreneurship by listening to the experts and joining the forum. This expo could also be a venue to meet possible business partners, suppliers and customers.

See you there!

3rd Philippine Business Entrepreneurs' Expo

Megatrade Hall 2

March 17-20, 2011

The Path Towards SELF EMPOWERMENT

I've always been fascinated whenever Mr Rex Mendoza (VP - Ayala Land Inc) gives a talk in IMG (International Marketing Group). He is one of the best speakers I've ever met. In fact, so far, since I became a member of IMG, I never missed any of his seminars. 


The bad news is, he is giving the seminar for FREE ONLY FOR IMG MEMBERS. Don't worry folks, I will share with you the gist of his talk :) But, if you want to meet Mr Rex Medoza and listen to him live, drop me an email at len_12@yahoo.com on how to become a member of IMG. 

Do you have the PESOnality to be wealthy?

I love the theme this February for Bo Sanchez' The Feast (described as the happiest place on Earth. You need to attend the celebration to know why) entitled PESONALITY. In this 4-week series of PESONALITY, you will learn that money and spirituality are actually not in contrast with each other, in fact, here you will learn that the two should actually go hand in hand. You can be wealthy and spiritual at the same time. In Bo Sanchez' words, "The ultimate purpose of wealth is to help others". 

In last Sunday's talk, "Make your 100%", Bo mentioned 3 C steps to happy wealth:

1. CONSCIOUSNESS

Write down your financial goal for this year. Your monthly and yearly income that you want to receive. Write the things that you want to have and the things that you want to do this year. Calculate the amount equivalent of these goals, by doing so, you would know how much you must earn within this year. Now that you are conscious on how much you  have to earn this year, make a list on how you think you can achieve your goals. Do not forget to thank God in advance for making your financial goals come to reality.

2. COMPETENCE

Do not be complacent with what you know. Always make an effort on how you can make yourself better everyday.  Sharpen your saw regularly. Keep growing your core gifts as Bo Sanchez said. You have to innovate all the time, never stagnate. It is by increasing our competence that we become experts in our own field and it is through our expertise that we can demand for a higher raise or attract more clients.

Another way of increasing your competence is by increasing your financial IQ. Be financially literate. Take time to know your numbers, how to earn more money and how money can work hard for you.

3. CHARACTER

Your wealth consciousness and competence will never be enough to achieve your desired wealth. You must also be a person of character. Find ways on how you can serve your clients, employees, suppliers and the public more. Be a person of integrity and honesty. Always think of how you can serve well before how you can earn more. They say that money is a great test of character as it will only bring out and magnify what you already have and what you already are. It is your character that would really bring you to your desired wealth more than your consciousness and your competence. Much more, people will always remember you because of your character above all else.

3 THINGS TO DO TO ACHIEVE WEALTH

1. DETERMINATION

    

Focus on your goals. Be determined. Continue to persist. Be patient. Do everything whatever it takes to get what you want.Do not let anyone or anything interfere with your dreams. In time, your everyday hardwork and persistence will surely compound.

2. DIFFERENTIATION

Think of ways where you can provide value to your customers that would make you stand out from the rest of your competitors. What do you have that they do not have? What can you offer that others cannot? Find your niche. Always innovate.

3. DELEGATION

Too much work can sometimes cloud your thoughts on the big things that you really have to deal with. Just focus on the most important things and delegate the rest to others or outsource the bulk of work that makes your life difficult rather than easy and happy. Form a group, create a team. You can't do everything by yourself. Well, you can probably do but If you want to be big, take some partners with you, work with some trusted people and surely, you can get bigger. There is strength in numbers and powers with more minds. Share your work and your wealth to others and you shall be blessed with more.

See you at the Feast for series 2 of Pesonality, "Magnify your 10%".

"If then, you have not been faithful in handling worldly wealth, how can you be trusted with true wealth?" - Luke 16:11

Rich Mind, Poor Mind

I'd like to share with you the book that I recently read, "Secrets of the Millionaire Mind" by T Harv Eker. He mentioned about 17 wealth files on why the rich become richer and the poor become poorer...and that is because they have different mindset.

  

Here are my top 3 wealth files:

1. RICH PEOPLE BELIEVE "I CREATE MY LIFE"

    POOR PEOPLE BELIEVE "LIFE HAPPENS TO ME"

If you believe that you create your life instead of thinking that what is happening to you is your destiny, then, you create choices, you become in-charge of your life and you take the path that you want to take. You refuse the thought that you can't do anything with a given situation but rather, you make a way on how to turn your miseries into opportunities. Once you believe that life is a choice rather than fate, then, it is impossible that you can't be what you want to be, do what you want to do and have what you want to have.

2. RICH PEOPLE HAVE THEIR MONEY WORK HARD FOR THEM

    POOR PEOPLE WORK HARD FOR THEIR MONEY

Hard work is a necessary ingredient to succeed in life but it is not everything. Working smart combined with your hard work will make you a run away winner in life. I've learned one powerful concept about money working hard for you instead of you working hard for your money from my affiliate group "IMG"(International Marketing Group)**. Do you know that if you invest P 100,000.00 in an investment vehicle earning about 12% compounded annually just like mutual funds, after 36 years, your money  can become P 6.4 millions! However, with the same investible fund of P 100,000.00 invested in a time deposit, after 36 years, your money  will ONLY be P 400,000. Imagine losing P 6 million pesos just because you didn't know how your money can really work hard for you! Assuming that you are earning P 20,000 monthly, that means you shall be working hard for another 25 years of your life to amass that P 6 million additional money and mind you, that is without spending even a single peso ( to compute for the 25 years - P6M / P240K annually(P20K/mo x 12mos) ). Shocking isn't it? but that is how expensive not knowing how hard your money can work for you.

** If you want to attend a free Money Management seminar at IMG, send me an email to len_12@yahoo.com and I'll be happy to assist you.

3. RICH PEOPLE CONSTANTLY LEARN AND GROW

    POOR PEOPLE THINK THAT THEY ALREADY KNOW

Sharpen the saw, that is what the rich people always do. They are advocate of continuous learning and growing. They are not contented with what they know, they always make sure that they are updated and always in the loop. They always improve themselves to get even better. I quote from Benjamin Franklin saying " If you think education is expensive, try ignorance".  Steve  Job said "Stay foolish, stay hungry" and I SAY "If you cease to learn, you cease to live" :D    

Have you decided to be rich?

You heard me right! I’m asking you, have you decided to be rich?

Yes my friends, to be rich is a decision and commitment, not just a wish or want. As the law of attraction says, “Thoughts become things.” You will never be rich until you haven’t decided to be rich. Everything starts with the right mindset.

Having the right mindset doesn’t mean that you just have to think that you will gain wealth and you will be wealthy. The power does not lie on thinking but on belief. You have to believe that you are truly capable of becoming rich. The worst thing that you could ever do to yourself is to limit your belief of the things that you can do and achieve. You are powerful than you could ever imagine, so never ever underestimate yourself. As they say, what the mind can conceive, the body can achieve. I would also like to borrow from Henry Ford’s words “Whether You Think You Can or Can't, You're Right".

Once you believe that richness and abundance is coming your way, feel it, act it. Yes,  act like you already have what you are asking for. Feel that the things that you desire are already within your reach. Think and act like a millionaire!

Now, be ready and brace yourself for the blessings coming your way. “If you ask, you shall receive.”  Don’t forget to thank God once you receive the blessings. Enjoy your blessings!

Sharpen the saw: Attend Wealth Summit

Friends, remember the 7th habit of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, sharpen the saw? This seminar would not only sharpen your saw, but can make you truly wealthy. 


Attend, listen carefully and apply the learnings. Remember, all learnings become futile if not applied. Knowledge plus application is wisdom. I hope that this seminar will lead us a step closer in reaching our dreams.


May God bless our finances!

20 things I learned in 2010

2010 was a very good year for me, not in terms of financial results (but I know and I declare that I'm getting there : D) but in terms of the things that I learned. 2010 was a learning year for me and I'm expecting that the results will manifest this year....in Jesus name.




I would like to share the top 20 things in my list:


 1.   Follow your heart,take the leap 
 2.   Learn and unlearn 
 3.   I can be whatever I want to be 
 4.   Map out your financial blueprint 
 5.  Watch your progress in no 4 
 6.   Think of the things that really matter to you 
 7.   Be successful in all areas of your life, it can be done! 
 8.   Be with the like minded people 
 9.   Be positive all the time! 
 10. Balance optimism with reality 
 11. Avoid negative people, they can harm you unknowingly
 12. Have a grateful heart 
 13.  Be thankful with what you have while working for what you want 
 14.  Push yourself to get what you want 
 15.  "The ultimate purpose of wealth is to help out others" - Bo Sanchez 
 16.   Be a channel of blessings to other people 
 17.   The scarcity mentality! All you need is just around you, you just have to increase your awareness 
 18.   The power of discipline 
 19.   Love more, help more, dream more, smile more….be a better version of yourself 
 20.   Eat,pray,love....enjoy life              


I hope that you also learned a few things based on what I've learned and I encourage you to reflect on what the year 2010 has been to you and do your own list. I also have my list of 20 things that I am thankful for in 2010 and the things that I am thankful for this 2011 (yes indeed....I already have my list to be thankful for this 2011..these are the things that I want to have and achieve this year...I am claiming it and thanking God in advance).


Have a happy, healthy and wealthy 2011 everyone!