MISSING

I have been very SLACK with my blogging of late, BUT, I will be making a concerted effort to provide informative and helpful commentary each day in 2012.

I'm signing off for 2012 and would like to wish everyone a happy and safe Christmas and New Year.

If we can all strive to be the best we can be in 2012, think how good the year could be:)

Losing Lesson Number 6

Sleep In. Hey, you don't want to accomplish much anyway, you might as well sleep in. Let the early morning achievers clear out before waking.

LESSON FIVE - HOW TO BE A LOSER

Avoid failure. The best way to avoid pain, rejection and failure, is not to try at all.

LESSON FOUR - HOW TO BE A LOSER

Be heard. You have a voice - use it often. Be sure to tell your story, no matter who is talking and what the topic is.

HOW TO BE A LOSER: LESSON THREE

Don't believe in anything. It is easier to be cynical. If you believe in something, you will have to do something. It's easier to point out what's wrong with something. Then you are off the hook!

HOW TO BE A LOSER: LESSON TWO

Seek Comfort -  Growth and progress requires work, stress and struggle. Forget it. Stay comfy instead.

Losing Lesson Number 1

Take it Day by Day. Don't bother with setting goals, making plans and preparing. Just wake up each morning and figure out what you want to do then.

SOMETIMES LOSERS CAN BE A BIG HELP

Hi all, good to be back in the blogosphere. Just read a great piece by Darren Hardy, publisher of  'Success' magazine. He refers to one of my favourite sources of wisdom and inspiration, the late Jim Rohn, who said, "It's a shame failures don't give seminars"

The obvious question is why??????

The answer is even more simple, He would say, “If you meet a guy who has messed up his life for forty years, you’ve just got to say, ‘if I bring my journal and promise to take good notes, would you spend a day with me? Tell me how someone like you with a beautiful family, everything going for you messed up your life so bad. What did you do? What do you read? What do you eat? What type of people do you hang out with? What do you do with your free time? What TV programs, newspapers, and radio programs do you spend time with? Wouldn’t that information be valuable? Find out and then DON’T DO those things.” Great strategy.


Over the next week I'll list some of the wonderful habits/attitudes that you should AVOID at all costs.

AGAINST THE FLOW

To be counter-intuitive is something most of us are naturally geared against, Warren Buffet put it best, " when everyone is being greedy, be frightened, when everyone else is frightened be greedy". This is one of the principles that has made him one of the most successful investors in history.

For home owners with a mortgage most are waiting for the next rate drop which has been anticipated by a significant percentage of our leading economists. Hardly a time when you would be thinking of fixing your home loan rate, why would you do that when rates are going down? What most people miss is that this is exactly the time when you should consider fixing all or part of your home loan. Why?

Because long before interest rates begin to rise lenders will be increasing their fixed rates, and at the moment the 3 year and 5 year fixed rates are well below the standard variable rate.

Every borrower's circumstances are different, but now would be a good time to talk to your mortgage broker or financial adviser.

GOYA

Just had a wonderful week away with my wife in beautiful far north Queensland. One question that came to mind on this my 12th trip to Cairns, if you live in paradise where do you go for holidays?

While we were there relaxing had plenty of time to do some reading. There is an absolute wealth of information available to all of us, in particular how to get the best out of ourselves and what makes us tick.

One thing that does stand out, no matter how much information you acquire, how much you learn, it is worth very little unless you...

Get Off Your Arse!

NLP

It really can be a wonderful journey when you go to places that you have never been. Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend an NLP seminar presented by Terry McClendon. Terry is a native of California who emigrated to Australia in 1982, he studied at UC Santa Cruz with the founders of Neuro Linguistic Programming, Richard Bandler and John Grinder. NLP is a communication model that is well worth a look, google is really good for this. I know I'm repeating myself, but I do have my grand daughters to thank for my new found curiosity to explore new thoughts and ideas, again, for that I am forever grateful.

HELP TO GET OVER THE HUMP

"What will get us all through the tough times is giving respect to those who need it, accepting help from the most unlikely sources and a communal spirit that celebrates even the smallest of achievements.

You find inspiration and life-changing experiences in the most unusual places and sometimes at your lowest point."

Whilst I have enormous respect for what Eddie McGuire has achieved from his humble start in life, I never really thought I would be quoting him in my blog. I was searching for information about a fellow by the name of Mick Dugina, one of the unknown and unsung people behind the Collingwood Football Club, a man who from all reports overcame a very challenging start in life to become an integral part of the most successful football club, in financial terms and membership numbers at least, in the history of sport in this country.

The above quote comes from an article that Eddie wrote in the Sunday Herald Sun on the 16th November 2008. The article describes how Eddie managed to climb Mt Humphrey in Arizona with the the football team during their high altitude training camp, and the assistance he received from Mick Dugina to complete the challenge.

To paraphrase Eddie, you never know where you will find the help, inspiration and strength to get through the tough times that we will all surely endure at some time.

Vale Steve Jobs

In this new world of electronic communication I think you know you have left your mark when your passing can generate 10,000 tweets per second and almost collapse the twitter network.

LIVE LEARN GROW

A conversation I had today reminded me of a quote used by Tony Robins, "every living thing is either growing or dying", you have the choice to either exist and mark time, or to continue to learn and grow, and it is YOUR choice.

I had the opportunity this morning to speak with one of the most awarded Life Coaches in Australia, Master Coach, Noel Posus. While it was only a relatively brief conversation, I finished our chat knowing a lot more about Life Coaching and Life Coach training than I did before and also confirming my goal to complete the required study to practice in this field.

Take advantage of the vast amount of people and resources that are available to help all of us achieve our goals, and never miss an opportunity to provide that same assistance to anyone you can help along the way.

Check out - www.noelposus.com

Well worth a visit.

THERE'S STILL TIME

For some of us in Australia it's Monday evening at the end of a long lazy, long weekend. Three days into a new month, the start of the last quarter of 2011. While there are some who are not fans of new years resolutions, it doesn't seem that long ago that this year had dawned with all the hopes, dreams, ambitions, expectations and plans that generally accompany the start of each year. Maybe this is as good a time as any to reflect on where we were at the start of the year and where we are now, in our personal and professional lives. Have you achieved all of part of what you thought possible this year? Thinking about how you thought this year would be, on a scale of 1 - 10, how would you rate it thus far?

The really good news is that there is still time to re-focus your energy and make this year the best yet.

Remember:

"Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements."
Napoleon Hill 

Life Coaching

I have spent literally hundreds of hours over the last 6 months researching the growing industry in Life Coaching, and in that time I've only scratched the surface.
My initial approach was somewhat cynical, with thoughts of guru's telling us all how to be bigger, better brighter, richer, etc....
To some extent this does exist but after looking a bit deeper I've developed a healthy respect for this approach to improving our lives in many different areas.
The best comparison I could come up with is to look at the world of sport, even the worlds best in whatever sport, need a coach. Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, at his best, Ian Thorpe at his peak. These people are or have been the best in the world at what they do, but each of them had a coach.
World leaders, CEO's of some of the worlds largest companies, have all used a coach as a resource to be the best they could be.
I will continue to research the different approaches to coaching, but it is safe to say that I have become a convert.
If it is an effective tool for some of the best and brightest, why not you and I?

WHY WORRY!

I just read a great tweet from Brendan Kelly, "Don't worry about what people think, most people don't think"
A good thought to keep in mind when we are procrastinating (that word again!) about whether or not we should take a particular course of action or otherwise.
Have confidence in yourself and just go with it:)

RESULTS

There is one thing that all of us in the business world have been guilty of at some point in time, and that is procrastination. I just read a great quote that I found in a newsletter from a Life Coach in the US, Alexia Vernon, (www.alexiavernon.com)  "There are two kinds of people in the world: those who have reasons and those who have results" (Marie Forleo and Laura Roeder)

Reminds me of the Nike slogan, 'Just do it'

YOU ARE RIGHT!

An oldie but a goodie from the late, great, Henry Ford;

"Whether you think you can or think that you can't, you are usually right"

I hope everyone had a great Sunday:)

Gnothi Seauton

GREECE

The late Jim Rohn once again has got it right, his comment from many years ago pretty much sums up the problem that Greece, and some other European countries have today:

"Economic disaster begins with a philosophy of doing less and wanting more"

That one comment really does reflect a lot of the worlds economic problems today.


Quotes by Jim Rohn, America's Foremost Business Philosopher, reprinted with permission from Jim Rohn International ©2011.

John Assaraf????????????????

I took the time to travel to Sydney yesterday to see a presentation by John Assaraf. The presentation was very good, easy to listen to, very professional and in a way made a lot of sense.

I'm just struggling a little bit with the concept, I think I can see where he is coming from but still need some time to think on it?

I'd love some thoughts from anyone who has seen or heard John before, or read any of his work.

Live a Life that Matters

I didn't realise I was a fan of poetry, however thanks to a friend of mine (thanks Jules:) I had the opportunity to read the above poem by US poet Michael Josephson.

" Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end.
There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.
All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten will pass to someone else............"

There is a really good slide show with this poem at;

http://www.slideshare.net/bturino/live-a-life-that-matters-2851383

ADDING LIFE TO YOUR YEARS

Just reading another wonderful email from Sharon Pearson from The Coaching Institute in Melbourne. By the way if you haven't heard of Sharon or the institute, visit their website, I couldn't recommend it highly enough.

A thought that Sharon shared is part of a quote from Bob Moorehead (US author) writing about the paradox of our times, something which really hits home when you think about it, " We've added years to life, not life to years"

THE SECRET

I was searching the net for some information that I could use for a project that I'm working on and came across a link to 'The Secret'. I could remember when this was released about 5 years ago, and at the time thinking , yeah right! That was without ever reading the book or watching the movie. Anyway I followed the link and I have now watched the movie and I think I get it? I will no doubt watch again to confirm my first impression.

If anyone else has seen the movie or read the book I'd love to hear your thoughts, I think you have to go past what it first appears to be?

GETTING THERE

While there is no shortage of guru's around today, some of the originals are still the best. Napoleon Hill was born in 1873 and passed away in 1970 and yet his work is still as relevant today as it was the century before last. I was reading some of his work today and one of his quotes, amongst many, is as good a thought for today as any:

"The starting point of all achievement is desire"

PROBLEMS????????

I was fortunate a little while back to catch up on facebook with a great girl I knew many years ago. In recent times she has had some fairly major health issues, and in the face of that has maintained an unbelievable attitude. Really well encapsulated by a recent post on her FB page which pretty well sums up a lot about the way she looks at life, something the rest of us could have a good think about;

" If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back in a heartbeat"

A DIFFERENT VIEW

In business we are always, or should be, trying to find a different way to look at things that will help to give us a new perspective on what we are doing or trying to achieve. For most of us the answer is very close to home.

Look through the eyes of a child!!!!!!!

Whether it is your own child, a niece or nephew, or if you are lucky enough like myself, a young grandchild or two:)

Young children have an absolutely amazing view of life and the world they live, just imagine if you could see your personal and business life everyday with excitement and curiosity. You don't want to go to bed because you're excited about what's been happening all day and there might still be something left that you'll miss out on! You can't wait to get up in the morning to see what the day brings!

WE REALLY SHOULD NEVER EVER ALLOW OURSELVES GET TOO OLD OR TOO CYNICAL TO EXPERIENCE THAT FEELING..........LIFE IS WAY TOO SHORT.

DISCIPLINE

I was having a chat tonight with an old family friend, who is, by the way, one of the most successful professional punters in Australia. Amongst other things we were discussing the importance of discipline in his line of work. This did get me thinking about the importance of discipline generally, and I think it was very well captured by the late Jim Rohn* "Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment."


Good thought to end the day:)


*Quotes by Jim Rohn, America's Foremost Business Philosopher, reprinted with permission from Jim Rohn International ©2011.

Maximise Your Time

Read a great quote from Collingwood Ruckman, Luke Ball, "Is what I am doing going to take me closer to a premiership, or further away?"
For premiership, insert;

• Personal goals
• Health goals
• Business goals, etc

The trick is making what you do everyday, count!
TIME IS ABOUT THE ONLY THING WE CAN'T GET BACK IF WE LOSE IT.

World View

"If you change the way you look at the world, the world you look at will change"..Dieter Pauwels

DAY ONE

Time for me to launch into the 'blogosphere', if that's not a word, it is now. Our aim is to help business owners; 

• To structure their finance facilities in the most effective and cost efficient manner.
• Manage their business to maximise the resources they have available.
• Negotiate with creditors during difficult times.
• Provide guidance and advice to new business operators.
• Provide structured equipment funding facilities.
• Assist in dealing with compliance issues and policies.
• Preparation of tender documents.
• Source residential and investment mortgage finance.