Monday, October 30, 2006

32 Years Old - The Year of the Mogul

So each birthday you try and set some goals for yourself. You try and say that you are going to do things different and not make the same mistakes. Just like all the other birthdays, Friday I told myself I will celebrate this weekend but when Monday comes along I'm going to be a new me. I had all these great ideas about staying focused, eating right and excercisng, and becoming a great person. Then life kicked me in the nuts! I bring my car in for brakes and it ends up costing an earth shattering $2348.60. Damn!!!

Now if it was $563.50 (which happens to be the amount for the brakes) then I wouldn't even mention it. Don't get me wrong $500 is stil a ton of money but it's not $2348. So now comes the mad scramble for cash. Is my car worth $2348? Is the mechanic being honest?

All this stuff is what rich people don't worry about. They buy cars and get new ones every 100,000 miles. If you drive a Lexus they come and get it, and take it to the dealership. This type of surprise although they can afford it doesn't happen.

After taking the kick in the nutz, I eat a big piece of chocolate cake (compliments of my girlfriends Mom), and watch Jay-Z's new video, and now I'm back. What ever it takes to inspire you and keep the fight going. There is a bright side if one chooses to consider it. I get a day off while my car is getting repaired. I will use this day to get caught up and regroup. Get my mind right and nurture ideas. The question is not will I be a millionaire by 35, but how many times over. I have to start seeing little problems as such and think big. I have to think like a Mogul - Puffy, Jay, Gates, Buffet.

Tomorrow will be my new birthday. The regroup and refocus starts now. A Mogul is born.

Holla at your Mans.

-MJL

Thursday, October 19, 2006

LET'S HEAR IT FOR BROTHER RAY.....

Another insightful occurrence this week has given me a paradigm shift.

While working my dream job, I stop in the cafeteria and am shocked to see my man Ray flashed up on the TV screen. The purpose of the screen is to display birthdays, quality alerts, and plant successes such as “130 days without accidents”. Well today Rays’ picture flashes on the screen and it says something to the effect of “Our Condolences to the Ray Hill family”.

WTF

I go to Human Resources and have found out, Ray has passed away. Not the best way to be notified, but it’s reality.

Now, let’s be truthful. Ray wasn’t my greatest friend. Nothing annoys me more, then when someone passes away and suddenly he or she was all things to all people. When Proof (from D12) passed away, suddenly everybody in the Detroit area knew Proof. “Aww I just seem him the other day” or “I was just kickin’ it with his cousin”. When Tupac died, everybody was a Tupac fan. When someone dies, people come out of the woodworks claiming all kind of unsubstantiated dealings with that person. Why not? Who can dispute it. The person is dead.

Let’s call Ray exactly what he was. He was a cool guy who worked on our assembly line. Not a good friend, not even a friend so to speak, but an associate. Ray was the guy who was a fatherly type, and when you walked out to the plant floor, he would take off his glove, give you a pound and ask how things were.

He was the guy who reminded you of your father and gave you the encouraging words that you needed to hear. After a difficult meeting he would tell you not to keep your cool, walk around the plant and go back and fight another day. As my marriage fell apart he let me know that I would be a better person and that I can move on knowing I tried my best. He pushed me to keep my small business up and running. With all the good advice, smiles and encouraging words, never once did he mention his Cancer. Ray lost his first wife and child in a fire years back, but you would never know from his demeanor and attitude.

These people are few and far between. Now I’m not necessarily over saddened by Ray’s untimely departure, but it has thrown me into one of my deep thought sessions. I know Ray would be telling me to keep my head up, keep pushing until I reach my goals.

Once you are an adult no one keeps pushing you to become a better you. Children in today’s schools are told they are doing a good job when they are average. At work people are told they are working hard, and doing a “Great Job” when in fact they are just performing their jobs to expected levels. Whatevery your trying to accomplish, Ray would remind you that people who aren’t nearly as talented, or smart, or driven as you have already accomplished what you are trying to do, so you have no excuse.

You can go years without hearing anyone telling you that you can work harder, that you can do more, exercise more, think more, plan more. Where is that motivating push in society. We have become pansy asses, afraid of criticism and failure.

Ray’s spirit will be another tool in my arsenal to keep pushing toward my goals. This blogsight, my Sisters’ my friend Big Steve, and my girlfriend are all motivators to keep pushing. I am surrounded by people who dish out honest advice, constructive criticism, and lead by example.

Let’s give a shout out for brother Ray! Rest in Peace.

-MJL

Friday, October 13, 2006

REPLY TO: SOCCER MOM, FOOTBALL DAD

Sometime I get comments that are good enough to be used as a post. The following is from a reader named Babs. Thank you for the colorful commentary!

Wow, all that is sooo true. I'm always amazed at how us women can go out in public looking crazy! it's takes just as much time and effort to put on a cute velour sweatsuit as it does an ugly big Hanes one! you NEVER know who you're going to run into! it may be an ex that did you wrong, so look cute, make him look twice and think damn why did I mess up! not damn she is tore up, I'm glad I left! But just for your own feeling, put on some lip gloss, it only takes a second to slick back a ponytail. It doesn't cost a lot to look "clean" and put together. You don't need a face full of make-up or your hair all done up, guys like a girl who can look natural and comfortable without looking like you haven't showered in a week. Invest in some cute jeans, cute (trendy) t-shirts (no they are not expensive), cute sweats, some clean t-shirts and at least 1 pair of nice tennis shoes. We all have out days where we want to just bum it, but do that at home when you go out look decent, be proud to be a woman, we are beautiful big and small.
On the note about weight, I believe now that it is important to exercise not just for looks but for our health, my daughter is 13 and I NEVER look like the soccer mom in the big mom jeans that go all the way up under your boobs, I don't work out all the time because I'm a single mom, I work full time, I go to school and my daughter is involved in piano, soccer, dance, etc...but I'm always put together and I now make time at lunch to go to the gym because it's important that I feel good about myself, no man wants a woman who has low self-esteem and no (good, decent) man wants a woman who just lets herself go, I"m not saying be a size 5, cause I'm not but just be presentable, I want my man to be proud to show me off, to be proud to take me out and know that I feel good and feel sexy. That is something that I have to work on myself and I'm getting there, but please listen and just put on some decent clothes when you step out even to the grocery store!


-Babs

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

THE MILLIONAIRE MIND

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Really I don't have a topic for this post. I'm just writing this sort of as a log of things I'm working through personally. When the money is stacked, I can look back at this post as a testament of the problems I had to work through.

One of the last sunny warm weekends in Michigan and what was I doing? I was grinding. That means cleaning, planning, accounting, research, development, and organizing until I can’t read straight. Then I sleep for a few hours and go at it again. There is no regard to time, just peace of mind. When Sunday arrives, there is a sense of urgency to get to a point of completion where I can start the week feeling aggressive and confident enough to kick the ass necessary to start the week.


Well my small business is chugging away at a loss. I had to come to grips with this situation and the staggering loss I will have to sustain to bring this thing to profitability. It seems when all is going well there is always something to set me back from making this endeavor fully profitable.

I don't want to get caught up in my own ego and keep working at something that is going to bring me completely down and take years off my life. My small business is very personalized and it hurts for it not to be successful. Before I make the decision to continue at a loss, I bounce the facts off of a few key people and get their feedback. I might not agree with what they have to say, but I listen and think, and consider it. This is key to being successful. When all is said and done, I should be looking good April 2007. Yes, I said the same for May 2006, but all I can do is plan and consider the numbers, and they are positive. I have to leave everything else to God and fate. Plan the work and work the plan.



My corporate job seems to be going well. We landed two more GM contracts on Friday, so that means we are going to be running GM strong for the two years. This adds a certain level of complexity to my position, thus breaking up the monotony of the job, introducing a heightened level of risk, to continuing a successful track record. Everything I love, but it doesn't come with the check or the respect it deserves.

Now that I have a girlfriend (yes...sorry to disappoint) it adds a certain constraint on my activities, but it helps me balance myself. Time that I used to spend out late at clubs, I spend with her. This is way more enjoyable then going to clubs, getting drunk getting home at 3:00 AM. I’m gonna’ be 32 for crying out loud! She is very entrapanureal herself and it helps to have another successful person in my camp.


With all my planning almost complete, and a spotless apartment, I look to long term planning. This small business is just a window to bigger business ventures. The mind never stops.

Maybe that Sunday that I'm in the Gallardo returning from the perfect round of golf, speeding to my beautiful home, with a manicured lawn, circular drive and double doors. I'm greeted by my beautiful wife and kids. I can smell dinner cooking as I tell my wife about my golf round and hear the tales of the kids activities for the day.



Sounds like a great life. Will I be at peace then?

HELL NO!







I got the yellow Gallardo, I need the green.

I just shot an 85, I need to get my rounds down into the 70's

I'm feeling kind of chunky, I better go running after dinner.

Did my kids do their homework,

What's my schedule for tomorrow...

My wife’s birthday is coming up……..


That's how I roll! The Millionaire Mind never stops…….

Holla

-MJL

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

THE LAWS OF POWER III (Part 1 of 2)

CONCEAL YOUR INTENTIONS

"Keep people off-balance and in the dark by never revealing the purpose behind your actions. If they have no clue what you are up to, they cannot prepare a defense. Guide them far enough down the wrong path, envelop them in enough smoke, and by the time they realize your intentions, it will be too late. "

Ok, this one is pretty deep. Remember these tactics are to be used to gain power, not friends. Many of these laws are deceptive and manipulative but good. You can even see how on shows like "The Apprentice" and "Survivor" these laws are keys to success.

The first part of this law involves putting forth false intentions.

USE DECOYED OBJECTS OF DESIRE AND RED HERRINGS TO THROW PEOPLE OFF THE SCENT

Robert Green says, "Use false sincerity, send ambiguous signals, set up misleading objects of desire. Unable to distinguish the genuine from the false they cannot pick out your real goal".

In business, when talking with people I try to figure out their intentions before I think about what they are actually saying. Their intentions often gives true meaning to what and why they are telling me certain things. In turn, I assume that people are doing the same to me.

I have a slight advantage in this because I do not fit the mold very easily. I am not an easy read by anyone and my motives are very hard to decipher. I have a small select group of "friends" that I am open with, and everyone else can kiss my ass.

More from Robert Greene:
"Most people are open books. They say what they feel, blurt out their opinions at every opportunity, and constantly reveal their plans and intentions. They do this for several reasons. First, it is easy and natural to always want to talk about one's feelings and plans for the future. It takes effort to control your tongue and monitor what you reveal. Second many believe that by being honest and open they are winning people’s hearts and showing their good nature. "

I fight the urge to belt out plans and actions by confiding in close friends. You want to shout out every moment that you are going to rule the world but by being "unabashedly open you make yourself predictable and familiar". It is almost impossible to respect or fear you, and power will not accrue to a person who cannot inspire such emotions.

I have seen this first hand at my job. We had a high ranking official that was so predictable. He was so emotional that he could not possibly conceal his plans and his hatred toward me and other high ranking officials, allowing his every move to be countered until his demotion.

That's right, I don't play at work. I will take you down!

Another tactic mentioned by Robert Green is false intentions. "Hide your intentions not by closing up (with the risk of appearing secretive, and making people suspicious) but talking endlessly about your desires and goals- just not your real ones. You will kill three birds with one stone: You appear friendly, open and trusting; you conceal your intentions; and you send your rivals on time-consuming wild-goose chases."

Part 2 to follow.


-MJL

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Back in Action

Well, after a week of hosting 3 Shanghai customers and 2 Korean visitors I am whooped. Last week pushed me to my physical and mental limit; probably the most challenging week for me this year.

My guests flew into Detroit on Friday and had to be hosted from Friday to Thursday evening. While hosting I also had to work with my customer 14 hours per day, during their stay. Of course they could not drive in the states so I had to drive them around town.

With all that being said, I built up an incredible admiration for them. The 3 customers were all in their late 20's and all very good people. They were really good at their respective positons and challenged me both intellectually and socially. Since most communication is non-verbal our guests were able to tell pretty quick, genuine people from fake-ass people. As I began to devlop their trust, they would let me know what they think about certain people they have met or worked with, and they were surprisingly accurate. What would take normally 3-4 months to observe about someone's personality they were abe to figure out in hours. I will try and pay more attentio to nonverbal cues in the future. I never knew how powerful they were.

Thanks for the email support, regarding my continued posts. Don't worry, I haven't left, I only took a week off. You can always scroll throught the archives for the "Best Of" posts. (Now I know how Howard Stern feels when he goes on vacation). I AM BACK IN ACTION

-MJL