I Choose Love

A note from: peter@thewealthyattitude.com

Welcome to the end of the typical week.

I want to finish up the week with a video offering.

As we slide into the Spring season I think it's important that I remind you of the power of that magnificent thing called "choice".

I love what I do because I "chose" it. It isn't forced on me, I don't "have" to do it. I do it because I "choose". How about you?

Remember your power of "choice" as you watch this great piece.

I Choose Love (2) 6:30 View it here!

Enjoy your weekend by "choice".

See you on Monday.

Walk Your Talk - Or Just Keep Walking

A note from: peter@thewealthyattitude.com

As is usual at this desk, I’m getting a whole bunch of feedback from our beloved home-based business entrepreneurs. This is the group of people who get my un-divided attention. They are my heroes.

Some conversations are going on out there about the frustration of dealing with people who don’t do what they say they are going to do. Yes my friends, it’s a fact of the home-business life. We must endure those very “special” people.

I go to some old truisms to cast a saving light to you. You’ll never be sick enough to help the sick, you’ll never be poor enough to help the poor, you’ll never be ignorant enough to help the ignorant. All you can ever do is rise above it all. It’s your choice, show up small, or, show up big. I opt for BIG.

Our good friend and home-based business pro, Laurie Hayes, offers you something that you may just want to spread around today. Have fun with the reactions.

Walk Your Talk- Or Just Keep Walking

by Laurie Hayes

Is it me or do the majority of people in this world feel that words are just meant to fill quiet spaces yet not really mean anything?

From friends to business associates to service providers and potential clients, it is rare to find people who put worth to their words and actually follow through on what they say they will do.
And when I meet people who actually do what they say they will and mean what they say, it's like a breath of fresh air and inspires me to hold on to them as friends, colleagues and business associates.

How many times has someone told you they would find the information you need and get back to you right away, yet were never heard from again?

How many people have promised to give you a contact or referral or a helpful resource for your business while schmoozing with you at a social function, but pitched your card into the trash as soon as they got home?

How many times has someone excitedly agreed to or offered to do something with or for you and although you've called them repeatedly to make arrangements, never return your call?

Unfortunately, there are people in this world who speak out of both sides of their mouth -- telling people what they think they want to hear, but with no meaning or intent behind the words.

The world is filled with fakes, opportunists and self-absorbed people who are more interested in hearing the sound of their own voice than putting quality into their words.

It's life. Accept it and use it to your advantage.

Integrity is one of the main pillars of success in life and business and when people know they can count on your word, you are elevated to a highly esteemed and valued position in their mind.

By simply following through on your promises, over-delivering on your agreements, and speaking from the heart instead of paying lip service, you can position yourself head and shoulders above the competition and be the person your clients rave about to their friends and colleagues.

Honesty, integrity and a genuine willingness to help others pay rich rewards not only in the form of profits, but in mutually rewarding relationships. When you help others, the universe also aligns itself to help you.

When you're authentic, the world is your oyster.

Practice these three simple rules and you'll be richly rewarded.

1. If you say you're going to do something, do it.

2. If you can't do it, follow-up by letting the other person know.

3. If you have no intention of doing something, don't offer it in the first place.Either walk your talk, or just keep walking …

Laurie Hayes, founder and director of The HBB Source, helps freedom seekers cross the bridge from employee to home-based entrepreneur. Subscribe to her FREE e-zine for valuable tips and resources designed to create business success, at http://www.thehbbsource.com

The Natural Flow of Success

A note from: peter@thewealthyattitude.com

Getting into April brings thoughts of warmer days, no wind chill, and the lawn greening up. What a fun month it becomes.

As I mentioned yesterday, it is this week where we get a chance to evaluate our progress for 2008. Many people just resign themselves to the same old, same old, and repeat the disappointments of previous years.

But not you, this is the week you get to celebrate being on track, and on purpose. As our good friend Philip says, “You Are in The Natural Flow of Success”.

The Natural Flow of Success
By Philip Humbert

Every human being wants to live a great life. We have dreams and aspirations. We have a picture of how we want things to work out, and one of the essential tasks of adult life is to find a way to make our lives work out well.

We all try a variety of strategies. We work for someone else, or start our own business. Perhaps we choose a life partner, or find a community to put down roots. Some of us climb the "corporate ladder" while others choose life on a farm or in a small town. Whatever our strategy, the task is the same: To create the life we truly want and perhaps leave a legacy for our children.

The question is, whether success starts with achievement in the outer world, or whether it starts on the "inside" with personal development.

While most people SAY they believe success begins with personal development, what I notice is that we ACT as if success is primarily a matter of outward achievement and recognition. I find that most people start by focusing on financial or other external success in the hope that inner peace and personal fulfillment will come with it.

The question is whether this strategy actually works.

For hundreds of years, wise writers have said the natural flow of success is from the inside out. Benjamin Franklin had a list of 13 personal virtues that he worked on throughout his life. About a hundred years ago, James Allen wrote the classic, "As A Man Thinketh" and said that success always begins with our THOUGHTS.

In the 1930''s, Napoleon Hill wrote his famous, "Think and Grow Rich." He argued that our actions are pre-determined by our thoughts and noted that personal development is the spring from which all success flows.

Few people seriously question that success is an "inside job." It begins with our thoughts, with our values and our personal integrity, and FLOWS TOWARD or RESULTS in external success at every level.

I suspect most long-time readers of TIPS agree with this.
And yet we still fall into the trap of thinking that success is mostly or primarily based on external skills or circumstances. We up-grade our computers, change jobs, or in some cases we move to a new city or even change spouses, hoping that if we change the right "things" our personal lives will be transformed. It doesn't work that way.

First, be a person of integrity. First, "know thyself."
First, clarify your values and your priorities. First, know your ultimate purpose, your long-term destination and your most important values, then build on these things.
Success is only partly about marketing or money or getting a promotion, and it has almost nothing to do with the size of your house or the price of a new car. And the ultimate irony is that those nice things (and there's no denying they are nice and they are fun!) often come quickest and easiest to those who start with personal development.

For every hour you spend working on your sales skills, spend an hour getting to know yourself. For every dollar spent on training and professional development, spend a dollar on yourself or your family. For every new tool you buy, read a book on relationships, spirituality or personal growth.

Success is an inside job and the best success comes from a balanced, total approach.

The Power of Surrender

A note from: peter@thewealthyattitude.com

Hello and welcome to the first day of a brand spanking new month.

Now, you know what question I’m going to ask!

We are now a full ¼ of 2008 completed. How are you doing with your goals and intentions for the year? Are you right on track? If not, why not?

What do you need to adjust right now to make sure you fulfill the promise to yourself?

I was having a chat with a good friend of mine yesterday about “monkey chatter.” You know, that noise that goes on in our head, yes, the one we are responsible for.

What we discovered was that it is that “voice” that keeps us from experiencing all of the magic of living by design. It is that“voice” that tells us we are not worthy, and that our dreams are unrealistic, and that people will think we are strange if we separate ourselves from the “herd”.

The solution we came up with is really quite simple. Make the“external chatter” louder than the “internal chatter”. The“external chatter” can be made up of many of the hundreds of personal growth CD programs, DVD programs, internet webcasts, personal development books, affirming dialogue, meditation, relaxing, and surrendering our obsessive need to control everything.

Good ideas, yes?

Today’s offering is a neat place to start.

The Power of Surrender

By Helene Rothschild

John called me in desperation. The forty-three-year-old telemarketer was going to be evicted from his apartment because he had not paid his rent. John was interviewed for a job but had not heard from the company. Needless to say, he felt powerless and terrified.

I listened to his difficult situation with compassion. Then I said to my client, "John, I suggest that you lie down with your feet apart and palms facing the ceiling in an open, surrender position. Then say from your heart, I surrender to my spirit, to my higher self. Thank you for the perfect job and money to pay my rent. I am grateful!" John expressed some doubts if this would work, but in his state he was ready to try anything.

The next day, John called and said in an excited voice, "It worked, Helene! Last night I did what you suggested, and this morning I received a job offer. Based on the employment opportunity, my landlord was willing to let me stay in my apartment. Thank you so much!!! I never realized that surrender is so powerful!"

How can surrender be related to power? We often view surrender as a weakness. Most people would imagine a picture of a defeated person or an army walking forward with heads down, waving a white flag toward the enemy, and hoping that they will live and not be too severely punished for their actions. It means, in these scenarios, hopelessness, a giving up of their stand - their desires of having things the way they wanted them to be.

Surrender is usually associated with feeling powerless and very sad for losing or giving up. It also brings up fears of the unknown and of not being in control of our destiny, as it may be subject to the whims of the winners. This is a grim picture to burn away from your mind, so that you can clear the slate and be open to a new image - to new possibilities.

The surrender we are now going to explore comes from a humble mind that realizes it cannot figure out, plan, know, or do everything. Our human part is also called our personality. It consists of our mind, body, and emotions. It is fear and love-based.

Our fourth part is our higher self. This spiritual part is unlimited and only comes from love, wisdom, trust, and faith. One way we connect with this all-knowing, all-powerful part is by listening to our intuition. (By the way, men also have intuition even though it is considered a feminine skill. It comes with the human package.)

After our personality has tried everything logical to find a job, housing, relationship, etc., we can surrender to our higher self and go beyond the mind. Or, we can surrender to that powerful part of us to begin with. I found the latter to be much easier and more fun.

For example, when I want to find a place to live, I lie down in surrender position and I say from my higher self, who comes from trust and faith, "Thank you for finding me the perfect place to live. I am grateful!"

Then I follow my intuition to know what my mind, body, and emotions can do to help me locate my perfect home. For example, I intuitively know when to buy the newspaper, which ad to respond to, or where to post my ad. Or, I will get the message to go to a party and meet someone who is renting his or her home.

As you can see, to truly surrender is to replace fears and doubts with trust and faith. It means expressing what you desire and having a knowing that the universe supports you, that you are truly powerful, and you have all the answers inside of you. It means becoming very still, focusing inward, and listening to your inner voice either through a gut feeling, softly spoken words, or a vision.

As John said, "I never realized that surrender is so powerful." I never did either until I tried it myself. It has worked for me many times, and the power of surrendering to my higher self has been amazing. It can be for you too!

By Helene Rothschild, MS, MA, MFT, Marriage & Family Therapist, intuitive counselor, speaker, and author of the Amazon best selling book, "All You Need Is HART!" She offers transformational, international phone sessions, teleclasses, books, e-books, MP3 audios, tapes, and a free newsletter, MP3 audio and e-book from her site: Love Yourself to Peace

Copying the Success of Theodore Roosevelt

A note from: peter@thewealthyattitude.com

Good day to you as we get this first week of April kicked off.

I’m feeling particularly terrific today after reading some of the feedback about Friday’s video. I have to say that we have some incredible subscribers who now clearly know what the power of “decision” really means.

To get us up and running for the week we turn to one of our regular contributors. Like me, Philip is a voracious reader and has a library that is set as a model for each of us.

Let’s get into what he has to say.

Copying the Success of TR
By Philip Humbert

About 30 years ago, a giant of a man and someone I greatly admired, Bruce Thieleman, told me that to keep growing, to serve my clients well, and to stay at the top of my game, I would need to read at least two books a week. For the rest of my life! Fortunately, it's not difficult.

I love reading and I particularly enjoy biographies of notable people.

This week, I read the first volume of Edmund Morris' biography of Theodore Roosevelt. It's fairly massive, about 750 pages, but it's delightful reading. TR's trips to the badlands are as exciting as any western, and in this election year, his time in the New York legislature, his run for Mayor of New York and his years as Governor are particularly intriguing. If you love biographies, this is a superb work.

Most important for The Wealthy Attitude Daily Reader subscribers, however, are the lessons we learn from the most influential people in history.

As Tony Robbins and others have said, success is not an accident! It leaves clues. We can learn the tools and skills, the tactics and traits of high achievers, and if we apply them to our own lives, good things happen! There's no mystery about this.

If we copy the habits and patterns of "average" people, we get average results. Almost everyone knows someone (in your family, a neighbor or friend) who refuses to develop their natural talents. This type of failure (what else would you call it?) is all around us. Everyday, we see talented people who permit one or more unfortunate habits to hold them back. Here's a hint: Don't copy them!

Fortunately, we also have models of people who passionately pursue every ounce of talent, opportunity and potential they have. They do things differently. They have habits and attitudes and behaviors that create the results they desire. Here's a hint: Copy THESE people!

So, what have I observed about TR? Obviously, many, many things--enough to fill a massive biography! But here are just a few:

1. Enormous self-discipline. As a skinny, sickly child who nearly died many times, when his father told him he must build his body, he launched himself into an exercise routine that would shame most Olympic athletes. Later, his work and writing schedule amazed even his publishers. His ability to master the intricacies of politics confounded his adversaries. The man knew how to focus.

2. Applied energy. Whether he was herding cattle, running for election, or playing with his children, people marveled at his ability to get things done. He may have had more energy than most of us, but what struck me was his ability to solve problems. He got up early, he worked hard, he loved what he was doing and his passion drove him forward. Winners have the same 24-hour day, but they use their time and energy differently. The get more and better results.

3. Quick, practical intelligence. TR had the ability to see through the confusion of daily life and find real solutions. When faced with family challenges or political opponents, or the thousands of details that confuse and confound most of us, he would pause, consider his primary objective, and cut through the clutter. To use a modern cliché, he "kept his eyes on the prize." For him, there was always a solution and he was determined to find it.

4. Gusto and love of life. Call it what you will, TR's sheer enthusiasm often carried the day. His most common expression was a rollicking, hugely exaggerated shout of "DEEEElighted!" He loved people. He loved challenges and problems. He loved to laugh and he loved his work. He loved life and was not shy about it. People enjoyed being around him (even when they opposed him) and his passion and joy opened doors that would not have been available to others.

Obviously, we shouldn't try to be anyone but ourselves. Each of us is unique and our highest and best is to be precisely and fully who we are. But we can and do learn from others. Unfortunately too often we learn "accidentally" and bad habits too easily find room in our lives. But we can also learn intentionally from the most successful and inspiring people we can find.


Choose your models wisely. Your life depends on it.

What Powerful Decisions Look Like!

A note from: peter@thewealthyattitude.com

The readers this week have certainly generated a whole bunch of really neat responses, and I have to say that the quality of dialogue has reached a whole new upper level. My thanks to you all.

One of the things that keeps popping up here at the "reader" is folks who can't seem to completely understand what "decisions" really mean. And today I want to bring that close to home.

We're going to finish up the week with a short video about the power of "decision". The young man featured in this piece sets an example for "life" unlimited that each and every one of us should use as a milestone for our future.

Celebrate this outstanding young contributor.

See the video here!

Make this weekend full of powerful decisions!

See you on Monday.

What is a Recession?

A note from: peter@thewealthyattitude.com

What is a Recession?

It doesn't matter whether you want to face up to it or not, this continent is going to be fully in recession pretty soon. Many pundits declare that it is foolish to think that we are not there now, and that we should be taking all steps to safeguard ourselves in every way possible.

Still, many folks with continue blithely along as if some great sweeping hand will emerge from the wild blue wonder and save their financial butt. Trust me, I've been through two recessions, and it ain't going to happen.

Like it or not folks, it's time to really evaluate your position, and take all of the necessary steps to make sure you are able to traverse the coming financial adjustments. And maybe even come out ahead.

Two books that are worth adding to your "required" reading are:

1. Crash proof by Peter Schiff ISBN 978-0-470-04360-8

2. Conquer the Crash by Robert Prechter Jr ISBN 978-0-470-87090-7

So, what is a recession? Without going in to quantum economic analysis, an article that appeared in the Guardian newspaper in January sums it up in one of the best way I've seen. Those of you who are old enough to remember, or have chosen to forget, will be reminded. Those of you too young to know, should pay attention.

This is what a recession looks like!

Wednesday January 23,

2008The Guardian

World markets plunge! Newspapers full of down-pointing graphs and City traders with their heads in their hands. Some of us have been here before, specifically from 1989 to 1992, but for those who are in their 20s and unsure of what to expect, here's a beginner's guide to recession ...

Those weekly shopping sessions will seem like a distant memory, and the merits or otherwise of organic food will suddenly appear less pressing. The empty shop on your high street will no longer be automatically taken over by bouffant-haired real estate agents who install a latte-making machine and a 6ft-wide TV as a matter of priority. Instead, nothing will happen to it.

That voice on your cell phone answering machine that says, "You have ... no new messages" will begin to sound rather sadistic, and your boss will suddenly seem less like David Brent, and more like the angel of death. You won't know where he'll strike next with the fatal words, "Could you just step into my office, I'd like a quick word ..."

Pop-ups won't pop-up so often; newspapers will become thinner. The "50 different ways to brighten up your garden this spring" by a star horticulturalist will become a small article on daffodils written by a subeditor. Your property begins to seem less like a lifeboat and more like a millstone, and a lot of chickens come home to roost. That buddy of yours who played guitar in a band - but not very well - suddenly takes up teacher training.

On the brighter side, though, you will no longer be welcomed into people's houses with the dreaded words, "Do you want the guided tour?", and if you are, you can simply ask, "And how much less is it worth now than when you bought it?"

In a recession, it won't be the people who have got the latest "must-have" gadget who do all the talking. Rather, people who know about root vegetables will come into their own; people who know what to do with a scrag end of lamb or how to fix a broken toaster. Triumphalism will be quelled. Interviewers might cut Victoria Beckham off when she starts talking about the latest additions to her wardrobe, and ask instead whether she leaves the bath water in for David.

Recessions encourage imaginative business ideas, novel-reading, cinema-going, and foster music more akin to the blues than the stridency of Madonna. The last one gave us Wagamama, loft living and Every Day is Like Sunday by Morrissey. Fear not, kids. You have nothing to lose but your credit cards.

Today take "proofing" steps. You'll be glad you started.