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Your Actions Always Tell The Truth

Written by: Keith Ferrazzi

Article Overview: I know what it's like to feel broke. I grew up that way.

Your Actions Always Tell The Truth

I know what it's like to feel broke. I grew up that way. If you worry about your personal finances, read Larry Winget’s new book You're Broke Because You Want To Be: How to STOP Getting By and START Getting Ahead. Larry and I had a ball when we met on CNBC’s Millionaire Inside. He tells it to you straight, which is why I like him. You’ll see what I mean from this excerpt on getting your actions in alignment with your priorities:

“Money is a dead giveaway of what is important in anyone’s life. What do your bank statement and credit card statements say about you? I was working with one family when I asked the father if he loved his son. He said of course he did. I told him he didn’t. I told him he loved his cigarettes more than he loved his son because he spent more on his cigarettes than he did making sure his son had a secure future. I then took his cigarettes from him, threw them on the floor, and stomped them flat with my cowboy boot. He was pissed! I loved it…”

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Article Tags: alignment, cigarettes, cowboy boot, credit card statements, dead giveaway, excerpt, millionaire, money, personal finances, priorities, wingets



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Me Too - So.... - I write. Its a form of 'pull' marketing that suits me, though I'm quite an outgoing person. I know all the stuff about it not being me, 'they're just not ready yet'. Truth is I'm not good with rejection and will walk if I get too much of it - so I do it differently. Each to his own I guess. Still, I wish I had the guts to do those 500, just to say 'I did it'! Will read that article!
Re: Cash up front ... or Royalties? - There are so many amazing stories here. Most my inventions were created on the job and are the property of my employer. Cash up front if you are out of options is what some people must do. These people may consider a 5 year contract. This would allow them to renegotiate another license when they are stronger financially. Truth is most people that are in financial trouble today are still in trouble 5 years later. Discipline and control of your own life is priceless. An example of cash up front versus royalties is "Star Wars" Harrison Ford (Hans Solo) took cash up front. He needed the money. Alec Ginness (Obiwankonbi) took royalties. I believe the force is still paying.
Business plans are a waste of time - I really like what Shri said in a previous post about how the usefulness of a business plan depends on the individual. However, after reading some of Martin Lindstrom's "Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy"... I'm beginning to think that all business plans and traditional market research (i.e. using focus groups, surveys, etc.) are a total waste of time. No joke, I'm serious. Lindstrom says "That's because, just like market research, economic modeling is based on the premise that people behave in a predictably rational way", but "Most of the brain is dominated by automatic processes, rather than deliberate thinking. A lot of what happens in the brain is emotional, not cognitive." ("Buyology" pg 28). Basically, consumers will tell you one thing, and do simply do another with their unconscious minds.
Synergy and Other Creative Insights - Truth is that there is [u:2iwgooi1]C[/u:2iwgooi1]ollaboration - on a formal basis and [u:2iwgooi1]c[/u:2iwgooi1]ollaboration which is informal. Let's say that you have a great new product. Before it launches you get loads of buddies in the same business as you to tear it apart and let you refine it. Creative people will get others in as well. people from outside the business - or those who are in the business who might not have anything to do with it and seek their input - listening hard. These aren't focus groups, they are way beyond this - they are real outsiders and thus have very open minds, asking the dumb, the stupid questions, which are often the most valuable. Questions like these help me be a good coach too! I once worked in a business where the backshop (the store room) was always untidy. They held a team meeting and had the cook in as well (you know the one who ran the employee facility). She knew nothing about the storeroom and its processes, but boy did she ask some tricky questions of them. Sometimes, little 'c' collaboration is real good at the mocro level, without which the big 'C' collaboration would be worthless.
Re: Franchises in Texas... - [quote="GT Bulmer":2vkmvy75]ps - Is global warming a concern? Or are the melting icecaps and changing weather patterns simply one of Earth's cycles that happens periodically with or without Mankind's loving touch? We've been on the planet too short of a time to truly understand Earth's cycles.[/quote:2vkmvy75] Hi GT, I think global warming is definitely a concern for everyone. While some of us may not directly be "hurt" by the environmental changes in our lifetime, I believe the next generation will. According to Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth"... I can't recall for sure, but I think there's a prediction that Manhattan will be submerged in water in the next 50 years (due to polar melting and rising water levels). And I just heard on the news today that out of 29 weeks of "summer" this year, Toronto had 8 weekends where both Saturday and Sunday had rainfall which is abnormal (and also weekend spoilers!).


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