Are you disciplined enough...

So you think it might be time to start your own business, eh? Thinking about entering into the world of the Entrepreneur? Are you disciplined enough?

There is much required of you when making the leap of Faith to do so. More than just money to invest, time to invest, books to read, cds to listen to, meetings and seminars to attend. Oh yes, much more than that will be required of you if you are going to succeed in your own business.

Ever since we were young we have been trained up to obey orders in our life. As a young child it was your parents who instructed you on what was right and wrong. Then we enter our school years and our teachers began to instruct us. Finally we enter our adulthood and for 95% of us our boss continues the pattern.

What time you wake up in the morning, where you live, what you drive, when you take your vacations and so on are generally determined by your job. I chuckle when I think back to high school and see the similarities of working a job vs. attending school. The evidence that we are trained up and programmed to perform certain responsibilities each day are too similar.

Mon-Fri you attend school from 7amET - 3pmET, amazing, 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week. The typical expression for a full time job is working Mon-Fri from 9amET - 5pmET, 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week. In school you were told when you were to switch classes. At work you are told when you can take a cigarette break. At school you had a set time for lunch. At work, you do too!! At school you needed permission from your teacher, or the principal, to take time off from school for whatever reason. At work you have to request time off from your boss. We can go on, but I think you get the point.

As an Entrepreneur there is no one that is going to stand over you and tell you when and where you need to be everyday. What projects need to be completed? How many hours per day you are going to work? How much money you will earn every week for doing so? Oh no, it is nothing like that at all. As a matter of fact, if you are not self disciplined enough to work, even when you don't want to, there is no way you will ever make it as an Entrepreneur.

So I ask the question again, "Are you disciplined enough?"

Are you willing to get out of bed everyday and work 8-10 hours, or more if required, without having to report to anyone? Are you willing to work hard without much compensation at the start of your business venture? Are you willing to invest time and money into getting your company up and running? Can you handle the criticism and negative feedback of your peers and family while you start to pursue your dream of becoming financially free? Will you commit to your business plan, making necessary changes as you go, and persevere long enough for your business to establish itself successfully in the marketplace? Will you consistently do what it takes, long enough, without needing to be told what to do next?

When you are your own boss, you must hold yourself accountable. If you don't get up in the morning and go to work, work won't get done. It may seem like an easy thing to do, however, it is an even easier thing not to do!

I have been an Entrepreneur since 1999, and let me tell you, it has not been easy. There have been plenty of times when I chose to play with my kids instead of make phone calls that needed to be made for our business. Slept in late and missed important phone calls and/or appointments. Procrastinated getting work done and wasted entire days doing nothing. The list goes on, however, there is one thing that I did do right......

I kept moving forward. Over the years my wife and I both have learned how to utilize our time efficiently. How to be great stewards with money, not to focus on how much you make but how much you keep. Proven the theory that written goals are much more effective than not writing them down. Waking up in the morning when you don't want to is necessary, and also staying up late, in order to build a successful business. That delaying your gratification for just a little while can lead to much better decisions long term. We realized that we are not perfect, only Jesus can make claim to that, yet were determined, committed, and willing to persevere long enough, until we were able to get it right!

How long will it take? Only God knows, each of us are different. For us it has taken nearly 12 years, however, the results were worth the investment!

So, how about it? Are you disciplined enough? We believe in you! Make the decision to get started, and do it today.....

In Christ,
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

Your strongest relationships...

This article has been inspired by our Isagenix family. It is true that some of our strongest relationships have come to be known because of our business. Just like that of your immediate family and church family, in the networking world you also have your business family.

There is a strong set of emotions that are developed with each person/family that joins your team. For anyone who has never experienced success in network marketing, you cannot understand, however, for those that have, you know exactly what I mean.

I was talking with one of our newest teammates the other night from Alaska. I had told her that she has yet to meet some of her best friends. As she continues to grow her business, she will develop relationships with people from all over the globe. People whose lives she will impact both healthwise and financially......

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE...

The weakest link...

Saturday afternoon we spent time with Josh and Karly Knapp, and family, in Kalamazoo. Our two families are quickly becoming very good friends! Around 6pm or so we decided to visit Apple Knockers in Vicksburg for an ice cream. Yummy....! Afterwards we walked to the local park so our kids could run out some energy before we ended our visit and returned back to Allegan.

While at the park, my oldest son Talen, was on the swing. One of my favorite things to do is twist my kids up in the swings and let them fly! So I did, and he had a blast. This of course led to the other kids, Tyrus and Alexis, wanting to do the same. Once they had finished, I asked Talen if he wanted to go again, this time we would twist him to the maximum and see how fast we could get him zinging!! Talen was all for it! He sat on the swing and I began to twist. Higher and higher and higher, to the point where he barely had anywhere to hold on and there was no more chain to twist. He was literally higher in the air than I am tall. As I released him, giving him a bit of an extra push to start the spinning out quickly, he was off, and I mean he was flying. As we watched him spin, round and round and round, about halfway through the ride, one of the links snapped, and Talen quickly found himself lying on his back laughing and also wondering what had happened. As for the rest of us, we were laughing and in shock that this happened. Nobody was hurt and the experience was very much enjoyable.

After this had happened, while we went back to our vehicles to head home, I told Josh that somehow I was going to turn this event into an article. I mentioned to him that there must be a lesson we can learn so that the article will have value to those who are reading it. With some thought, we came up with, "The weakest link."

So here is the lesson. As we learned from this experience, Talen, Tyrus and Alexis, all spun on the swing. However, when Talen went the second time, something happened. Just one of the links snapped, and the chain was broken. Can anyone say teamwork? Think about each link on the swing as a member of a team. When each link is working in unison with each other, everything works properly. However, should even just one link break, the whole team feels the effect. It only takes one sour grape to ruin the bunch.

Teamwork is extremely important for just about anything you do in life. At your job, there is a team of people who are each responsible for a particular task.

Many times you will hear of situations or circumstances where someone on the team is not performing their job to the best of their ability. When that happens other people have to pick up the slack. This can cause animosity amongst the team and create major issues in the overall productivity.

Yet there are other circumstances where the team members not only perform their job with high levels of productivity, they also go over and beyond their call of duty. Thus creating a team which is strong and capable of handling any task sent their way. There is power in working together as a team.

As another example, think about a family. First of all there is the mom and dad. Before becoming a couple, each was their own individual. Once getting involved in a relationship, they then became a team of two. It does require work to make a relationship last, and it will require effort and sacrifice on both parties to make it happen. Then enters children. Now the team just became larger. Each member of the family has its role to play in the team, especially as the family/team continues to grow. In our family we are known as, Team Curtis Family. Melisa and I have four children. When all six of us are working together as a team, life can be pretty good. However, should even one of us, adults or children, not play our role, things can get crazy, FAST!!

Dads are expected to work and take care of the financial aspects of the relationship, while also devoting his time to the family. Moms are always busy taking care of the house, raising the children, supporting dad, just to list a few. (Women/Moms are amazing!!) Then the older kids are needed to help with chores around the home, in addition to their studies, and also assisting with their younger siblings. The younger children also play a huge role on the team.

It is their job to keep their older brothers and sisters in line. They have to lead by example, constantly reminding their older siblings to stop fighting, wash the dishes, and do their homework. Heh heh, and you think I am joking!! (Well, kinda, but if you have younger children you know what I mean!)

My point is, regardless as to the exact circumstances, or situation, when you work as a team, productivity is at its peak potential. Six hands working on the same project will always outperform one, in theory anyhow! There is power in numbers.

So remember, the next time you are working on a project at work, cleaning the kitchen after dinner, or twisting on the swings at the park, it only takes one weak link to break the chain. Work as a team, grow as a team, and win as a team!

Blessed to be a Blessing,
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

It pays to be patient!

So what exactly does it mean by delaying your gratification anyhow? Patience is not something we are born with, though some personality types are pretty laid back and seem to have more of it than others!

Over the years it has been my observation that when we take our time and think over any decision we make, the outcome is generally better than if we act on impulse. Naturally, as humans, when we want something, we hate to have to wait for it. We want it now!! This type of emotion can really get us into major trouble. There is a 4 letter word that comes to mind when talking about this subject. Anyone care to guess what it is?

D-E-B-T, debt!! Since we live in an instant gratification world, if you can't afford it, charge it. Watched any television lately? Have you seen the ads for new vehicles by chance? Do you notice their marketing plan is to influence you to go finance a new car? The majority of America drives around in vehicles that they couldn't afford. There is nothing financially smart about leasing or financing a vehicle. However, most people when they go to buy a new car only care about one thing, getting the new car! As long as they can afford the monthly payment, they don't care about the interest and payments for the next 5 years. (How many people get that car, then within 12 months, are already wanting a new one?)

Take that scenario above and think about what happens next. You take your car in, after only owning it and making payments on it for 12 months, and try to trade it in. Your car, which you financed $26,000, is now only worth $14,000 for the trade-in and you still owe $23,000 on your loan. Uh-oh, that is negative equity, and that is definitely not good. How many people then try to roll over that negative equity into an upgrade, using some of the available rebates, and finance the new car, which was sticker priced at $35,000, yet your loan is for $39,000? Ahhhhh, you got the new car you wanted, more debt, more negative equity, and a higher monthly payment. :-(

Lets look at this situation from a different perspective. Lets say you wanted this nice car, which brand new would cost you $26,000. Though you could put 20% down, and finance the rest, you decided to delay your gratification. Instead for the next 12 months you continued to drive your existing car, which you owned outright, and set aside money each month in your budget to save for a new car. Now you decide it is time to get the car. Instead of looking for one that was brand new, you find the make and model of the car you want, which happens to be a year old now and has 11,000 miles on it. Because you delayed your gratification, and saved money for the past 12 months, you make an offer of $14,000 cash, and they take it! So, what happened?

Because you waited 12 months and saved your money, you were still able to buy the car you wanted, however, it was a year older with 11,000 miles on it, but you saved $12,000 plus interest. This is just one example of delayed gratification.

Now without thinking on the lines of debt, let's talk about the harder form of delayed gratification. That would be not buying something, though you have the money and can afford it. One of my mentors once said, "If you think spending money is hard when you don't have any, having money and not spending it is even harder." Can you fathom that? If you have the money, why wouldn't you buy what you want?

And the survey says? That is the reason you have a lot of money. Heh heh, think about it. The people who learn to delay their gratification, make smart investments with their money, and put off buying pleasurables until they really can afford it, avoid the trap that most of us fall into. Instead of getting what they want through acquiring debt, they save and invest, then pay cash for what they want. You will quickly realize, the more money you have, that cash is simply a tool. Once you are able to purchase anything you want, the things you want change.

Delaying your gratification is tough. We live in a world where everyone judges you based on your status in the community. It is sad how we live our lives, more concerned about what other people think of us, as opposed to living below our means and making smart decisions for ourselves. We make impulsive decisions that cost us big dividends in the long run just to "show off" our success. Before you make any major decisions in your life, in any area of your life not just financial, set a new 24 hour rule for yourself. Never buy on impulse, always think it through overnight. Ask yourself; Do we need it? Is it worth it? Can we afford it? Why do we want it? Is it a good investment? What is our return on investment?

You will be surprised at how thinking a decision through, being patient, can save you from making some really big mistakes. We are not perfect, and have learned by making plenty of mistakes ourselves. Though delaying our gratification is not always fun, in the end, it has always paid off!

Blessings,
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

Are you a dream stealer or dream encourager?

Have you ever had a dream? Of course you did, and probably still do! Have you ever stepped out of your comfort zone and made the decision to pursue it? If so, then this article will hit home.

One of the first books I recommend anyone starting out on a new business venture to read is "The Dream Giver," by Bruce Wilkinson. If you do not currently have this book in your library, make a point to visit Amazon.com today and purchase it.

Making the decision to change your life is very uncomfortable. It will require growth and leaving behind the familiar. This perhaps is the main reason why so few people chase after their dreams. After all if you are making a decent living, and are comfortable, why would you want to take a risk of leaving that, even if the new destination would provide a more fulfilling life experience, one that you have always dreamed of having?

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE...

The invisible realm...

In a previous article I had talked about being consistent when building an internet business even though there might not be measurable results at the start. Regardless as to what results might be, or might not be, visible, never underestimate what is happening in the invisible realm...

There is a saying that says, "what you do today will affect tomorrow," or "the results you have in life today are a reflection of the decisions you made in the past." This illustrates the point that something is happening whether you realize it or not.

We did get involved in a couple of business opportunities, while on our journey to find the best home business for us, where we learned the truth of the invisible realm the hard way. Let me explain!

When we started building our very first internet business, we began putting advertisement out all over the net. Our friends and family were quickly aware that we were building a business, as they seen our advertising and products when they came to our home. There were cds, dvds, newspapers, brochures, etc. that we began sending out to people who shown an interest in our opportunity. Everything we did always had our name, phone number, email address, and website on it.

For about 6 months we were consistently at it. My wife and I were just sure with all this effort we would certainly have 100's of people chasing us down and becoming customers. Though we did see some results, not much, we started to get burnt out. We didn't understand why this was happening? What were we doing wrong? Slowly our efforts began to decrease and we were starting to get discouraged.

Interestingly enough after we had all but stopped all of our advertising efforts, it seemed business started getting busy. We were receiving emails and phone calls in regards to our business. There were orders being made on our website and we had no idea where they were coming from. When we spoke with some of the people who were responding they were telling us how they found one of our cds at a friends house. Or how they inquired about our products months ago but were not able to get started at that time and now they are ready. One guy even said that my brother told them about our business and gave him a dvd! We were reaping what we sowed!!

As you can imagine we were pretty doggone excited, so we decided to start back our advertising, sending the cds, dvds, newspapers, brochures, etc. in order to keep the momentum going. You probably guessed it, since we did stop our advertising for a few months, eventually the flurry of activity we had died off and we were back to working hard with little results again. Even though we knew what happened last time, we just plain gave up. A few months after we quit the business we found another opportunity. Now here is the kicker, we had people who started calling us about the other company we used to be in. Again, the seeds we sowed were starting to sprout, though it was too late. There was even one lady who we spoke with more than a year prior who was finally ready to get involved, and we were no longer with the company anymore. :-(

So here is my point! You have to realize that everything you do will have a consequence. Sometimes it will be an immediate return, however, in most cases there will be a period of time that goes by before your result is manifested.

This is another reason why it is very, very important that you decide what business you want to get involved with. Make sure it is something you are passionate about and are willing to commit long term, NO MATTER WHAT! Looking back on it, if my wife and I would have never left that initial opportunity.....?

Ah well, the best learning opportunities generally come when you make mistakes. So here we are today, we understand that there is an invisible realm, that everything we do today will affect tomorrow. There are times when it doesn't look like our business is growing, and other times when it is exploding. The important ingredient is to remain consistent. Your efforts will pay big dividends once you understand how this works. It is kinda like the "law of Karma." You know, "what goes around comes around." If you plant good seeds, then you will reap a good harvest!

Learn to use the invisible realm to your advantage. Believe in what you are doing, set a plan of action which consists of daily, consistent activities, and execute your plan with Faith knowing that your desired end result is within reach and will come to pass.

Many people will get started, sadly, only a few will finish what they start! As Winston Churchill said, "Never, Never, Never Give up!"

In Christ,
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

The more you get to know them...

We have all met people we don't know for a first time. Generally most people are consciously aware that making a first good impression is important. However, what I have found to be of more value is the authenticity of a persons character the more you get to know them....

This is very obvious with children. Have one of your children's friends come over to stay the night and you will more than likely see their best side. It is easy, and requires very little effort, to act in a way, that you want people to think, is how you are for short periods of time. However, keep these kids at your home for more than a night and usually by the 2nd day you start to see their true colors.

Too many times we are fooled by the impression we make of someone when we first meet. This is also why it is important that we don't give too much trust to someone that we do not really know. Take for example young couples who start dating. Many young people make the mistake of thinking they are in love way too early in a relationship. If you want to know whether or not the person you are having feelings for is your "night in shining armor", the best thing you can do is get to know them better, and this will take some time.

In the business world it is extremely important that you are who you say you are. Whether you are at work, at home, at church, at the mall, or anywhere else for that matter, you need to be you. Don't be two faced! There is nothing worse than meeting someone, just to find out later they were not the person you thought they were. Character does matter!

Character is what you do, who you are, when no one else is looking. If you act one way when engaged with others, however, act completely different when no one else is around, then you have a Character flaw. Sooner or later people will see the real you.

It is just like the boy who always lies. He will tell his friend one story, his teacher another, and yet his parents a completely different story than he told the first two. Think about how difficult it is to not only remember your lies, but who you told what to? Would it not be easier to just tell the Truth, ALL THE TIME?

Though first impressions are important, lets make sure we are not trying to fool people into thinking we are something that we are not. Take pride in your Character, live your life with Integrity, and cherish your relationships!

Have a blessed day!
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

Article writing is a learned skill...

In 2005 I shut down my very successful carpet company in Virginia very suddenly. Many people thought I lost my mind. If you knew that I was letting go a half million dollar per year business and partnering with a complete stranger in an industry I knew nothing about, you'd probably agree with my critics!

I remember once we made the move getting a brand new HP laptop computer that was way more advanced than any PC I ever owner prior to that. Even more, with my carpet company I never used a computer. I was very old fashioned, did everything by hand, and still have the filing cabinets full of paperwork to prove it!

My partner on the other hand was a College Graduate for computer technology. This dude is a freaking whiz on the computer. I remember the first time I went to his house and he was working online. He was fast when it came to typing, and his ability to type good quality articles was amazing. He told me, "my fingers type what I think, simple as that!" What an awesome skill. Me, on the other hand, I remember him asking me to copy and paste something and I didn't even know how to do that. :-)

There was a time when I really thought there was no way I could ever write articles. It took forever just to draft a basic email, so the thought of typing sales copy, or articles, for any internet based business seemed highly unlikely. Besides, how would I know what to type about anyhow? I just wasn't creative enough to make it happen.

Interestingly enough, over the years a few things started to happen. We had many failed business ventures, and our share of good ones too. On our journey I have been fortunate enough to mentor with some great thinkers and top income earners in our industry, read hundreds of self development books, listened to countless hours of audio albums, watched many hours of online videos relative to our business and so on. It is amazing the amount of information that you can feed your mind, and when needed, you can log in to your own personal database, subconscious mind, and pull out the necessary files that have been stored throughout your life experience.

Take that ability, which we all have, and 5 years of typing on the computer consistently everyday, and now my fingers type what I think. It is actually very cool! The only thing that I need now is a little inspiration about what to type, then I just sit down behind the computer and allow my thoughts and fingers to do the rest of the work. Mind you, in order to type good articles, it is helpful to consistently continue to add new content to your mind daily.

Qondio has offered a great platform for me to also continue to sharpen my skills. Though I realize I am not the best Blogger or Article writer out there in my niche currently, I am determined to get better. As time goes by it is inevitable that my article writing will take off and all the time, effort, and sacrifice will be worth it!

So if you are just starting out online, or have been marketing for some time, have heard about article writing and think you just can't do it? Think again! Here are a few tips to get you started.

First of all, like many authors talk about when writing a best selling novel, they type everyday. Even when they have no idea what to write about! They simply sit down at their desk and begin to write. After just a little while of doing so, words begin to fill the paper, then your creative mind goes to work.

Second, start off easy. Write about your life experiences, your children, spouse or significant other. Re-live some of the childhood memories you had growing up that helped mold you into the person you are today. How did you get started in your business, job, or current niche? What are your dreams, passions, desires, and goals that you have set forth for you to accomplish on your journey? Blog about your favorite Sports teams, etc.

Finally, just begin, and begin today! There is no greater loss than that of time. Time is the only thing that money cannot buy you back, GUARANTEED!

I am going to begin writing more articles in regards to our home business. Part of what I will do is study videos and literature, while taking notes, then type an article on what I learned. You would be surprised at how easy and effective this is at educating your audience on your product or service.

Take a look at what you are currently doing. How can you use the information that you have learned in a way to teach and educate others. If you offer value to the marketplace, it is guaranteed that you will have an audience that will read your articles. Besides, after a little while of doing it, article writing becomes fun and quite addicting. Give it a try, stick with it, and you won't be sorry! After all article writing is a learned skill, and to get really good at anything, it is going to take time and practice!

In Christ,
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

Modern Day Spamming Technology...

Will it ever end? Of course Spam will not, I am referring to the ignorance of those people who fall for the latest and greatest technological spamming techniques that present themselves in the marketplace.

Anyone else sick and tired of the automated, "make $400/day with our system," calls yet? We thought Social Media spam was annoying, well, this takes the cake. My question again, why are people falling for all this crap?

As we were walking back from the lake this afternoon I had received a call on my Isagenix business line. With some ads on Craigslist, and websites all over the net, it is quite easy to harvest my number. There is nothing more annoying than one of those automated lines promoting the easiest, most cost effective way to have prospects calling me all the time. If their system is so great, then why are they trying to sell me on it? Use the system to build the largest, most profitable business ever and stop wasting time trying to find the next idiot to buy into your idea. (They are making $400/day on the people who actually believe them and buy it!)

OK, so I am a bit irritated with all of this. I apologize in advance, however, it is quite obvious that a large majority of people online are still uneducated. Here is a quick lesson for anyone reading this, are you ready?

In order to build a business and create an income, YOU WILL HAVE TO WORK! There is no lie greater than, "our system will build your business for you." Just plug and play, set and forget, kick back and sip your martini while we do all the work for you is plain NONSENSE!!!!

"Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth."

The only way Spammers will ever cease to exist, this will probably never happen, is for people to stop falling for their tricks. Blackhat marketers are all over the latest and greatest ways to trick average people into giving them money. If people would lose their instant gratification, get rich quick mentality, then the effectiveness of these tactics would cease to exist!

If we were not hard wired with a get rich quick mentality, explain why Lottery sales are still up, even in this down economy? I have used this quote several times, and I will use it again here, "Empty your purse to fill your mind and your mind will fill your purse." Benjamin Franklin understood that the key ingredient for success was education. Spammers are making a ton of money because they are taking advantage of those who are not properly educated.

A quick tip, when you do receive one of those annoying calls, be sure and press 9, as it is supposed to take you off their mailing list. If you sincerely want to make $400/day working from home on the internet, be prepared to have to learn, work hard, sacrifice, and commit for some time in order to make it happen!

You can do it!
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

P.S. Think about it this way. How long have you been employed? Are you making $400/day yet? How hard do you currently work for what you are making? Now ask yourself if one of these miracle systems sounds realistic? Common Sense could save you a lot of Cent$!!!

Technology Slavery...

This Fathers Day Sunday we spent the entire day in fellowship with our great church family from Cornerstone Pentecostal Church. We had a blast! There was a pig roast, Sumo Fighting, Bouncers for the kids, horseshoes, volleyball tournament, and basketball.

There was also one other noticeable trend, and that was the "texting war" that was happening throughout. I couldn't help but tease Gabe Knapp who was glued to his cellphone while we were getting ready to start playing basketball. Even after the games concluded he ran and grabbed his phone, went out into the hallway, and started texting some more. Gabe has some game when it comes to basketball, and it also seems he has become part of the "Technology Slavery," that is sweeping our Nation. (He was also the inspiration for me to type this article!)

There are countless advantages to technology these days. Instant communication, mobile internet access, unlimited ring tones and apps to keep you entertained for days, and much more..... However, there is also a downside to this new way of life. Have you ever received a phone call, seen the caller ID and decided you were not in the mood to talk at that particular moment? Then when you check the voicemail the message started off like this, "Hey Ron, where you at dude, I know you have your cellphone on you, YOU ALWAYS DO, you trying to avoid me or something? What's up, call me back dude!"

Somehow we now live in a time where if you don't answer your cellphone, or instantly return a text message, something is immediately perceived as wrong. It is almost as if through all the conveniences that a cellphone brings to the table, it also makes you a slave to answer and respond, regardless as to what you are currently doing. It creates unnecessary animosity amongst friends and family whom call and you do not answer. As if not answering the phone is sending a signal that you do not care about them, or they are not important.

How many times have you seen someone in church, at a birthday party, in the hospital, etc. jump and run when their phone rings? Have you ever been in conversation with someone face to face, just to have their phone ring, and regardless as to the importance of your conversation, they must take the call?

What about going on vacation? I thought a vacation was where you unplugged from your "normal activities" of life and enjoy some time relaxing and getting away? During the day of Technology Slavery, that isn't the case anymore, is it? You may decide to leave your computer at home, but you still bring your Blackberry with you, texting, checking emails, and taking calls even while you are on vacation?

Cellphones have created a 24/7 on call mentality for most people. I am sure some of you reading this will also relate to hearing your phone go off at night while you are sleeping, and awakening, then jumping out of bed to see who is calling you, or texting, at 3o'clock in the morning. Many have children who also have cellphones, not sure what that is about, and during dinner the kids are texting their friends instead of conversing as a family while you eat your meal. How many times have you sat down to eat dinner, the phone rings, and watch all your kids, or even you, jump out of your seat to answer it. Could the person calling not have just left a message and you call them back after dinner?

When out and about start to observe people and what they are doing. The only thing more common these days then smoking is texting or talking on cellphones. Take a look around and tell me we are not living in a time and age where Technology Slavery is evident more now than ever.

Ladies and Gentleman, I myself have 2 cellphones. Yes I generally have them on me. One is for our Isagenix business, and the other our Carpet Installation Service. However, there are 2 main functions on my cellphones that I utilize often. The first is caller ID and the second is voicemail. If I am currently tied up, whether that be at church or conversing with someone in person, these 2 features on my phone work wonders. I still believe that when a person calls, if it was important, they will leave a message and I will CALL THEM BACK!

I am not against texting, and I love the advancements in technology, however, to be on call 24/7 is not for me. Many times people have said, "You are hard to get a hold of," yet the reality is, that is not true. It is only valid when comparing me to someone who has fallen into Technology Slavery....

Here is a test to determine whether or not you are on call 24/7. What is the one thing you could never leave home without? If it is your cellphone, then you might just be a slave to technology. We will pray for all of you! :-)

Be free, be blessed,
Ron

P.S. Gabe did say he doesn't usually text all the time, except in this instance, it was the only way he could communicate with this particular young lady! Perhaps he is not a slave to his cellphone, however, I would like to give him a special thanks! If it weren't for him this weekend, this article might not have been possible. :-)

Modern day language and professionalism?

Am I just old fashioned? It seems the modern day language contains profanity as the main adjective regardless as to the situation or circumstances when engaged in conversation.

Being a contractor there was a time, before finding Christ in my life, that this form of language was acceptable to a certain degree. However, even during the days of my "potty mouth" there was a time and a place where it was just plain unacceptable.

Just going in for a simple oil change these days at the majority of mechanic shops you have to keep your windows up to protect your children from hearing these obscenities. I can recall one particular instance when we needed to get our oil changed and our usual mechanic was booked for that day. So, instead of waiting, we stopped at a new shop which had just recently opened. I felt like we were in the middle of a Rated R Infomercial. The mechanic meant well, I am sure, however, every word that came out of his mouth was preceded with a 4 letter adjective. My wife and I were both very thankful that our kids were sleeping in the back of the van during this occasion. Interestingly enough once he looked in our van and seen the kids he did acknowledge that his language was unacceptable and apologized. Needless to say we have not returned to his shop since.

This is not just a random occurrence either. Everywhere you go people use profanity as acceptable language. As a matter of fact, recently I had a young lady request I measure a carpet job for her. We set a time to meet and when I arrived she was not there. On our third attempt to connect with her via the phone, she answered and once I reminded her of our appointment she said, "Holy S??!, I forgot." Now I am not being judgemental, however, it just seems that there should be a certain level of professionalism and courtesy, especially when dealing, or meeting, with people you don't know.

Again, that might just be it though, since it is "acceptable" language in today's culture, nobody sees anything wrong with it. Personally, I beg to differ.

That raises my second point about Professionalism. Is it too much to ask that when a contractor, or anyone in the service field, is meeting with, or working with, a customer that they display a level of professionalism. Like I mentioned earlier, when I used these same adjectives fluently when engaged with friends, or not around children, never would you catch me talking in that manner with potential clients.

Perhaps I am a 30yr. old, behind the times, husband and father of 4, whom still believes in moral values and good ethics. Or, perhaps we live in a day and age where illustrating good character and integrity just don't seem all that important anymore?

Either way, how about we have a little consideration for those of us who don't appreciate the use of profanity in conversation.

In closing I am reminded of a family that was interested in our Networking Business. We went to their home and shared with them the opportunity and products.

While we were there one of their children came into the room. He was a young white male, probably 14 or 15, and told us he was going to be a professional rapper. I asked him to rap for me, so he did, you can imagine the language he used. Once he finished his little rap I then proceeded to ask him if he could rap for me without using any profanity. Interestingly enough he said, "I can't rap without swearing, it wouldn't sound right."

It seems many people these days can't talk without swearing, after all it wouldn't sound right?

Blessings,
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

You gotta do it the right way...

Yesterday was an awesome day for my wife and I. We are so thankful for all the wonderful people that God has blessed us with in our life. For this article I want to discuss something that happened while Melisa and I were doing a carpet re-stretch in Zeeland, MI.

Now you might think that I am going to talk about the importance of installing carpet, or working your job, that you gotta do it right. Well, kinda, but not exactly! Though we did an excellent job and over-exceeded expectations, as we are known to do, the real reason for this article has to do with what happened after the job was finished!

Our client's wife had made some chicken enchiladas for dinner and, though she had to leave, her husband served my wife and I a plate to show their gratitude. While he was preparing our plates I had asked him if his wife worked outside the home. His response was, not at the moment, as they had just recently adopted a beautiful little boy from Ethiopia and they are not supposed to leave him for at least the first year. He then went on to say that it would be nice/helpful if they had another income coming into their home.

So, our carpet company, First Class Installations, is not our primary business. Where we are most passionate is in the Network Marketing industry. This is where I want to talk about doing it right! You see we don't believe in chasing after people, selling people, hyping up our opportunity, or anything like that. As a matter of fact the reason we are in Networking to start with has nothing to do with selling. Pay close attention, you gotta do it the right way...

First of all, should you decide that you want to start a Network Marketing business, it is absolutely imperative that you find a company that has a unique product which you would gladly pay for every month, WHETHER YOU MADE ANY MONEY OR NOT! The reason to join an MLM company should not be to make a lot of money, though that quite likely will happen should you do it right. Many people have said, "The product doesn't matter," we beg to differ. Anytime you are focused on money, instead of servicing the customer in the marketplace, you are setting yourself up for failure.

What makes MLM powerful is the word of mouth. But why would you tell someone about a product or service that you are not excited about? In addition to that, Networking is a career, if you are going to spend the next 20-30 years of your life in this profession, why would you be involved with a company that you are not passionate about their products or services?

Second, we do not believe in sharing the business with everyone we meet. Many people have this perception that when you join the business you try and sell your opportunity to everyone you know, including friends and family. Nope, this is where step 1 becomes important. Let me give you an illustration using our business.

We are involved with a company that specializes in Nutritional Cleansing and Weight Loss. When Melisa and I first got started we were both skeptical, AS EVERYONE ALWAYS IS, however after doing some research we wanted to try it and see what happens. Both of us lost 12lbs and several inches. It was obvious the products worked, our results were visible! So here is what happened. People at church and others around us said to us, "Wow you guys look great, you've lost weight, what are you doing?"

Did you catch that? Did you see what just happened? We didn't have to sell anyone anything. Our results with the products attracted interests from the people we know. Now that they opened the door we can share the product and/or business with them. My response was, "Thanks! We started using a Nutritional Cleansing system called Isagenix, we are very pleased with our results. Both Melisa and I have lost 12lbs. If you're interested I can give you some information about it."

The only exception to this rule is if you know someone that would benefit from your product or service. If that is the case you could contact them like this, "Hi Ron, Melisa and I tried a cleansing program and lost 12lbs, I know you are looking for ways to lose weight and thought you might like some information." If their response is positive and they say yes, then go and share with them your products. This can also work for the business opportunity. "Hey Ron, remember we were talking the other day about making some extra money? I might have found it, lets get together." This approach will only work if you know there is a need someone you know has and your business has the potential to accommodate it. Remember it is THEIR NEED, NOT YOURS!

Now back to the carpet job, When my client mentioned it would be nice if there was another income coming into the home, that was an open door. I said to him, "Not to sound like I am pitching you a business opportunity, however, have you ever considered Networking?" Once I asked that question he told us the horror stories he had experienced from friends of his who tried to sell him on a couple of different MLM opportunities. The approach that they took was wrong and because of it he has a negative impression of the industry. YOU GOTTA DO IT THE RIGHT WAY....

Now I could have tried to sell him on why those approaches were wrong, and hyped my opportunity, however that wouldn't have done me any good. I listened, understood where he was coming from, then explained to him the 2 steps previously mentioned above. Not once did I try to sell him on our business. Another key point to remember here is, "If they are not looking, don't try to convince them." Though he did say it would be nice for them to have another income, and with MLM you can work part time from home, that doesn't mean keep talking about your business. There is a need, however, he is not "looking" for what we have to accommodate. Make sense?

Will anything come out of it? Who knows, but it doesn't matter. We had a great talk, enjoyed our meal together, shook hands and went home.

The last thing he said was, "You have great workmanship and really take pride in your work, I am very pleased and will refer you to anyone I know who needs carpet." In the end we developed a new relationship!

That is how you get word of mouth advertising, and, that is Networking at its finest.

If you want to succeed in any business venture, especially Network Marketing, always remember, you gotta do it the right way!

God bless you,
Ron

Not what you might think...

I have been reading, with great delight, a book called, "The Millionaire Next Door." It is fascinating the information this book contains.

When you think of the affluent, what is it about their lifestyle that stands out most?

Is it their high consumption of possessions? In other words, do you think that Millionaires live in big fancy houses, drive luxury cars, wear expensive suits and Rolex watches?

If you watch television or any Hollywood production film these days, you probably think that rich people live an extravagant lifestyle.

Interestingly enough, ask anyone, that is not affluent, what they would do if they were given $10 million dollars. The majority would immediately start listing off material possessions they would buy.

"I would buy a new house, no, 2 or 3. Of course I would get rid of my piece of crap Honda and buy a couple of Ferrari's. For sure I would tell my dead beat boss where he could go! Buy new clothes, shoes, big screen tvs, oh yeah nothing but the best! Probably give some money to my family, especially my mom and dad........" These are some of the typical answers you might hear.

Well, guess what? That is not at all the way the majority of Millionaires think, nor live. The "bling bling" lifestyle you might imagine is a trap that most Americans fall into. They believe that being rich means having nice things. The more you have, the bigger your house, the nicer the cars illustrates success.

That image couldn't be further from the truth.

The "bling bling" lifestyle can be better summarized as the "keeping up with Joneses" lifestyle. It is the high income middle classers, who have been programmed to believe, that is success. "I am a lawyer, I must live in a nice home and drive expensive cars in order to give off the image that I am good at what I do."

Now I am not picking on any particular class or profession, however, this book has really opened my eyes. When I was 21, I also had that "keeping up with the joneses" lifestyle. I thought the new cars, nice clothes, flashy jewelry was a genuine sign of success. You know what, that is how everyone, who made less money than I did, also thought.

Because I had 3 new vehicles, new work trucks, nice property, DEBT UP TO MY EYEBALLS, I appeared to be successful. "You can't hide money'" they would say.

What if the average self made Millionaire drove around in a pick-up truck, lived in an average middle class neighborhood, and owned a small plumbing business? What if he didn't have any "bling bling" and would never spend more than $100 on a pair of shoes, or $399 for a suit?

The truth is, most Millionaires are not what you might think they are. Accumulating wealth is not what you might think it is. Have you ever learned the difference of "Realized" versus, "Unrealized" income? How can someone making $84,000/yr have a net worth 10 times more than someone who earns $330,000/yr?

Think on that for a while, more in another post.

Be blessed!
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

P.S. "Empty your purse to fill your mind, and your mind will fill your purse." - Benjamin Franklin

Time to take action...

When it comes to building a business, asking for a promotion at work, raising your kids with the right principles, becoming a better Spouse, and so on, you must take action!

Taking action is the only way to achieve a goal. However, once you have set the goal, it seems there are many distractions which will try to prevent you from accomplishing your desired result.

One of the biggest distractions will come from your own thoughts. You will be surprised at how you begin to doubt your ability to follow through and reach your desired goal. Keep in mind this is common, and for that reason, it is imperative that you take immediate action.

In the Entrepreneur world this is the exact reason why Spiritual and Personal Growth is of huge value. It is in the early stages of your new goal that you are most vulnerable, therefore you want to be sure you only share your goals with people of like thinking. One of the many mistakes made by people soon after they decide to make improvements in their life is to share their new ideas and/or goals with people they know, such as friends and family. Unfortunately, this is not always the best idea. Statistics show that those closest to you tend to shoot down your newly found ambition. They try to "protect you" from "getting your hopes up." Any negative criticism at the start of your new venture will massively influence your own "second guessing" of your goals.

Your thoughts are your biggest adversary, or they can be your biggest asset. You must decide which of these two you prefer. It is said that, "what goes in is what comes out." Therefore, should you decide that your thoughts are going to assist in reaching your goals, you must continue to feed your mind, through reading and mentoring, information that will fuel your ambition. Reading from books such as, "the Bible," "Rich Dad Poor Dad," "The Cashflow Quadrant," "The Magic of Thinking Big," "Think and Grow Rich," "Personality Plus," "The Five Love Languages," "The Richest Man in Babylon," as an example, can increase your confidence in achieving your goals.

Orrin Woodward said, "You must develop a soft heart and tough skin." If you are going to achieve your goals, it is imperative that you know, without a shadow of a doubt, that your goal is worthy and no matter what you will persevere until the desired result has come to pass.

When you choose to live an unaverage life, be prepared to face criticism and rejection. Be sure to surround yourself with a supporting cast who help feed your ambition. Consciously protect your thoughts by reading good books, listening to audios of people who have succeeded already in your chosen field, and attending live events to associate with like minded people. Most importantly, TAKE ACTION!

You are blessed and highly favored by an Almighty God!
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

Ready to start living your dreams?

So when is it time to start living your dreams? Are you, like many, living a "settle for" lifestyle, or have you decided that since we only get one chance at this life, you are giving it everything you got?

Einstein said, "We are all born geniuses and programmed to be idiots." Man, how sad is that?

Everyone of us come into this life experience with the ability to live and create an incredible life experience. Yet, many of us choose to buy into the fact that in order to live an abundant lifestyle we have to somehow be lucky, or born rich.

In the book, "The Millionaire Next Door," it says that 80% of the Millionaires in America are 1st generation Millionaires. In other words, they were not born Wealthy.

If that is the case, then who, or what, is stopping you from achieving your dreams? Why in the world would you work a job you hate? Live in a home too small? Drive a car that is not dependable? Associate with people who are not good for you? Drink beverages that confuse your thinking? Put drugs in your body that cause long term, even life threatening, circumstances? Use words that are offensive?

Should you actually realize how powerful your thoughts are, how incredible your potential is, how realistic your dreams are, and how possible it is for you to achieve greatness in your life, you would be unstoppable!

Life is a gift from God, stop taking it lightly and start living to the best of your ability.

With everything in life, you should give it your best. "Sometimes you win and sometimes you learn" - Robert Kiyosaki

You are not getting any younger! Time is flying at what seems to be lightning speed, there has never been a better time than RIGHT NOW for you to realize there is more to life than just getting by. Though I understand everyone's circumstances and current reality varies, and many of you will justify why it just isn't possible, I am here to tell you, God makes no mistakes, and you, yes YOU, can achieve great things. Your dreams can become a reality!

No one said, and will not say, that it is, or was, going to be easy!! There is a price that will have to be paid. However, in the end, the results are worth the investment!

Stand strong this day! No matter what you have been told, no matter what you tell yourself, no matter the impossibility of your current circumstances, always remember, "With God all things are possible!"

Your dreams are so worth it! Go for it, after all, you only have one chance! Make the most of it.......

In Christ,
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

"Slow your roll..."

Has anyone noticed that everyone is in a rush these days. Whatever happen to being patient?

I remember my dad saying, when I was growing up and someone passed us in the car, "In a hurry to get nowhere buddy?" He made this statement because as the person in the vehicle flew by us, we would catch back up to him at the next red light.

Now that I am an adult, it is apparent that patience is not something that we humans have instinctively. I am convinced that patience is a skill which can be attained by anyone, should they decide they want it. It requires constant effort to develop!

My wife prays daily for patience, since she home schools our 2 oldest and takes care of our 2 toddlers everyday also. 4 kids and a husband (me), 5th kid, makes for a great reason to learn, develop, and appreciate patience!!

Today, as an example, we were at the Speedway Gas Station after we completed installing some carpet for one of our clients. While we were in line, there were 2 cashiers, each with 4-5 people waiting in each line, you could see people were getting very impatient.

Several people were complaining, saying they need to open another register. Some were getting anxious and started pacing back and forth while they were waiting in line. Their body language and facial expressions said it all.

I whispered in my wife's ear while all this was going on, "Everyone just needs to be patient, what is the rush anyhow?" It is such a shame that we are sooooooo busy all the time. Sometimes you just need to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride!!!

So what is your take on this subject? Do you have patience yourself? Or, would you have been one of those folks in line literally getting angry because you had to wait your turn?

It is pretty amazing how people can go to an amusement park and wait in line to ride the newest roller coaster for 1.5 hours. Or they will camp outside Ticketmaster to purchase concert tickets. Not to mention when there is a release of a new video game system....... Yet when it comes to driving, or paying for gas, 5 minutes is unacceptable to have to wait. (If you don't want to wait in line, PAY AT THE PUMP. Heh heh)

It is convenient to mention a new Beverage called Drank for this article. The slogan on the can says, "Slow your roll..." Perhaps that would be some good advice for us to take. After all, it is my observation that careless, and unnecessary mistakes, tend to occur more frequently when you find yourself in a hurry and impatient!

Take some time and "slow your roll..." Look around at your surroundings, observe people's body language, and be prepared for some interesting entertainment.

When you are patient, you tend to notice things that you might have missed when always in a hurry.

Life is way to short, and time really does fly by. Work on developing and improving your patience. Then, just like the rollercoaster, enjoy the ride!

God bless,
Ron

This article was originally published on Qondio.

Having something to fall back on...

Wow, the advice my Grandfather gave me over 13 years ago has been priceless.

For the most part I always looked up to my Grandfather as the most successful person in my family. Next to him would have been my Uncle Leo, his son. I remember when I was 17 years old and was going to become a daddy, speaking with my Grandfather.

At that time I was still in school, though I wasn't attending like I should have been, and delivering pizzas for Domino's Pizza at night. He said to me, "Ron you are not going to be able to take care of a family delivering pizzas the rest of your life. You need to learn a trade and start your own business working for yourself. That way you always have something to fall back on."

I never could have imagined the impact those few sentences would have on my life. By the age of 19 I had learned a trade, carpet installation, and started my first company, First Class Installations, and was on my way. Though it was extremely difficult to get things started, eventually the business started to thrive.

In 2005, I left the Carpet Installation industry to become part of the Home Business Industry. That is another article in itself.

Now here is where the advice paid off! In 2007 we found ourselves in Michigan, struggling, as our Internet business was still not where we needed it to be. Not knowing what to do I remembered the advice I received that day from my Grandfather. "Learn a trade so you always have something to fall back on."

So it was! Carpet installation became the fill in as our internet business grew. What a blessing this has been for our family. I will always be thankful for that little bit of wisdom Grandpa shared with me that day 13 years ago.

Fast forwarding time, Carpet for us today has become a hobby, and a great way to earn some extra spending money. Even with the economy struggling, there is more than enough work for experienced tradesmen.

So let me ask you this question, what is your Plan B? What could you fall back on if you ever needed to?

Everyday, when I meet and talk with people, the economy seems to be on their mind. The assurance of having a job and being able to support their family is not as strong as it once was. Most of these same people when asked if there was something they could fall back on, answer "NO."

I now find myself sharing that same advice I learned over 13 years ago with others. Being over prepared in the event of an emergency is always better than not being prepared at all. What are your gifts and talents? What trade could you learn in order to have a back-up plan in the event these tough economic times take hold of you?

"Learn a trade so you always have something to fall back on." Sound advice that has made all the difference in the world for me and my family and now, we are "Paying it forward!"

May God bless you abundantly in all that you do!
Ron

This article was originally published on Qondio.

It pays to be honest...

It seems that in today's day and age honesty is a hard trait to come by. Whether you flat out lie, or just stretch the truth a little, dishonesty can, and will, break you in every situation.

The Bible says, "Your sins will find you out."

It seems that being honest is the easier choice anyhow, so why do so many people decide not to be? I mean trying to remember all the lies and trying to keep your story straight is tough business.

Yesterday we received a call on our home business line from a woman who was interested in purchasing some of our health & wellness products. She had ordered before, not through us, and preferred not to place the order online. So she found our website and gave us a call.

While we were talking about what she wanted to order, I not only answered her questions, but also asked several questions myself in an effort to customize her wants and best meet her needs.

Once she was ready to place her order she asked me how she could know for sure that I was who I said I was. This was a very legitimate concern, especially considering we live in a very untrustworthy society these days. After all she doesn't know who we are at all, she simply found our website and called us.

Here is where honesty becomes so important. I addressed her concern by acknowledging that I understood why she would be cautious at giving me her credit card information for processing her order. So here is how I handled the situation.

The first thing I did was ask for her email address. Once she gave that to me I sent her an email with the preview of her order. This way she could see that her order is being placed directly through the company, and not me. The second thing I did was send her to my blog so she could see who I am, and learn a bit more about who it was that she was speaking with.

After she seen my willingness to address her concern, and the knowledge I had of the products while answering all of her questions, she had a sense of Trust and proceeded with finalizing her order.

Now, here is where honesty really pays! Now that we have established Trust, I was able to ask her about several other products I felt she might be interested in based on our conversation. Some of the products she had heard of and wasn't interested in purchasing at this time. However, there was an add-on product that she had not tried and wanted to add them to her order. In sales this would be called an up sell, however, I believe this was made possible because of the honesty and integrity that was established during our conversation.

We finalized her order, processed her payment, then immediately sent her the confirmation email with order number and receipt.

Not only did we meet her needs, we also established the start of a great relationship. Because of our honesty in helping her feel secure about making her purchase, she not only received what she was looking for, now she also has a trusted distributor that she can contact with confidence to fulfill her future needs.

Being honest isn't always easy to do, and unlike this situation, it is not always going to benefit you when doing so. However, in the end, you can sleep easy at night knowing that you did the right thing.

In business I still believe in over-exceeding people's expectations. If you focus on superior customer service and always work to meet the need of the customer/client first, in the end you will always win!

God bless,
Ron

This article was originally published on Qondio.

The art of connection...

Once I made the decision to be an Entrepreneur I knew I was going to have to interact with people.

Ever since I was a young boy I always wanted to become a Millionaire. In order for that to happen, there must be a value for value exchange in everything that you do. The better you serve others, the more your business will prosper.

One of the first books I read was, "Personality Plus" by Florence Litteaur. I knew it was imperative I learned how to connect with people, and since every person has a different set of personalities, it was important to learn about them.

Since reading that book, and several others on developing/improving people skills, it has become quite evident to me that these should be mandatory reading, not only for Entrepreneurs, but for everybody in any field.

Today, as an example, I was contacted by a gentleman from Hampton, VA. He responded to one of my ads in regards to carpet installation I posted on Craigslist. (Yes my wife and I actually enjoy installing small carpet jobs, it is a hobby of ours!)

Anyhow, his initial request was for me to look at his rental property and give him some options for replacing the carpet. My daughter and I went to the property, measured the job, then decided we were going to go price some materials in order to get him the best deal possible. (Mind you all we were asked to do was measure the job - always under promise and over deliver. Again this falls into the category of serving others, you know that value for value exchange deal we are talking about)

Long story short we went to Menards and did find him a great deal. Now here is where people skills become extremely important!

Rafael was the sales person on the floor and his people skills were terrible. Not to be tough here, but if it wasn't for my knowing what I wanted, there is no way this guy would have sold me anything. (If all sales people at Menards are like this guy, they are easily losing at least 50% of their potential sales!)

Not only were his people skills terrible, but his posture was bad, he didn't present a handshake when speaking with me about meeting my needs, nor did he show any real interest in helping me with my questions. (He was simply looking for the sale, no interest in serving the customer whatsoever)

There was even a slight problem with the amount of carpet we needed versus the amount they had in stock. Instead of Rafael making a suggestion to save the sale, I had to recommend that he contact his manager, and find us a similar carpet to make up the shortage so we can still close the sale. Once he contacted his manager, whom gave me the deal I was looking for, we did finally do business. (I handled the problem, not my potential client, just as Rafael should have handled it, NOT ME)

Throughout this entire process, I was in constant communication with the homeowner and made everything happen for him. I WAS CONNECTING AND SERVING, which, in the process, established Trust and Credibility with my client. That is a sure formula for repeat business and excellent word of mouth advertising.

In the end, the only difference between Rafael and myself was simply the ability to connect with people, and always, regardless of the perceived situation, serve people and be willing to go out of your way to offer value to them. (That, and I have probably read 100's more books than he has!)

Always remember, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."

Serve, serve, serve, help enough people get what they want and you will ultimately have everything you want! Spend some time on developing your people skills and watch how you will become more capable of connecting, establishing trust, and ultimately achieving your wildest dreams.

Everything in life is a value for value exchange. The more value you offer the marketplace, the more prosperity you will experience on your success journey!

In Christ,
Ron

This article was originally published on Qondio.

Does the television influence negativity and mediocrity? What? You want me to read?

Here is a recent intel I published recently on Qondio

So it seems most people don't like to read? Hmmm, ever wondered why? Most people would rather watch television that read a good book. Is it because reading actually requires effort?

The television is such an amazing invention, or is it really? Seems the TV promotes laziness, obesity, immorality, violence, drinking, smoking and mediocrity, just to list a few. Why would the average American spend 5-7 hours PER DAY watching television? Have we nothing better to do?

There is nothing wrong with watching an occasional movie, or perhaps a television program, depending upon the message behind the movie. However, to spend the same amount of time watching TV that you do sleeping, or working a full time job? Are you serious?

You ever noticed how the most successful people have large offices, with mega shelves that are stocked with books? Have you ever noticed that lower income to middle class people have shelves stocked with DVDs, or video games? Could reading actually have something to do with living an abundantly blessed life and perhaps watching television creates the opposite?

Have you ever noticed how people who watch television and don't read generally use profanity all the time, drink beer, and complain about their life constantly. There is drama after drama after drama happening in their life experience? Ever notice how these same people complain about being broke all the time, yet they always have the big screen TVs, newest DVDs, and the latest Video Game systems?

In my business we see it all. From prosperous people who are actively engaged in personal growth, consciously aware of the programming they are getting everyday. To those folks who are super negative, complain about being broke, smoke cigarettes, drink beer, and use profanity every other word. These same people who when asked if they like to read look at you like you're some kind of idiot!

Perhaps some people will be offended by this article, that is not my intention, however, I would like to challenge you to stop and think for just a moment.

Look at your life, and the lives of the people you know, both family and friends. Who do you know that is on Gov't assistance, how do they live? Who do you know that is a Millionaire, how do they live? Who do you know that watches TV all the time, plays video games, etc. how do they live?

Take some time and become more aware of the lifestyle you and those around you are living. Then see if you can find a common denominator within their lives. TV or READ? (Not talking about reading the newspaper!)

Almost every time the more average, mediocre, and negative people are, they watch a lot of TV! Whereas those folks who are more successful, positive, ambitious and outgoing, limit their TV and spend more time reading from good books!

Leaders are Readers. Pick up a good book, start with the Bible, and get lost in a world of pure enjoyment. Stretch your thinking, grow your mind, and watch as your circumstances begin to change. In life you are constantly growing, you are either moving forward or backward, there is no remaining the same. Which way are you going?

Be blessed!
Ron

P.S. Perhaps reading is more difficult for a reason? "We will do today what others will not so tomorrow we can do what others cannot."