Thinking out loud

I believe that I have a lot of great ideas but too often is the case that I do not allow my ideas, visions or dreams to come to fruit.  I believe this is the case with most people and I have to wonder what it is that allows for others to go from ordinary to extraordinary.  A person could contemplate this and contemplate this, toggle thought after thought through their mind and not come up with a conclusion.

To me though I think the answer is relatively simple in that too often we do not allow ourselves the personal time to enable our minds to dictate our future.  Too often we tend to think in a negative manner of how that job promotion will not occur, or I will not be able to accomplish this feat, or that feat, and the biggest factor is we tend to worry too much about things that are beyond our control.  I’ve heard the saying of, “90% of the things I worry about do not occur.”  How true this statement is in my life and I’m sure it is for you as well.

I’m here to make a difference in my life and it begins with this blog.  My idea or thought process behind this is to enable my thoughts to be written down.  I’m not talking about thoughts such as what’s for dinner, what time does the game come on.  No, I’m not talking about useless thoughts.  I am speaking about processes that we allow me the opportunity to go from ordinary to extraordinary in all facets of life.  Who knows maybe along the journey you have personal testimonies about yourself or someone that you know that can help get me over a hump, through the woods, to Victory I come.  I look forward to the ride and to the path traveled by few.  Sit back, relax, and let’s take this journey together.

Taking Can’t Out of the Vocabulary

In surfing the Internet over the past couple of days I have been searching.  Searching for people who are in debt and instead of making excuses they are actually doing something about it.  I recently came across an individual who is unemployed, stated he owes more than $60,000 in student loans and cannot get on at McDonalds.  I find this hard to believe.  This person said he is waiting on a call back, waiting to hear from them, and I believe he is waiting and holding on to the same excuses.

Yes the job market is down.  Truthfully it sucks but there are jobs out there.  It is times like these that we are living in that people need to be thankful for having employment and making for damn sure they are doing whatever necessary to stand apart from the other employees.  I work in a production based non-factory atmosphere with a lucrative bonus structure for hitting numbers and exceeding budgets.  Before I was in management my motto as an employee was I was not there for the regular paycheck, I was there to make bonus checks.  This mentality helped me achieve more bonus money and paved the way for the company advancements I have earned.

With that said I have employees who openly admit to being satisfied with the regular paycheck and it’s not that great of money so it’s not like these people are receiving fat paychecks.  The drive and mentality of people are different with each individual spoken to and what motivates me is different than what will motivate you.  I grow increasingly tired of hearing people say they cannot do this or they cannot do that. 

Folks it is time to take the word “Can’t” out of the vocabulary banks.  If a person says they cannot doing something then they will never accomplish the feat unless by pure chance and coincidence.  Show me a person who uses phrases such as “I will”, “I can”, “I have” and I’ll show you someone who is more likely to be successful than the person who constantly gives up.

As for that $60,000 person in debt who cannot get a job even at McDonalds I have to call bull shit.  Jobs are out there it takes being proactive not reactive and sometimes we have to do jobs that are below us.  Until you have done everything in your power and exhausted all options do not say “I can’t get a job” be honest with yourself and everyone else and say the real reason, “I don’t want to work at XYZ place.”

All Talk or Firm Discipline

Normally this is not a forum to discuss politics but transpiring events from Iran’s president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has resulted in this post.  Apparently the Iranian president is dismissing the year-end deadline set by the Obama administration for Tehran to accept a U.N.-drafted deal to trade enriched uranium for nuclear fuel.

Let’s break this down even more…without a doubt Ahmadinejad gave an “F- You” statement to President Obama.  Our president was foolish enough to think those who oppose us actually want to sit down and have these chats with the messiah.  It’s not going to happen.  As Ahmadinejad stated that the international community can give his country as many deadlines as they want but they simply do not care.

Ahmadinejad wants talk where mutual respect is given and this is merely the same test a two year old gives their parents to see exactly what they can get away with.  Ahmadinejad is the child and Obama’s administration is the adult.  The question remains will the discipline be firm or will it be worthy of “Nanny 911”?  I’m leaning more towards calling help in as I do not think Obama can be firm with our opposition.  I can already sense Obama quivering at the thought of having a debacle after he pledged his campaign on sitting down and having peaceful talks with these vigilantes.

Mr. Obama wake up and realize that the American people are not buying into what you are saying and neither is the world.  The campaign promises that built the “Yes We Can” platform are quickly crumbling on the “what do we do from here” standpoint.  Leadership reflects attitude and when you dissect Obama he’s merely just another politician.  Here’s to the Hope and Change we can believe in…I’m still waiting.

Internet Scams

There are too many people in this world that are out for an easy buck.  Some are the predators and some are the prey.  I do not believe there is an easy sure fire way to get rich quick as a person hears about on the radio and television.  I was recently contacted about my supposed interest in selling a product known as Reliv.  I say supposed interest because I do not ever remember completing any kind of form whatsoever but yet here the person named Vera O. had my contact information.  I ran with it to see what I could find out.  My wife had told me the experiences her mom and her co-workers had with the product and it was a positive experience so I definitely wanted to hear this person out.

So Ms. Vera was adamant about calling and she was precise when she said she was going to call she called.  I wasn’t necessarily buying into the entire “pyramid- but it’s not a pyramid” scheme so she enlisted the help of a Senior Rep. by the name of Pete V.  After the conversation with Mr. V the positive impression that I had of the product was quickly dwindling down.

Good ole Pete was trying to “close” hard on me and I guess his previous 20 years in the Insurance business taught him to try and manipulate the “customer” into buying into the system.  While I was on that phone call the price started out at $25 to join and by the end of the conversation I would need to buy supplies running the total to $600 to start up this “opportunity”.  I didn’t bite and he became more aggressive.

I agreed to attend a local seminar they were having on the product and truly I had every intention of attending unfortunately something came up at the last minute and I was unable to attend.  My email inbox began getting overflowed with answers to objections I had previously had.  I thought wow communication is great with these people.

Well I thought it was great until I sent the following email:

Vera,

I wanted to write you and let you know that I appreciate all of the information.  At this time I have decided to halt my forward progression with Reliv.  I appreciate you taking the time to give me every opportunity to learn about your company but again at this time I do not feel it would be a good fit as I cannot personally dedicate the necessary time required for Reliv to be successful in my life.  Thank you for all of your hard work.  It has greatly been appreciated.

Sincerely,

Mr. Slinkard

I guess I was a little offended in that I took the time to send an email that said thanks but no thanks rather than let the individual blow up my phone or flood my inbox with useless information.  I thought I was doing the right thing and it’s been 3 days since that email and no response.  Makes me wonder what would have happened if I would have joined?  Would they have courted me pretty hard to get me to sign and then be absent in the new process?  Was it a put on?  I believe it was and now I’m glad I didn’t join.

Money Coach or Predatory Coaching?

The sad truth about the times we live in is that there are people out to make an easy dollar and do not care who stands in the way to stop them.  As I am writing this I have in mind a particular site that comes to mind that involves Lynnette Khalfani-Cox who is a proclaimed Money Coach.  I looked at her credentials and she has authored a few books and apparently has been featured in The New York Times, USA Today, Redbook, Essence, and on CNN, FOX Business, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dr. Phil, The Tyra Banks Show, The Rachael Ray Show and on The 700 Club.

Not too shabby I would say but then I came across her web site that clearly states she is not a registered investment advisor and the information provided should be considered educational in nature, but it is not a substitute for legal or professional financial advice.  After reading this disclaimer at the bottom of the web site which primarily no viewer makes it to this peaked my curiosity.

I found her blog and read how she is having a teleseminar today and the cost is just $19.95 for 90 minutes for Ms. Khalfani-Cox to inform individuals how to handle creditors, get out of debt, deal with collectors, etc.  She is charging $19.95 per person for answers that can easily be found through simple search engine queries.  I couldn’t help myself but respond to her post with the following:

 I love how you have a disclaimer on your site stating The Money Coach is not a registered investment advisor and the information provided on this web site should be considered educational in nature, but it is not a substitute for legal or professional financial advice.

Yet you want people to sign up for a teleseminar for just $19.95. Are you kidding me? You make that disclaimer on the front of your .net web site and then you’re seriously asking people to pay money to hear information that is readily available on the Internet for… FREE!!! Wow!

Now I’m still waiting for her response but people use some common sense.  A lot of the information that these so-called “Money Coaches” use can be found through searches on Google, Yahoo!, MSN, etc.  Getting out of debt takes discipline, common sense and commitment.  Discipline to control your spending and pay your bills, common sense not to get ripped off by bad purchases or buying items you cannot afford and the commitment to follow through with getting out of debt.  There was no charge for that advice it was just simple “use your noggin” values.

Spending Going Up Approval Going Down

President Obama called for his latest “major new burst of federal spending” trying to jolt the wobbly economy into a stronger recovery and decrease the double-digit unemployment.  Obama made a comment that was rather shocking as he suggested our country simply has had to spend our way out of this recession.  I have never in my life fallen out of the grasp of debt by spending more money.  In fact the more I spend the more I lose yet the Messiah feels we’re just gonna have to keep shelling out the money.  For what, a deficit greater than $12 trillion dollars, are you serious Mr. President?

Though I believe the quote of the day comes from Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire,

“At least the president’s proposal will result in one new job — he’ll need to hire a magician to make this new deficit spending appear fiscally responsible,…”

Obama uses feel good terms like giving back to Main Street but seriously who believes he is going to follow through with his “commitments”?  The unemployment rate has shot upwards like a space rocket and I am reminded of the stories I heard growing up of the Jimmy Carter era.  It seems that Carter and Obama are actually the same individuals just living in different eras. 

One of the headliners I viewed on the Drudge Report states that Obama has the lowest approval rating of any President within their first year of office.  It seems like Obama is creating some elite credentials for himself that no one would want to be a part of.  Even Jimmy Carter scored higher at this point in his Presidency than Obama, its Jimmy freaking Carter.

For those who voted the man into office I hope like hell you are getting the “hope” and “change” you wanted.  It seems the administrations campaign slogan has successfully carried over into Obama’s first year.  The American nation is hoping that change will come soon but I believe we are seeing the best of the best as it is only going to get worse under Messiah Obama.