FEAR - HAPPINESS AND P.W.L.T.R.

People have become so used to not being happy that they barely even notice it. (I'm guilty of this as well). It's like living next to a train track or an airport. After awhile you don't even notice the sound how loud the trains and planes are. It takes a visitor to come and point it out to you. "How the hell do you live with all that noise?" Your reply is, "It's not that bad".

Not to say that your or my life is miserable, but fear can prevent it from being all that it can be. We are bioligically susceptible to fear. This is the greatest enemy of true happiness. Fear has many crippling disguises. It surfaces as anger, pessimism depression, feelings of isolation, etc..

When we were children we didn't care about fear because the price of failure wasn't high at all. We weren't called a loser, we just didn't win. As we got older, society begin to judge our failures. Or better yet, we begin to LET society judge our failures. If you didn't make the basketball team, or football team then you would have to face all your friends. That's the beginning of fear starting to get a grip on your life. It was easier not to try out for the team and be cool, rather then try out and not make it and be embarassed. Yep, that was my personal experience. I was still cool and funny, no one knew that I couldn't play football - in fact I didn't even know if I could play or not. Because I never played before, it was too risky to my image to try out and not make it. So I played it safe. Who knows, I could have been a professional running back. If you were a naturally gifted athlete you tried out because the risk of failure is small. Who's more successful the gifted quarterback, or the not so gifted guy who works hard, gets cut and then comes back next year and makes the team? let's not forget, Michael Jordan got cut from his high school team.

So I think it's important that we conquer our fear, without doing that, we are not getting the best out of life that we can. True happiness will continue to elude us.

OK - Example time.
I have been burnt pretty bad in my past relationships. Now I can easily be jaded by this, and have that affect me in my future relationships or I can have no fear and go for it. Being crippled by fear, you play little games. "I'm not going to call her and show her that I like her because that's giving her the upper hand" That's the game you play when you're 16. Then she doesn't call you, and the next thing you know you both think that you are not into each other. When you are an adult and in control of your fears, you know the relationship that you would like to have and you know that it doesn't stand a chance without you giving 100%, because in your vision of a perfect relationship your mate is giving back 100%. You can't expect to recieve what you don't put out. This doesn't mean that it won't fail. Realistically you can give 100% and it still not work out, you can not control the other person, but if you give 80% because of the fear of putting yourself and your feelings at risk, and it doesn't work out, you should blame only yourself because you could have given 20% more and now it's too late. Remeber if you can dream it, then it's conceptually possible.

That scenario goes with anything. If you don't try and fail you won't succeed. We are missing out on great opportunities because we are scared. Scared of trying and feeling stupid - That is society holding you down. You should only feel stupid if you don't try. I mean really, we are adults, can anyone really make you feel stupid if you don't let them.

In short I'm not telling you to be reckless. Not at all. Listen to your fears. Don't quit your job tomorrow and start a glow in the dark shoelace factory. Don't walk up to the girl you have a crush on and propose, don't sign up for the Mr. Universe contest next month but take your time. Do your homework and work hard. Trust your instincts. God put them there for a reason. If you are dating your future "dream guy or girl" but he appears shady, trust yourself - dont' go signing over $100,000.00 checks ala Nora Walker (for the Brother's and Sister's fans out there).

You know you are moving in the right direction because you will start to feel like a kid again. Trust me. That's how you know you are headed towards happiness and conquering your fears. That's natural. When you're a kid your spirits and dreams are unbridled and unbroken. Your life is led by these spirits rather then controlled by your fears and judgements. As you become more successful, or as you see your dreams becoming a reality these spirits become stronger. When you have 4 steps mapped out to accomplish your goal and you reach the first one you know your goal is achievable. You get the interview for your dream job, you land a certain account for your business, or you meet someone that only existed in previously in your mind. That is fuel for steps 2,3,&4.

You can’t really put a time limit on when you will reach your goals, but what I know for sure is the harder you work the quicker success will come or the quicker failure will come. You might need 3 failures, but after each you Plan again, Work, learn, tweak and repeat. Plan-Work-Learn-Tweak and Repeat. Give 100% to all those steps.
1. Plan with intelligence,
2. Work with dillegence,
3. Learn with curiousity,
4. Tweak with stragtical prowess and
5. Repeat like failure is no option.
P.W.L.T.R
I like that - Hey Jim Rohn's not he only one who can make stuff up!!

Do remember: Nothing can resist a man (or woman) who will place even his existence on his purpose.

Translation: If you are not fearful, and you are willing to sacrifice it all, nothing can resist your enevitable path to success.



-MJL

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So..how's that millionaire thing coming along?

So the question is where have I been, what have I been up to?
Good question. I like this blog because the frequency of my blogging is indicative of my intensity and focus on my goals at that time period. I have to admit, I’ve been having a difficult time….no not difficult, but it’s been taking me longer to adjust to my new routine. Now I’m adjusted and ready to kick in into high gear.

Before I start banging out a bunch of blogs, I need to catch my readers up on a few things, and report out an overall status of where I am and where I’m going;

THE STATUS OF THE HUSTLES:

The 9-5 Hustle
Now I’m in Consumer Goods instead of automotive. I have worked my way up quickly from cubicle there to office in a matter of 100 days. Now all I have to do is kill it there everyday and I have accomplished my goal of steady paycheck while I build everything else up. I admit, I can give that job more. I have to give it more, and will.

EBAY HUSTLE
http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Money-Saving-Mikes
It was rough getting started again. After having such a successful...
Year last year, and then shutting it all down and moving it out to Ct. I'm back to selling things at a steady clip. I still maintaint my powere selller status with ebay which means considerable savings.

T-SHIRT HUSTLE
http://www.nuffsaidoutfitters.com/
The T-shirts are moving at a steady clip. We are using Ebay for this as well. Ebay recently changed it’s format to allow us to post multiple sizes so this has helped considerably!! We are just adding more designs and more shirts by the week.

Wash and Roll
http://www.washandroll.com/
Phew! There is a lot I can say here. Basically I just need to make it to April of 2010 and things will be o the up and up with Wash and Roll. Obviously this is easier said then done, but it’s possible. I’m still losing money like a big dog, but this has the most immediate financial gain and can then be used to generate un-godly sums of investment capital. That vision is keeping me on my grind. It’s hard but I manage.

SUMMARY:
So to those working a 9-5 and think that they can not for some reason start a business or do something extra, look at this list. This is 100 hours per week of work, and I haven’t even started yet. Yes, I’m sacrificing a lot, but the pay off will be worth it. My focus and vision is unwavering. That’s what is needed to get it done, and do it better then most ever day. Push yourself, because no one will push you! You are responsible for our own success.

"Success will not wait. If I delay, she will become betrothed to another and lost to me forever. This is the time. This is the place. I am the man. "

-MJL

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Age is Just a number.....No cake this birthday, just humble pie.

The good thing about a blog is that you can see how much crap you have been talking and how much you have accomplished since you were talking said trash. This time I have to step back and say - yeah I was talking trash last year when I turned 34 (The post is referenced below) but who knew how bad the recession was really going to get. In the last year of my life I've gotten hit with the following:
1. The first Black President
2. My first lay off
3. My first collection of unemployment
4. The successful continuance of my t-shirt business
5. GM & Chrysler Bankruptcy
6. Relocation out of Michigan
7. Back "a top" the money earning game.
8. Promotion at new job in first 90 days
9. Purchase of a new (well different car).
10. Getting my swagger back on the East Coast.

That is not a typical year by any means; therefore I will allow myself some slack. However - now I have to get it poppin.

Now from the smack I talked last year....slightly embarassing considering I lost my job a few months after the posting but considering the circumstances it's ok. A little humble pie never hurt anyone.

*******************************************************

As I talk about my sister's birthday (In my last post), my birthday was not too far behind. I hit the big "Three Four" Monday. I vowed to be rich or independently wealthy by 35. That's 359 days and counting. I better get moving.

I look at being 34 like starting a new career.

"What???", you ask.

Stay with me....This week is the first week on the job of being 34 years old. I will have this job for 359 more days. Get it now?

But this isn't like other jobs, I have been doing a similar job for 33 years already! I'm a professional. This means that everything I do, every move I make, has 33 years of experience behind it.

How can I not get reach my goals! If I don't know the answer, or if I don't know what to do in a certain situation, I at least know who knows. 33 years of training for this new job, tells me that there isn't any situation that I can't handle. I might need help, but I am smart enough to know I need help when I need it.

OK, you're with me now! So everything I eat, I know from 33 years of experience what it's going to do to my body. Cake is going to make me fat! I know it. If I don't work out and eat a lot of cake, I will get fat!

If I drive too fast too often, I get a speeding ticket! I know it. 33 years of experience for this job tells me “Slow your ass down”.

Therefore, there is a higher responsibility put on all my decisions. With that responsibility comes confidence and a humble swagger with 33 years of horsepower behind it.

(Sorry, for those hip-hop illiterate readers: Swagger is defined as:
to move with confidence, sophistication and to be cool.
Swagger is to conduct your self in a way that would automaticaly earn respect
To dress in a very stylish and quirkily fasionable way that would suggest one has a swagger. Still OK to use - Not like Bling which is dead )


Every move I make has experience, swagger, charisma and life experience behind it. How powerful is that! I have become that person I have always wanted to be. And part of becoming that person, is wanting to become better everyday, and getting better at becoming better.


Success is attracted and is attractive. Successful people attract success. Becoming a millionaire isn't the goal, it's what "I" become, or who "you" become when we are millionaires. It's that person that will be created, while creating the fortune. That's what's important.

Have you ever wondered how millionaires can lose their fortunes and make another fortune a few years later? Because they have gained the skills, the swagger and the experience needed to do the job.

This is very analogous to cooking a Thanksgiving day meal.
The first time you got cook books open, pots and pans everywhere. Your measuring shzit, burning stuff up. It takes forever. But after you get the first one done...OH LOOK OUT. You are writing your own recipes! You are putting a dash of your own seasonings, adding stuff, flipping and bouncing that Turkey around the kitchen like a ghetto Martha Stewart. You don't even taste it as much because you already know the shzit is going to be on point. It takes you 1/4 the time and you probably do it better.

Do you see the similarities! Now that's food for thought, Bread for the head.



359 days and counting.......

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have arrived. I just need the $999,999.99 to go with my swagger.

-MJL

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Don't take life too serious...but take it serious..Sometimes

Don’t take things too serious but……

Remember that life is not too forgiving.

What do I mean by that? Well let me explain the basics and then I will relate that to our favorite topic…..money.

Life is not too forgiving, meaning small mistakes can have catastrophic repercussions.
Recently I have vowed to restrict my cell phone usage while in the car. No text messages, no phone calls initiated, just answering calls. Just picking up the phone and talking. There have been too many accidents caused by negligent drivers. We aren’t that good, we are just lucky. When you are lucky so many times you start to misconstrue that luck until skill. “I got this” you say while texting, glancing up, and driving with your knees. All is well until you hit the car in front of you. Or maybe just rub the divider. A simple scrape on an unblemished car is a like a boil on Hale Berry’s face. All because someone texted you something stupid that you just had to read. Now you have to look at that dumb scratch on your car everyday. So not worth it.


DUI is another prime example. Look at Beecher from the show OZ. He got a little tipsy at a company part and he kills someone on his way home, and now he ends up in prison on manslaughter charges. A really good guy, small mistake, catastrophic results. Who hasn’t driven a little tipsy. While you are learning your threshold and tolerance you might drive home just a little on the edge. So let’s say you don’t kill anyone, but you get pulled over. Boom! DUI. fines, tickets, etc. All because you had one drink too many, or started to drive just an hour too soon, or didn’t eat enough before the night’s festivities began. All little mistakes catastrophic results.



AIDS. Same thing. Girl meets boy, girl get carried away, unprotected sex. This Small mistake results in AIDS or baby. Life taken or life provided. The entire dynamic of your life is changed in the blink of an eye. I can’t think of an analogy that can capture the amount a life can change due to one instance this small.

The list goes on an on. Christopher Reeve had a horse back riding incident. Did he do all his safety checks, was he playing around on the horse, or was it just one of those things. When it’s “Just one of those things” then it’s more acceptable then you doing something dumb.


You must take the above into consideration during your daily hustle. Even when you are doing the right thing life throws you setbacks, so you need to minimize these setbacks by taking control over what you can control and minimizing your errors. That comes with better judgment, utilizing and listening to mentors, and learning and reading. Doing the right thing is a learned behavior. All of these things are difficult but doing the difficult is what separates us from the masses.
We specialize in the difficult. Difficult we get done in a day; Impossible we get it done in a week. That’s how we roll.

-MJL

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