HOW
We have posters around the house with just one word HOW.
This is to remind us whenever things seem difficult, or if we think we can't do something.
"HOW do we ......?"
Never think it can't be done, find out how.
Sometimes lessons come disguised as problems, again we think "how can we learn from this?"
Sometimes we get so far with a goal and come to a grinding halt or hit a brick wall. Rather than give up, think HOW.
I'm now wondering HOW I can make this longer and ........ well I can't and I don't think I need to - that pretty much says it all.
HOW did this help?
Saturday, 20 December 2008
Monday, 15 December 2008
This is so Apt
Shame on you.
This could be the greatest night of our lives, but you’re going to let it be the worst. And I guarantee a week won’t go by in your life you won’t regret walking out, letting them get the best of you.
Well, I’m not going home. We’ve come too far! And I’m going to stay right here and fight for this lost cause. A day may come when the courage of men fails… but it is not THIS day. The line must be drawn HERE.
This far, no further! I’m not saying it’s going to be easy. You’re going to work harder than you ever worked before. But that’s fine, we’ll just get tougher with it!
If a person grits his teeth and shows real determination, failure is not an option. That’s how winning is done! Believe me when I say we can break this army here, and win just one for the Gipper. But I say to you what every warrior has known since the beginning of time: you’ve got to get mad. I mean plum mad dog mean. If you would be free men, then you must fight to fulfill that promise!
...............Cut from various films
This could be the greatest night of our lives, but you’re going to let it be the worst. And I guarantee a week won’t go by in your life you won’t regret walking out, letting them get the best of you.
Well, I’m not going home. We’ve come too far! And I’m going to stay right here and fight for this lost cause. A day may come when the courage of men fails… but it is not THIS day. The line must be drawn HERE.
This far, no further! I’m not saying it’s going to be easy. You’re going to work harder than you ever worked before. But that’s fine, we’ll just get tougher with it!
If a person grits his teeth and shows real determination, failure is not an option. That’s how winning is done! Believe me when I say we can break this army here, and win just one for the Gipper. But I say to you what every warrior has known since the beginning of time: you’ve got to get mad. I mean plum mad dog mean. If you would be free men, then you must fight to fulfill that promise!
...............Cut from various films
Personal Development Drip Drip
OK this is going to be a little cryptic but hopefully all will be clear by Friday.
I have been studying Personal development for over 25 years (I skipped "Janet and John go Fishing" and went straight to The Magic of Thinking Big when I was 4 ;-))
I first read The Magic of Thinking Big when I was 16 and it amazed me, I couldn't believe people could think like that. My goal at the time was to own my own market stall, I decided to think big and try to get into university. I then thought I made it and stopped reading Personal development.
About 5 years I got back into it and for the last year I started to study it in the same way I studied for my degrees. Not just reading but making notes, and summarising books.
Something happened recently that made me realise how far I had come. I don't think you notice a difference, in the same way you don't see children grow when you see them everyday.
The same set of circumstances were presented to 6 of us and I was the only one that reacted differently, positively.
It made me realise how good Personal development has been for me. There are a few things you can do to get the most out of Personal Development.
I used to be a bit precious about my books, keeping them pristine. Then I realised they are a tool and we are a team, I use them to help me, making notes, underlining and scribbling in the margins. If this shocks you and it would have done me until a year ago, remember what the books are there for - they aren't an ornament they are to be used. If you want them to look nice by a vase instead. - Of course I don't treat my rare first editions like this but you get the gist!
Secondly learn to speed read - if you have as many books you want to read as I do you will benefit so much from speed reading. Not only will you read a lot faster but your understanding will improve. There are lots of good resources online, I would recommend Tony Buzan's book on speed reading. Being able to read 4 or 5 times faster means I can read a book 3 times, once just reading it straight through, then underlining and scribbling and finally going through my underlinings and scribbles and transferring the good points into my journal.
Finally - listen. I travel an hour a day, I used to listen to the radio, now I have a huge library of stuff on my I-pod that I play through the stereo for an hour a day everyday.
This week I will see the benefits of it. But more about that later..........
I have been studying Personal development for over 25 years (I skipped "Janet and John go Fishing" and went straight to The Magic of Thinking Big when I was 4 ;-))
I first read The Magic of Thinking Big when I was 16 and it amazed me, I couldn't believe people could think like that. My goal at the time was to own my own market stall, I decided to think big and try to get into university. I then thought I made it and stopped reading Personal development.
About 5 years I got back into it and for the last year I started to study it in the same way I studied for my degrees. Not just reading but making notes, and summarising books.
Something happened recently that made me realise how far I had come. I don't think you notice a difference, in the same way you don't see children grow when you see them everyday.
The same set of circumstances were presented to 6 of us and I was the only one that reacted differently, positively.
It made me realise how good Personal development has been for me. There are a few things you can do to get the most out of Personal Development.
I used to be a bit precious about my books, keeping them pristine. Then I realised they are a tool and we are a team, I use them to help me, making notes, underlining and scribbling in the margins. If this shocks you and it would have done me until a year ago, remember what the books are there for - they aren't an ornament they are to be used. If you want them to look nice by a vase instead. - Of course I don't treat my rare first editions like this but you get the gist!
Secondly learn to speed read - if you have as many books you want to read as I do you will benefit so much from speed reading. Not only will you read a lot faster but your understanding will improve. There are lots of good resources online, I would recommend Tony Buzan's book on speed reading. Being able to read 4 or 5 times faster means I can read a book 3 times, once just reading it straight through, then underlining and scribbling and finally going through my underlinings and scribbles and transferring the good points into my journal.
Finally - listen. I travel an hour a day, I used to listen to the radio, now I have a huge library of stuff on my I-pod that I play through the stereo for an hour a day everyday.
This week I will see the benefits of it. But more about that later..........
Saturday, 13 December 2008
What Motivates you?
Or should that be who motivates you?
When I am in a coaching session one of the first things we discuss is motivation.
Clients give a variety of reasons, most of these involve other people.
A desire to impress others, to be better than others, to provide for their family, to make parents proud.
Motivation of itself is very hard, the above reasons for motivation are good but self motivation is the most important (and the hardest).
Consistent motivation is the key to any success. No one ever achieved anything (with the exception of winning the lottery ;-)) without motivation over a long period.
It's easy to be motivated when things are going well but how to you keep it going?
Here is a simple guide to master self motivation:-
1 Know your goals - you need to know what it is that you are motivated about. Goal setting is a huge topic in itself which I will cover in a later blog. The key principles however is that the goal must be defined. It is not enough to say "I want to earn more money" I remember seeing Tony Robbins respond to a goal like that by giving the person a dollar and saying "there you are - goal achieved".
It has to be specific. Eg, I want to earn £100,000 a year.
It must also have a deadline, goals are dreams with a deadline. If we work with the £100,000 a year that may seem a reasonable goal but if it takes 30 years to achieve it the chances are it isn't going to be worth much then.
So the goal becomes "I want to earn £100,000 a year by 31/12/10.
This is fine as it stands but to be a motivator that goal has to be big, £100,000 may be big for someone but if it doesn't make you shudder with excitement to think of it then it needs to be increased.
2. Make a plan how it will work, set small steps. Plan your work and work your plan.
3. Record your progress, as you see yourself getting closer to you goal this will motivate you.
4. Visualise the goal, make a visual representation of it. When you can see in your mind what you want it is easier to keep going. If it is something physical like a new car go for a test drive, touch it, feel it and hear it. When it is ingrained in all your senses you will increase your motivation.
5. Keep positive, associate with positive people who will support you.
6. The last and most important thing - Just Do It. There is no substitute for making a start. Don't think about it, just jump in get started and you will gain a momentum that will carry you through.
When I am in a coaching session one of the first things we discuss is motivation.
Clients give a variety of reasons, most of these involve other people.
A desire to impress others, to be better than others, to provide for their family, to make parents proud.
Motivation of itself is very hard, the above reasons for motivation are good but self motivation is the most important (and the hardest).
Consistent motivation is the key to any success. No one ever achieved anything (with the exception of winning the lottery ;-)) without motivation over a long period.
It's easy to be motivated when things are going well but how to you keep it going?
Here is a simple guide to master self motivation:-
1 Know your goals - you need to know what it is that you are motivated about. Goal setting is a huge topic in itself which I will cover in a later blog. The key principles however is that the goal must be defined. It is not enough to say "I want to earn more money" I remember seeing Tony Robbins respond to a goal like that by giving the person a dollar and saying "there you are - goal achieved".
It has to be specific. Eg, I want to earn £100,000 a year.
It must also have a deadline, goals are dreams with a deadline. If we work with the £100,000 a year that may seem a reasonable goal but if it takes 30 years to achieve it the chances are it isn't going to be worth much then.
So the goal becomes "I want to earn £100,000 a year by 31/12/10.
This is fine as it stands but to be a motivator that goal has to be big, £100,000 may be big for someone but if it doesn't make you shudder with excitement to think of it then it needs to be increased.
2. Make a plan how it will work, set small steps. Plan your work and work your plan.
3. Record your progress, as you see yourself getting closer to you goal this will motivate you.
4. Visualise the goal, make a visual representation of it. When you can see in your mind what you want it is easier to keep going. If it is something physical like a new car go for a test drive, touch it, feel it and hear it. When it is ingrained in all your senses you will increase your motivation.
5. Keep positive, associate with positive people who will support you.
6. The last and most important thing - Just Do It. There is no substitute for making a start. Don't think about it, just jump in get started and you will gain a momentum that will carry you through.
Thursday, 11 December 2008
What's Inside You?
I heard a fascinating story today about Michelangelo, famous of course as the creator of David, considered by many people to be the greatest statue of all time.
The block of marble had been offered to many sculptors, even before Michelangelo was born.
They all refused the commission, believing that nothing could be done with it.
Michelangelo saw it differently; he saw what was inside the block of marble.
We can all be our own David; we all have it in us to be what we want.
How to we get there? How do we chip away at the block?
We need discipline, daily development. Working on ourselves, improving our skills and our mindset.
Make sure you are working to discovering your inner David.
The block of marble had been offered to many sculptors, even before Michelangelo was born.
They all refused the commission, believing that nothing could be done with it.
Michelangelo saw it differently; he saw what was inside the block of marble.
We can all be our own David; we all have it in us to be what we want.
How to we get there? How do we chip away at the block?
We need discipline, daily development. Working on ourselves, improving our skills and our mindset.
Make sure you are working to discovering your inner David.
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
The Ants Have It
One of the smallest animals in the world and yet one of the most productive.
We can learn a lot from ants. Have you ever watched an ant trying to get something? You can put any manner of obstacles in it's way and it will simply find another way around. Try and stop it getting to your sandwich by putting a big boulder in the way and it will go over it or around it, regardless of how big or high it is.
How many of us give up at the first obstacle? We have to keep looking for other ways to get to our goal.
Another amazing thing about ants is how they all work together. If the task is too big for one then others will join in, you never hear them moaning about who does what or that the other ant gets more!
Ants also know that they have to stock up when the times are good. They don't sit around watching 'Ant TV' because they have earned enough for that day. They know lean times are always just around the corner and that you can never achieve too much in one day.
How ant-like are you?
And how would your results in life be different if you were more ant-like?
To your wealth and prosperity
Steve Williams
UK Wealth Coach
We can learn a lot from ants. Have you ever watched an ant trying to get something? You can put any manner of obstacles in it's way and it will simply find another way around. Try and stop it getting to your sandwich by putting a big boulder in the way and it will go over it or around it, regardless of how big or high it is.
How many of us give up at the first obstacle? We have to keep looking for other ways to get to our goal.
Another amazing thing about ants is how they all work together. If the task is too big for one then others will join in, you never hear them moaning about who does what or that the other ant gets more!
Ants also know that they have to stock up when the times are good. They don't sit around watching 'Ant TV' because they have earned enough for that day. They know lean times are always just around the corner and that you can never achieve too much in one day.
How ant-like are you?
And how would your results in life be different if you were more ant-like?
To your wealth and prosperity
Steve Williams
UK Wealth Coach
Tuesday, 9 December 2008
What Have You Done Today To Achieve Your Goal?
It's so easy to kid ourselves that we are being productive when in reality we are wasting time.
I remember when I was studying for my first degree I was a master at procrastination.
I would convince myself that before I could study I needed music on and that it would save time in the long run if I organised my music into alphabetical order and wrote them all down so I knew which ones I had. Two hours later, having sorted that out, I needed a well earned rest!
Working from home is much like studying. You need to discipline yourself.
To help with this, I have a poster on my office wall that says:
I remember when I was studying for my first degree I was a master at procrastination.
I would convince myself that before I could study I needed music on and that it would save time in the long run if I organised my music into alphabetical order and wrote them all down so I knew which ones I had. Two hours later, having sorted that out, I needed a well earned rest!
Working from home is much like studying. You need to discipline yourself.
To help with this, I have a poster on my office wall that says:
Will doing this (a) earn me money, (b) spread my reputation, or (c) teach me a valuable skill?
If I catch myself doing something that doesn't meet this criteria, I stop and refocus.
If I catch myself doing something that doesn't meet this criteria, I stop and refocus.
What have you done today to acheive your goal?
Monday, 8 December 2008
Who Is Sailing Your Boat?
No one would set off in a boat with no oars, no sails and no engine.
Imagine setting sail without a map or compass.
What would happen on a journey like that? You would end up wherever the current took you. Sometimes into rocks, sometimes running aground and occasionally, if you were lucky, you might reach where you hoped to.
Yet this is how many people live their lives.
Dependent upon their boss or the economy to determine what sort of financial life they live.
Everyone should take responsibility for their future. This is particularly important in today's economic climate. There is no such thing as job security; the only thing that will provide you with any degree of security is your own skill set.
Too many people finish school or even university and think they have stopped learning. It's important to never stop learning, never stop adding to your skills. They don't have to be related to your job; in fact it is probably better that they are not.
Treat yourself as your one man business, because you are the commodity that you are selling to the whole world. Make yourself as valuable and marketable as possible. Never stop investing the time, effort and money in your lifelong learning and improvement.
And don't fall into the common mistake of thinking you are "sorted" if you have a good job or steady career. Who knows what your future holds?
How much would your family's life be changed if you were fired?
Or if you were made redundant?
What would happen if you became too ill to work?
Hopefully, you never have to face any of these possibilities. But one thing is for sure - if you ever do end up in these situations, it is too late to wish you had made better provisions.
I recommend that all of my clients take control of their finances by beginning their own part-time business. Whether this business offers you the income to save an extra £1,000 a year, or gives you the way out of your career, or funds your property investments, it is absolutely vital that you are taking action to control your own finances.
I recommend that my clients position themselves within the next trillion dollar industry; the wellness industry.
Don't spend another day relying on your employer, your spouse, your yet-to-come inheritance, the economy, the government, or anyone else to secure your future.
It is your responsibility alone.
And it is too important to delay for another moment.
Imagine setting sail without a map or compass.
What would happen on a journey like that? You would end up wherever the current took you. Sometimes into rocks, sometimes running aground and occasionally, if you were lucky, you might reach where you hoped to.
Yet this is how many people live their lives.
Dependent upon their boss or the economy to determine what sort of financial life they live.
Everyone should take responsibility for their future. This is particularly important in today's economic climate. There is no such thing as job security; the only thing that will provide you with any degree of security is your own skill set.
Too many people finish school or even university and think they have stopped learning. It's important to never stop learning, never stop adding to your skills. They don't have to be related to your job; in fact it is probably better that they are not.
Treat yourself as your one man business, because you are the commodity that you are selling to the whole world. Make yourself as valuable and marketable as possible. Never stop investing the time, effort and money in your lifelong learning and improvement.
And don't fall into the common mistake of thinking you are "sorted" if you have a good job or steady career. Who knows what your future holds?
How much would your family's life be changed if you were fired?
Or if you were made redundant?
What would happen if you became too ill to work?
Hopefully, you never have to face any of these possibilities. But one thing is for sure - if you ever do end up in these situations, it is too late to wish you had made better provisions.
I recommend that all of my clients take control of their finances by beginning their own part-time business. Whether this business offers you the income to save an extra £1,000 a year, or gives you the way out of your career, or funds your property investments, it is absolutely vital that you are taking action to control your own finances.
I recommend that my clients position themselves within the next trillion dollar industry; the wellness industry.
Don't spend another day relying on your employer, your spouse, your yet-to-come inheritance, the economy, the government, or anyone else to secure your future.
It is your responsibility alone.
And it is too important to delay for another moment.
Sunday, 7 December 2008
Letting Go Using NLP Techniques
Why is it when we know what we want we seem to hold back and stop ourselves from getting it?
Our negative emotions often come from our unconscious and it seems at times that our unconscious is somehow sabotaging our efforts. This isn't the case, our unconscious always acts with the best intentions, it never purposely sabotages us without good reason.
I recently worked with a client who was determined to improve his wealth and yet despite all the good efforts he was making he didn't seem to be getting anywhere. It was the classic one step forward 2 steps back.
We spent some time looking into his beliefs surrounding money and wealth. It became clear that he had a negative view of wealthy people and this seemed to be the main thing that was holding him back.
We used an NLP technique called parts integration that helped with this blockage. The great thing about these sort of techniques is that they work very quickly, there is no need for repeat sessions and often they can be successful in 1 or 2 sessions.
The coaching session was by phone and went something like this-
We talked about his childhood and things he had been taught about money by his parents, we discovered that in particular his mother had a negative view of rich people. He was often taught that they were greedy and that they would have cheated to get the money they had etc etc.
We divided his emotions into 2 parts, on the one hand he wanted to be rich, on the other had it appeared he was reluctant to make that breakthrough.
I told him to put the phone on speaker (It's even easier on skype with headphones!) Placing his hands in front of him palm up about body width apart. Taking the right hand as the one that wanted to be rich we used a visualisation of this 'rich mindset' he had. We explored the reasons for this desire. Each time getting deeper and deeper into the meaning behind it.
"For what purpose do you want to be rich"
"I want to be rich because I want to have lots of money"
"For what purpose do you want to have money?"
"To be able to buy what I want"
"What will this achieve?"
"I will get a feeling of satisfaction"
"How will that benefit you?"
"I will feel good"
"What purpose will that serve?"
"erm........ I will feel more confident"
"How will that benefit you?"
"I wont feel as insecure"
"and how will that benefit you?"
"I will feel secure"
By this point he was repeating the answer (not as insecure - more secure) I knew that this was the core belief.
We then turned to the other hand and went through a similar exercise. Working through the beliefs, we went through "I don't want to be thought of as greedy", I don't want to be disliked, I want family to still love me, I want to feel secure.
The common belief was a desire to feel secure. The unconscious mind far from self sabotaging him was protecting him from losing that security.
I then asked him where his hands were now and as I anticipated they were a lot closer together, we then went through and exercise where we demonstrated that it was ok to be rich and he would still have his family (in particualr his mother's love). We worked on this until his hands came together.
He reported a month later that after freeing this mental blockage he had already witnessed some improvements in his wealth.
If you would like the chance to talk through any limiting beliefs you may have feel free to drop me a line at steve@ukwealthcoach.com
Our negative emotions often come from our unconscious and it seems at times that our unconscious is somehow sabotaging our efforts. This isn't the case, our unconscious always acts with the best intentions, it never purposely sabotages us without good reason.
I recently worked with a client who was determined to improve his wealth and yet despite all the good efforts he was making he didn't seem to be getting anywhere. It was the classic one step forward 2 steps back.
We spent some time looking into his beliefs surrounding money and wealth. It became clear that he had a negative view of wealthy people and this seemed to be the main thing that was holding him back.
We used an NLP technique called parts integration that helped with this blockage. The great thing about these sort of techniques is that they work very quickly, there is no need for repeat sessions and often they can be successful in 1 or 2 sessions.
The coaching session was by phone and went something like this-
We talked about his childhood and things he had been taught about money by his parents, we discovered that in particular his mother had a negative view of rich people. He was often taught that they were greedy and that they would have cheated to get the money they had etc etc.
We divided his emotions into 2 parts, on the one hand he wanted to be rich, on the other had it appeared he was reluctant to make that breakthrough.
I told him to put the phone on speaker (It's even easier on skype with headphones!) Placing his hands in front of him palm up about body width apart. Taking the right hand as the one that wanted to be rich we used a visualisation of this 'rich mindset' he had. We explored the reasons for this desire. Each time getting deeper and deeper into the meaning behind it.
"For what purpose do you want to be rich"
"I want to be rich because I want to have lots of money"
"For what purpose do you want to have money?"
"To be able to buy what I want"
"What will this achieve?"
"I will get a feeling of satisfaction"
"How will that benefit you?"
"I will feel good"
"What purpose will that serve?"
"erm........ I will feel more confident"
"How will that benefit you?"
"I wont feel as insecure"
"and how will that benefit you?"
"I will feel secure"
By this point he was repeating the answer (not as insecure - more secure) I knew that this was the core belief.
We then turned to the other hand and went through a similar exercise. Working through the beliefs, we went through "I don't want to be thought of as greedy", I don't want to be disliked, I want family to still love me, I want to feel secure.
The common belief was a desire to feel secure. The unconscious mind far from self sabotaging him was protecting him from losing that security.
I then asked him where his hands were now and as I anticipated they were a lot closer together, we then went through and exercise where we demonstrated that it was ok to be rich and he would still have his family (in particualr his mother's love). We worked on this until his hands came together.
He reported a month later that after freeing this mental blockage he had already witnessed some improvements in his wealth.
If you would like the chance to talk through any limiting beliefs you may have feel free to drop me a line at steve@ukwealthcoach.com
Friday, 5 December 2008
What are you going to do with your extra money
So the interest rate has gone down again here in the UK.
The bad news for us of course is that it will inevitably mean the pound will fall even further in value against the dollar. Oh well with baby's arrival just over 2 months away we wont be travelling to USA for a few months ;-)
The real good news of course for people on a mortgage that isn't fixed is that the mortgage payments have gone down again. To put it into perspective mine is now less than half it was 3 months ago.
So what do we do with that extra money?
With Christmas coming up it's tempting to go and spend it, I even heard a Government minister suggesting we spend it to help the economy. Incredible that this mess has been caused bu overspending on the banks and general public's part and they are now suggesting we overspend to get out of it!!!
There are 3 levels of advice that coincide with someones wealth mentality.
The poor wealth mentality will go and spend it.
The middle class will use it to pay off debts. Now this is a sensible idea to get rid of high interest consumer debt such as credit cards etc. That's the first place to start but don't take it too far. Don't play too safe, too middle class. We want to be wealthy here, not comfortable. Don't for instance start paying off more of your mortgage.
Your mortgage now is likely to be at a very low rate of interest. The rich way to deal with this is to invest that extra money, you will get a higher rate of return than you will be paying on your mortgage. Invest in an asset (remember an asset is something that pays you money and doesn't include your family home) that will give you a good return and will increase in value.
I can't give individual advice on here but look for an investment advisor and make sure it's one who puts his/her money where their mouth is. In other words ask how much % wise their income is from investments as against commission. Do you really want to be trusting an investment advisor that doesn't take their own advice about investing and only earns their income from YOU - your commission???
The bad news for us of course is that it will inevitably mean the pound will fall even further in value against the dollar. Oh well with baby's arrival just over 2 months away we wont be travelling to USA for a few months ;-)
The real good news of course for people on a mortgage that isn't fixed is that the mortgage payments have gone down again. To put it into perspective mine is now less than half it was 3 months ago.
So what do we do with that extra money?
With Christmas coming up it's tempting to go and spend it, I even heard a Government minister suggesting we spend it to help the economy. Incredible that this mess has been caused bu overspending on the banks and general public's part and they are now suggesting we overspend to get out of it!!!
There are 3 levels of advice that coincide with someones wealth mentality.
The poor wealth mentality will go and spend it.
The middle class will use it to pay off debts. Now this is a sensible idea to get rid of high interest consumer debt such as credit cards etc. That's the first place to start but don't take it too far. Don't play too safe, too middle class. We want to be wealthy here, not comfortable. Don't for instance start paying off more of your mortgage.
Your mortgage now is likely to be at a very low rate of interest. The rich way to deal with this is to invest that extra money, you will get a higher rate of return than you will be paying on your mortgage. Invest in an asset (remember an asset is something that pays you money and doesn't include your family home) that will give you a good return and will increase in value.
I can't give individual advice on here but look for an investment advisor and make sure it's one who puts his/her money where their mouth is. In other words ask how much % wise their income is from investments as against commission. Do you really want to be trusting an investment advisor that doesn't take their own advice about investing and only earns their income from YOU - your commission???
Thursday, 4 December 2008
Noticing that I haven't blogged for ages reminds me, ironically, about one of the keys to success. Consistency. All successful people keep on keeping on day after day. It's easy to make excuses, I could say things have been hectic getting the nursery ready for our baby's arrival, or that we have both been unwell....
Truth is everyone has distractions, it's how you deal with them that seperates the winners from the losers.
Success is rarely a quantum leap, the breakthrough we see is the tip of a very large iceberg made up of hundreds of little pieces of work.
We have to make a commitment with ourselves, make a timetable of what we are going to do when and keep to it.
So on that point I shall be back blogging tomorrow.
Truth is everyone has distractions, it's how you deal with them that seperates the winners from the losers.
Success is rarely a quantum leap, the breakthrough we see is the tip of a very large iceberg made up of hundreds of little pieces of work.
We have to make a commitment with ourselves, make a timetable of what we are going to do when and keep to it.
So on that point I shall be back blogging tomorrow.
Monday, 22 September 2008
How to get the Government to refund 10% of your housing costs
We don't seem to get a lot from the government these days but there is a way you can reclaim about 10% of all of your housing costs.
This includes your mortgage, energy bills, council tax and even phone calls.
I always tell my clients that the best way to improve their finances is to start a home based business. There are loads of benefits to this, one of the benefits is the tax advantages.
If you run a business from home you are allowed to claim a proportion of your house expenses as legitimate business expenses. So for example you can put down 25% of the mortgage as a business cost, you can then offset this against your business income or even your wages from your day job so that at the end of the tax year the Tax man will send you a nice cheque.
This amount will vary depending upon your circumstances and I would advise you to get advice from an accountant.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/selfemployed-can-set-mortgage-costs-against-tax-says-hmrc-856994.html
If anyone wants advice on setting up a home based business contact me at steve@ukwealthcoach.com
This includes your mortgage, energy bills, council tax and even phone calls.
I always tell my clients that the best way to improve their finances is to start a home based business. There are loads of benefits to this, one of the benefits is the tax advantages.
If you run a business from home you are allowed to claim a proportion of your house expenses as legitimate business expenses. So for example you can put down 25% of the mortgage as a business cost, you can then offset this against your business income or even your wages from your day job so that at the end of the tax year the Tax man will send you a nice cheque.
This amount will vary depending upon your circumstances and I would advise you to get advice from an accountant.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/selfemployed-can-set-mortgage-costs-against-tax-says-hmrc-856994.html
If anyone wants advice on setting up a home based business contact me at steve@ukwealthcoach.com
Monday, 15 September 2008
Introducing Maggie Currie
I love helping people and seeing great results. It's also great to meet other similar people.
Tonight I had the pleasure of speaking to a woman with a real passion for helping people, Maggie Currie. We had met on a networking site which is a great way to meet other professionals and coaches.
Maggie works with people helping them build self-confidence and self-esteem. I don't think you can overestimate how important that is; a lot of clients come to me because they aren't making as much money as they want and the bottom line is often their lack of self-confidence.
Well now we have an expert on the team! Maggie is a Dawn Breslin accredited life coach and is also licensed to teach courses based on Susan Jeffers' teachings.
If we feel that self-confidence (or the lack of it) is at the bottom of someone's wealth lack, we will be happy to refer clients to Maggie, who can do online or phone advice for you.
Pop along to her website and see how passionate this woman is about helping others.
Tonight I had the pleasure of speaking to a woman with a real passion for helping people, Maggie Currie. We had met on a networking site which is a great way to meet other professionals and coaches.
Maggie works with people helping them build self-confidence and self-esteem. I don't think you can overestimate how important that is; a lot of clients come to me because they aren't making as much money as they want and the bottom line is often their lack of self-confidence.
Well now we have an expert on the team! Maggie is a Dawn Breslin accredited life coach and is also licensed to teach courses based on Susan Jeffers' teachings.
If we feel that self-confidence (or the lack of it) is at the bottom of someone's wealth lack, we will be happy to refer clients to Maggie, who can do online or phone advice for you.
Pop along to her website and see how passionate this woman is about helping others.
Tuesday, 9 September 2008
Good news week
You only ever hear good news on here, if you want doom and gloom try the news.
(Only joking - the only time I ever turn on the news is if I think I am going to be on it to check out how I look ;-))
So don't turn on the news but check this out -
So apparently we are facing the worst recession for years. Does that mean we are all going to suffer? No of course not, in fact if we all pulled together we could get through this.
But some people will thrive during these times, I don't mean people who are going to pray on other peoples misery and misfortune but people who can offer a good service and a good product.
The 1930's was a real bad time for the whole world, shares plummeted, people lost millions, millions lost jobs, 25% of people in America were out of work.
But amongst this loads and loads of companies set up. A lot of them are still going strong now.
Amongst the deepest depression someone came up with the idea of setting up a company to sell doughnuts. Can you imagine it, 25% of people are unemployed, a large amount of people who are working are struggling to pay bills, have barely enough money to buy food and you go to the bank and say "I want to set up a company selling doughnuts!!!" but not just doughnuts, big ones, small ones, ones with chocolate on, ones with hundreds and thousands on. In fact every variety you can think of - pure indulgence in a time when people had little money.
Well the company got their money and set up and if anyone has been to America you cant miss Krispy Kreme. They are everywhere, with 1000's of stores across America and 13 different countries.
Other companies started in the 30's include Saab, Hewlett Packard, in fact google 'founded in 1930's' and see what you find.
This shows that no matter what the climate if you have a good product or service you will thrive.
I am recommending to all my clients that they start looking at other forms of income and I haven't found anything better than this - http://stevewilliams.mtexpro.com/ and if you act quick enough you could be part of my team.
To your wealth and happiness
(Only joking - the only time I ever turn on the news is if I think I am going to be on it to check out how I look ;-))
So don't turn on the news but check this out -
So apparently we are facing the worst recession for years. Does that mean we are all going to suffer? No of course not, in fact if we all pulled together we could get through this.
But some people will thrive during these times, I don't mean people who are going to pray on other peoples misery and misfortune but people who can offer a good service and a good product.
The 1930's was a real bad time for the whole world, shares plummeted, people lost millions, millions lost jobs, 25% of people in America were out of work.
But amongst this loads and loads of companies set up. A lot of them are still going strong now.
Amongst the deepest depression someone came up with the idea of setting up a company to sell doughnuts. Can you imagine it, 25% of people are unemployed, a large amount of people who are working are struggling to pay bills, have barely enough money to buy food and you go to the bank and say "I want to set up a company selling doughnuts!!!" but not just doughnuts, big ones, small ones, ones with chocolate on, ones with hundreds and thousands on. In fact every variety you can think of - pure indulgence in a time when people had little money.
Well the company got their money and set up and if anyone has been to America you cant miss Krispy Kreme. They are everywhere, with 1000's of stores across America and 13 different countries.
Other companies started in the 30's include Saab, Hewlett Packard, in fact google 'founded in 1930's' and see what you find.
This shows that no matter what the climate if you have a good product or service you will thrive.
I am recommending to all my clients that they start looking at other forms of income and I haven't found anything better than this - http://stevewilliams.mtexpro.com/ and if you act quick enough you could be part of my team.
To your wealth and happiness
Thursday, 4 September 2008
Dads Army in Downing Street takeover shock!!!
I try and keep this blog fairly light hearted and upbeat but every now and then want to deal with some economic issues going on.
Today the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee met to decide on interest rates. they do this every month and it's important for a number of reasons.
The main one is that the high street banks normally set their interest rates based on the Bank of England's rate. This means it affects all of us directly, well those of us that have borrowed money, owe money, have a mortgage or have savings. So I'm guessing that's pretty much all of us ;-)
You may have heard our chancellor of the exchequer say earlier in the week that we are facing the worse recession for 60 years, now for the guy in charge of the countries money to be saying that isn't very comforting. Many people are saying he shouldn't have said that. I'm gonna add my view - HE WAS CRAZY TO SAY THAT! - I think that about covers it. In my mind he should be sacked immediately for that and this is why I think that -
Recessions are in a large part based on people's confidence. When we hear nothing but gloom and doom people are scared to spend money, move house etc. This doesn't help the country because if people aren't spending money stuff isn't being sold and jobs are at risk. On a larger scale the big investors are not likely to be as willing to leave their money in a country facing it's worst recession for 60 years. So as we speak millions of British pounds are being invested in countries where the money man isn't saying doing a dads army impression and saying 'we're doomed, we're doomed'. Come to think of it maybe Capt Manwearing could do a better job in charge of the countries money!
So given the doom and gloom why haven't interest rates just been reduced so we can all have more money?
Well unfortunately it's not that straight forward. Whilst it would be good to put more money in every ones pocket so it can be put back into the economy the risk is that this will increase inflation which harm the economy. So it was a pretty hard decision to make. My view is that at this moment we would have benefited more from a reduction in interest rate and the confidence boost it would be given.
We need to hold our nerve through these times but inevitably we will get through it, economies go through cycles like this and we will come out the other side.
For tips and advice to get through these times sign up at my website or in the words of another dads army character "Don't panic, don't panic"
Today the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee met to decide on interest rates. they do this every month and it's important for a number of reasons.
The main one is that the high street banks normally set their interest rates based on the Bank of England's rate. This means it affects all of us directly, well those of us that have borrowed money, owe money, have a mortgage or have savings. So I'm guessing that's pretty much all of us ;-)
You may have heard our chancellor of the exchequer say earlier in the week that we are facing the worse recession for 60 years, now for the guy in charge of the countries money to be saying that isn't very comforting. Many people are saying he shouldn't have said that. I'm gonna add my view - HE WAS CRAZY TO SAY THAT! - I think that about covers it. In my mind he should be sacked immediately for that and this is why I think that -
Recessions are in a large part based on people's confidence. When we hear nothing but gloom and doom people are scared to spend money, move house etc. This doesn't help the country because if people aren't spending money stuff isn't being sold and jobs are at risk. On a larger scale the big investors are not likely to be as willing to leave their money in a country facing it's worst recession for 60 years. So as we speak millions of British pounds are being invested in countries where the money man isn't saying doing a dads army impression and saying 'we're doomed, we're doomed'. Come to think of it maybe Capt Manwearing could do a better job in charge of the countries money!
So given the doom and gloom why haven't interest rates just been reduced so we can all have more money?
Well unfortunately it's not that straight forward. Whilst it would be good to put more money in every ones pocket so it can be put back into the economy the risk is that this will increase inflation which harm the economy. So it was a pretty hard decision to make. My view is that at this moment we would have benefited more from a reduction in interest rate and the confidence boost it would be given.
We need to hold our nerve through these times but inevitably we will get through it, economies go through cycles like this and we will come out the other side.
For tips and advice to get through these times sign up at my website or in the words of another dads army character "Don't panic, don't panic"
Sunday, 24 August 2008
Kerry Katonas bust
No, not like that....... I mean she has been made bankrupt!!
This is not unusual, there are a host of celebrities that have been made bankrupt; Mike Tyson, Michael Barrymore, Burt Reynolds and even Ken from Coronation Street!
There are a whole host of reasons for celeb bankruptcy and every case is different. One thing that celebrity bankrupts often, although not always, have in common is that they have come from unprivileged backgrounds and have earned a huge amount of money in a short period of time.
Coming from a humble background is often a motivator and has inspired many people to great financial feats, including 2 of the first super rich at the end of the 19th Century Andrew Carnegie and John D Rockeller.
It can, however also affect how people deal with their wealth. It can lead people to believe they don't deserve that wealth, as if only the privileged deserve to be wealthy. Of course this is absolute nonsense but often means people spending money as fast, or faster than they get it. The result is that after a short time they are poor again and therefore justifying everything they unconsciously think about themselves.
Once again proving that until we get our mindset right it doesnt matter how much we earn.
For details of one of our courses near to you showing you how to get the right mindset email me at steve@ukwealthcoach.com
This is not unusual, there are a host of celebrities that have been made bankrupt; Mike Tyson, Michael Barrymore, Burt Reynolds and even Ken from Coronation Street!
There are a whole host of reasons for celeb bankruptcy and every case is different. One thing that celebrity bankrupts often, although not always, have in common is that they have come from unprivileged backgrounds and have earned a huge amount of money in a short period of time.
Coming from a humble background is often a motivator and has inspired many people to great financial feats, including 2 of the first super rich at the end of the 19th Century Andrew Carnegie and John D Rockeller.
It can, however also affect how people deal with their wealth. It can lead people to believe they don't deserve that wealth, as if only the privileged deserve to be wealthy. Of course this is absolute nonsense but often means people spending money as fast, or faster than they get it. The result is that after a short time they are poor again and therefore justifying everything they unconsciously think about themselves.
Once again proving that until we get our mindset right it doesnt matter how much we earn.
For details of one of our courses near to you showing you how to get the right mindset email me at steve@ukwealthcoach.com
Thursday, 14 August 2008
Why is it costing me more to go to America?
We travel to America fairly often, normally on business. Whilst we are there we always manage to get a break to do some shopping.
Because the pound has been so strong against the dollar this has been a huge advantage, every price we see we just halve to get an idea of how much it would cost in pounds.
Now things aren't looking so good. The pound is slipping against a lot of currencies which means it costs us more.
As if it's not bad enough that things are costing us more at home they are also costing us more abroad.
This affects everyone who goes abroad on holiday, from big purchases in America to a meal out in Spain it is all costing us more.
A lot of clients are asking why it is that the pound is worth less, surely a pound is a pound?
To see why our money is worth less we have to go back to basic economics. When I studied economics the dollar was worth more than the pound!!
The most important principle in economics is supply and demand. A great place to see supply and demand in action is Ebay. Look up, for example an old playstation 2. There are loads around (high supply) and not many people want them (low demand) so the price is low. Now look up an iphone, the supply is low but demand is high so the price is high.
The principle is applied throughout economics and explains the change in the value of our money.
Last year the UK was looking strong as an economy compared with USA. Big companies, banks and investors have a choice of what money they hold their fortunes in. The Pound looked a better bet than the dollar so more people wanted the pound so it was worth more, now things have changed and more people are starting to want the dollar.
The reasons for this are fairly simple. Our interest rates are lower, so if you invested £100 you would get a smaller return than if you invested $100. Also inflation is creeping up in the UK so that your money is going to be worth less in the UK as opposed to USA.
For these and a number of other reasons more people are choosing to invest in dollars than pounds which means the price of the dollar is rising. Bad news for people who want to travel to USA.
The Good news however is for our companies who trade with America. When the pound was worth $2 this meant that if a British company was selling something for £100 it would cost an American $200, now the pound is down to say $1:80, the same product will cost an American $180, a 10% reduction without the British company having to reduce its profits.
So the advice is start selling to America and book your next holiday to Skegness :-)
Because the pound has been so strong against the dollar this has been a huge advantage, every price we see we just halve to get an idea of how much it would cost in pounds.
Now things aren't looking so good. The pound is slipping against a lot of currencies which means it costs us more.
As if it's not bad enough that things are costing us more at home they are also costing us more abroad.
This affects everyone who goes abroad on holiday, from big purchases in America to a meal out in Spain it is all costing us more.
A lot of clients are asking why it is that the pound is worth less, surely a pound is a pound?
To see why our money is worth less we have to go back to basic economics. When I studied economics the dollar was worth more than the pound!!
The most important principle in economics is supply and demand. A great place to see supply and demand in action is Ebay. Look up, for example an old playstation 2. There are loads around (high supply) and not many people want them (low demand) so the price is low. Now look up an iphone, the supply is low but demand is high so the price is high.
The principle is applied throughout economics and explains the change in the value of our money.
Last year the UK was looking strong as an economy compared with USA. Big companies, banks and investors have a choice of what money they hold their fortunes in. The Pound looked a better bet than the dollar so more people wanted the pound so it was worth more, now things have changed and more people are starting to want the dollar.
The reasons for this are fairly simple. Our interest rates are lower, so if you invested £100 you would get a smaller return than if you invested $100. Also inflation is creeping up in the UK so that your money is going to be worth less in the UK as opposed to USA.
For these and a number of other reasons more people are choosing to invest in dollars than pounds which means the price of the dollar is rising. Bad news for people who want to travel to USA.
The Good news however is for our companies who trade with America. When the pound was worth $2 this meant that if a British company was selling something for £100 it would cost an American $200, now the pound is down to say $1:80, the same product will cost an American $180, a 10% reduction without the British company having to reduce its profits.
So the advice is start selling to America and book your next holiday to Skegness :-)
Sunday, 10 August 2008
Your own PLC
More bad news in the press today, redundancies and lay offs.
The working world is changing, when I was at school the advice was to get a good education, get a good job with a big firm and keep your head down and wait for retirement in 50 years time. I grew up in Birmingham, centre of the English car manufacturing industry. The best companies were British Leyland, Rover and any of a number of firms making parts for the car industry. Local to where I live now every boy knew he had a job for life down the coal mine as soon as he left school. None of these jobs exist now, they went in less than 20 years.
There are no jobs for life these days, and we have to get used to that. We cant rely on corporate Britain, or America. There is only one person we can rely upon and that's our self.
It's important that we 'brand' ourselves.
Normally I hate the business speak cliches such as 'branding' but I am happy to make an exception for this.
'Branding' ourselves simply means making sure we stand out from the crowd. We have to accept that we are and always will be self employed regardless of who we work for. You have to make sure that you are more important to your employer than they are to you.
When the industrial revolution first started working for someone else was seen as a short term measure until things picked up in your own endeavour, much as we think of social security benefits today. Over time we have lost that mentality and have slipped into a desire for security.
Now security is not a bad thing at all but it is dangerous when we rely upon someone else to provide our own security.
There are 2 ways to make sure we have control over our own security.
The first way is to make ourselves indispensable at work, to do this we have to offer more service than we get rewarded for. Too many people take the view that "I'm not paid to do that", this is not going to make you more secure at work. You also need to make sure you get the recognition, so for example make sure all of your customers, or anyone you provide a service to knows your name and asks for your personally. This is 'branding' your self above the firm.
Don't confuse any of this with grovelling or creeping up to the boss, this is for your interests first and foremost. The fact that it also helps your company only serves to make it more powerful.
The second and by far the better way to make yourself more secure is to start your own business part time. This is becoming very popular and the entrepreneurial spirit is really taking off. This is the one thing that will separate those that thrive in a recession from those that don't.
There are many ways to start your own business and it can be done for less than £1000, and involve less than 10 hours a week.
I have devised a fact sheet for anyone that is interested in how to go about starting their own business, what to look for, how to avoid the pitfalls and also my personal recommendations.
If anyone wants a fact sheet with a view to getting started on making yourself more secure drop me a line at - steve@ukwealthcoach.com
The working world is changing, when I was at school the advice was to get a good education, get a good job with a big firm and keep your head down and wait for retirement in 50 years time. I grew up in Birmingham, centre of the English car manufacturing industry. The best companies were British Leyland, Rover and any of a number of firms making parts for the car industry. Local to where I live now every boy knew he had a job for life down the coal mine as soon as he left school. None of these jobs exist now, they went in less than 20 years.
There are no jobs for life these days, and we have to get used to that. We cant rely on corporate Britain, or America. There is only one person we can rely upon and that's our self.
It's important that we 'brand' ourselves.
Normally I hate the business speak cliches such as 'branding' but I am happy to make an exception for this.
'Branding' ourselves simply means making sure we stand out from the crowd. We have to accept that we are and always will be self employed regardless of who we work for. You have to make sure that you are more important to your employer than they are to you.
When the industrial revolution first started working for someone else was seen as a short term measure until things picked up in your own endeavour, much as we think of social security benefits today. Over time we have lost that mentality and have slipped into a desire for security.
Now security is not a bad thing at all but it is dangerous when we rely upon someone else to provide our own security.
There are 2 ways to make sure we have control over our own security.
The first way is to make ourselves indispensable at work, to do this we have to offer more service than we get rewarded for. Too many people take the view that "I'm not paid to do that", this is not going to make you more secure at work. You also need to make sure you get the recognition, so for example make sure all of your customers, or anyone you provide a service to knows your name and asks for your personally. This is 'branding' your self above the firm.
Don't confuse any of this with grovelling or creeping up to the boss, this is for your interests first and foremost. The fact that it also helps your company only serves to make it more powerful.
The second and by far the better way to make yourself more secure is to start your own business part time. This is becoming very popular and the entrepreneurial spirit is really taking off. This is the one thing that will separate those that thrive in a recession from those that don't.
There are many ways to start your own business and it can be done for less than £1000, and involve less than 10 hours a week.
I have devised a fact sheet for anyone that is interested in how to go about starting their own business, what to look for, how to avoid the pitfalls and also my personal recommendations.
If anyone wants a fact sheet with a view to getting started on making yourself more secure drop me a line at - steve@ukwealthcoach.com
Thursday, 7 August 2008
Slight Edge
I tend to do a fair bit of travelling in my car, I don't like the thought of wasting time so I always make sure I have my i-pod which I can plug in and listen to some good stuff whilst I am driving.
Now I must have the most varied i-pod in history. Apart from my old school Led Zeppelin, Sex Pistols and The Clash I also have some modern R'n'B which my partner encouraged me into. There is also some weird stuff on there courtesy of my daughter such as Britney Spears and Girls Aloud!!
But by far the biggest category on my i-pod is personal development and it's this I listen to everyday when I am alone in the car. I love listening to the greats such as Jim Rohn, Denis Waitley and Anthony Robbins. Today I was listening to the Slight Edge by Jeff Olsen. This is one of my favourites and I think it brings together all of the personal development stuff and explains why people can often listen to personal development and yet make no changes.
We are conditioned into wanting instant results, whereas the truth is that often it is an incremental improvement. When we dont see those results we give up.
One of the stories on the CD I love is the 2 sons who are given a choice by their dying dad. Do you want £1million today, or a penny which will double everyday for 30 days? ***** beware I am going to spoil the ending here ;-) - yep after 30 days that penny is worth over £5million!! The power of compound interest.
How many of us realise that when we take credit out, do we really know the cost of that £100 purchase if paid off just on the minimum payment.
I remember lying on the floor with my dad reading the papers, they were all broadsheets in those days and too big for us to hold up and read so we laid it out on the floor. He used to show me the loans and mortgage offers and show me how much I would have to pay over the lifetime of a mortgage. It scared me so much it nearly put me off buying a house!
The main point of the slight edge is that every decision we make is a slight edge decision. Every time we decide whether to read a book that will teach us something (or log into your favourite wealth coach blog ;-) ) or watch TV we are making a decision that will take us closer or further away from our goal.
The point is its easy to do the right thing but its also easy not to. Reading 10 pages of an inspiring book won't make us successful overnight, just as watching an episode of Eastenders mean we will never succeed. But day after day these decisions make a difference, 10 pages of a book everyday equals about 15 good books a year - now that will make a difference.
So what are you going to do tomorrow that will take you a step closer, not a step further away from your goal?
Now I must have the most varied i-pod in history. Apart from my old school Led Zeppelin, Sex Pistols and The Clash I also have some modern R'n'B which my partner encouraged me into. There is also some weird stuff on there courtesy of my daughter such as Britney Spears and Girls Aloud!!
But by far the biggest category on my i-pod is personal development and it's this I listen to everyday when I am alone in the car. I love listening to the greats such as Jim Rohn, Denis Waitley and Anthony Robbins. Today I was listening to the Slight Edge by Jeff Olsen. This is one of my favourites and I think it brings together all of the personal development stuff and explains why people can often listen to personal development and yet make no changes.
We are conditioned into wanting instant results, whereas the truth is that often it is an incremental improvement. When we dont see those results we give up.
One of the stories on the CD I love is the 2 sons who are given a choice by their dying dad. Do you want £1million today, or a penny which will double everyday for 30 days? ***** beware I am going to spoil the ending here ;-) - yep after 30 days that penny is worth over £5million!! The power of compound interest.
How many of us realise that when we take credit out, do we really know the cost of that £100 purchase if paid off just on the minimum payment.
I remember lying on the floor with my dad reading the papers, they were all broadsheets in those days and too big for us to hold up and read so we laid it out on the floor. He used to show me the loans and mortgage offers and show me how much I would have to pay over the lifetime of a mortgage. It scared me so much it nearly put me off buying a house!
The main point of the slight edge is that every decision we make is a slight edge decision. Every time we decide whether to read a book that will teach us something (or log into your favourite wealth coach blog ;-) ) or watch TV we are making a decision that will take us closer or further away from our goal.
The point is its easy to do the right thing but its also easy not to. Reading 10 pages of an inspiring book won't make us successful overnight, just as watching an episode of Eastenders mean we will never succeed. But day after day these decisions make a difference, 10 pages of a book everyday equals about 15 good books a year - now that will make a difference.
So what are you going to do tomorrow that will take you a step closer, not a step further away from your goal?
Monday, 4 August 2008
Fat Cats and the Filthy Rich
I was doing some research yesterday for a programme I am running showing people how to improve their finances.
The programme shows people how a negative way of thinking can impact on their finances, in particular its important how we view the wealthy.
Googling for images for the programme I was amazed how many negative images there were of the rich. Now don;t get me wrong some wealthy people are hard to like (especially the younger ones with inherited wealth!!!) but it's not healthy to have such a poor image of wealth.
Try it yourself, google 'rich people' or similar phrases and see what it brings up.
I was amazed talking to a friend who told me stories of how differently he gets treated when he drives his Bentley as opposed to his Audi. How strangers shout obscenities at him for being 'rich', how harder it is to find a gap in the traffic and how often the car has been scratched.
So what does it matter? Why am I bothered about the rich getting a bad press?
Well I'm not bothered about them, I'm bothered about you.
If we are surrounded by bad images of the rich, if the names we attach are "filthy rich", greedy, pigs how will that affect us?
Our unconscious mind is more powerful than our conscious mind. We can tell ourselves that we want to be rich but if we have poor images of rich people are we really going to want to be rich?
Are we going to want to be one of those people that our family and friends dislike and resent?
What will our friends think of us if we succeed? Will our family talk to us, will we have anything in common?
Negative thinking like this will hold us back in our wealth goals no matter how often we tell ourselves we really want to be rich.
So do yourself a favour and next time you see the guy in the Armani suit step out of his Aston Martin give him a hug, rich people are human too and they deserve to be loved ;-)
.......... or you can sign up for a FREE wealth checkup. This is a series of probing questions for you to complete in private which will show any limiting beliefs your unconscious mind is using to hold you back.
Sign up for this checkup for you to complete at your leisure http://www.ukwealthcoach.com/resources
The programme shows people how a negative way of thinking can impact on their finances, in particular its important how we view the wealthy.
Googling for images for the programme I was amazed how many negative images there were of the rich. Now don;t get me wrong some wealthy people are hard to like (especially the younger ones with inherited wealth!!!) but it's not healthy to have such a poor image of wealth.
Try it yourself, google 'rich people' or similar phrases and see what it brings up.
I was amazed talking to a friend who told me stories of how differently he gets treated when he drives his Bentley as opposed to his Audi. How strangers shout obscenities at him for being 'rich', how harder it is to find a gap in the traffic and how often the car has been scratched.
So what does it matter? Why am I bothered about the rich getting a bad press?
Well I'm not bothered about them, I'm bothered about you.
If we are surrounded by bad images of the rich, if the names we attach are "filthy rich", greedy, pigs how will that affect us?
Our unconscious mind is more powerful than our conscious mind. We can tell ourselves that we want to be rich but if we have poor images of rich people are we really going to want to be rich?
Are we going to want to be one of those people that our family and friends dislike and resent?
What will our friends think of us if we succeed? Will our family talk to us, will we have anything in common?
Negative thinking like this will hold us back in our wealth goals no matter how often we tell ourselves we really want to be rich.
So do yourself a favour and next time you see the guy in the Armani suit step out of his Aston Martin give him a hug, rich people are human too and they deserve to be loved ;-)
.......... or you can sign up for a FREE wealth checkup. This is a series of probing questions for you to complete in private which will show any limiting beliefs your unconscious mind is using to hold you back.
Sign up for this checkup for you to complete at your leisure http://www.ukwealthcoach.com/resources
Sunday, 3 August 2008
THE INSANITY PRINCIPLE
Do you know the definition of insanity? One popular definition is "Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result"
Yet so many people do exactly this, especially in relation to their finances.
I see so many people who tell me a similar tale as we go through their financial history. Typically there is a consolidating loan, now these sort of loan aren't necessarily a bad idea. I will cover how to best use credit in a later article. However I see them used in the worst way possible so often. Here is the scenario........
Bob has 3 credit cards, they are all up to the limit, a total of £7500 and he is paying out £150 a month minimum payments . He sees a great shiny new loan that will wipe out all of his credit cards and will reduce the monthly payments to £65 a month. WOW, nearly £100 a month better off.
As Bob pays off his final credit card with the loan money he says to himself "that's it I am not using credit cards again I am going to rip them up"
So far so good and probably sound advice, the interest rate on the loan will probably be a lot cheaper and the loan will be paid off.
However the reality that I so often see is this - Bob almost pays off his credit cards but leaves £350 on one so that he has £350 of the loan money to 'treat himself' after all he deserves it for being so financially sensible.
He cuts up 2 of his cards but leaves one 'for emergencies'
3 months later he sees a new shirt that he has to have and because he has done so well he decides he will 'reward himself' and given that all of his other shirts are in the wash it probably classes as an emergency anyway. So he dusts his only credit card off and buys it on credit........
18 months later Bob is asking if he can increase the consolidating loan to £10,000 because he wants to 're-consolidate'. He increases the payment period by 5 years so now he has an extra £2,500 credit BUT his payments have gone down!!! Now that is a financial magic trick and Bob buys himself a real treat for that!
All joking apart this is a typical scenario for a lot of people.
The reason is that they are following a pattern that has been programmed into them since childhood.
We all see money differently and for a lot of people their upbringing has planted seeds that mean they will be programmed to see credit as a way of rewarding themselves, or cheering themselves up.
In the worst case scenarios I have seen it is an addiction, no different to alcohol, drugs or food.
The good news is that it can be solved. Just as your mind has been programmed over time so it can be reprogrammed.
In an online training programme I use you can establish what patterns you have; how you think of money; where the thought pattern came from and then we can work to establish a better, healthier pattern which is often the first step to wealth.
If you want to learn how to stop banging your head against a brick wall contact me at steve@ukwealthcoach.com
Yet so many people do exactly this, especially in relation to their finances.
I see so many people who tell me a similar tale as we go through their financial history. Typically there is a consolidating loan, now these sort of loan aren't necessarily a bad idea. I will cover how to best use credit in a later article. However I see them used in the worst way possible so often. Here is the scenario........
Bob has 3 credit cards, they are all up to the limit, a total of £7500 and he is paying out £150 a month minimum payments . He sees a great shiny new loan that will wipe out all of his credit cards and will reduce the monthly payments to £65 a month. WOW, nearly £100 a month better off.
As Bob pays off his final credit card with the loan money he says to himself "that's it I am not using credit cards again I am going to rip them up"
So far so good and probably sound advice, the interest rate on the loan will probably be a lot cheaper and the loan will be paid off.
However the reality that I so often see is this - Bob almost pays off his credit cards but leaves £350 on one so that he has £350 of the loan money to 'treat himself' after all he deserves it for being so financially sensible.
He cuts up 2 of his cards but leaves one 'for emergencies'
3 months later he sees a new shirt that he has to have and because he has done so well he decides he will 'reward himself' and given that all of his other shirts are in the wash it probably classes as an emergency anyway. So he dusts his only credit card off and buys it on credit........
18 months later Bob is asking if he can increase the consolidating loan to £10,000 because he wants to 're-consolidate'. He increases the payment period by 5 years so now he has an extra £2,500 credit BUT his payments have gone down!!! Now that is a financial magic trick and Bob buys himself a real treat for that!
All joking apart this is a typical scenario for a lot of people.
The reason is that they are following a pattern that has been programmed into them since childhood.
We all see money differently and for a lot of people their upbringing has planted seeds that mean they will be programmed to see credit as a way of rewarding themselves, or cheering themselves up.
In the worst case scenarios I have seen it is an addiction, no different to alcohol, drugs or food.
The good news is that it can be solved. Just as your mind has been programmed over time so it can be reprogrammed.
In an online training programme I use you can establish what patterns you have; how you think of money; where the thought pattern came from and then we can work to establish a better, healthier pattern which is often the first step to wealth.
If you want to learn how to stop banging your head against a brick wall contact me at steve@ukwealthcoach.com
Saturday, 2 August 2008
NEGATIVE EQUITY, DOES IT SPELL DISASTER?
Yesterday the Nationwide building society reported more 'bad' news for home owners.
"House prices are falling at a record rate as the credit crunch continues to squeeze the property market, figures have shown."
- The average UK home lost 8.1% of its value during the past year
- House prices fell for the ninth month in a row during July
- The average home now costs £169,316, nearly £15,000 less than this time last year and the lowest since August 2006.
Doom, gloom and more gloom.
But is it really? One of the problems with this sort of news is that people are taught to view a home as an asset. The truth is that it isn't an asset but a liability. People who know how to succeed financially know that an asset is something that produces an income, something that costs you money is a liability. Robert Kiyosaki in his best selling book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" upset many dyed in the wool accountants when he turned modern day thinking on its head and show how the real rich think.
A house is worth what people will pay for it but ultimately its value is the value to you. A house that you have made into a home for you and your family will never lose its true value. If you are paying £700 a month for your home you are getting the comfort, warmth and 'welcome home' feeling that a true family home can give you. That value is the same whether someone will pay you £200,000 or £150,000 for it.
The price is only relevant if you want to sell it. This is the point that most people miss.
If prices continue to fall there is really only one advice - HOLD ON. The price will recover. My parents home cost them £3,000 over 40 years ago. Over the years it has gone up and down, it is probably now worth less than it was a year ago and more than 5 years ago but it doesn't matter because they love their home and have no intention of selling so the 'price' of it is of interest only to other people.
Deep in the article by the Nationwide they said........ "prices were still nearly £11,000 higher than they were three years ago"!!!!!
Does it really matter? Close your curtains, put the kettle on and enjoy your house for what it is - your home for you and your family and not a figure on a balance sheet.
"House prices are falling at a record rate as the credit crunch continues to squeeze the property market, figures have shown."
- The average UK home lost 8.1% of its value during the past year
- House prices fell for the ninth month in a row during July
- The average home now costs £169,316, nearly £15,000 less than this time last year and the lowest since August 2006.
Doom, gloom and more gloom.
But is it really? One of the problems with this sort of news is that people are taught to view a home as an asset. The truth is that it isn't an asset but a liability. People who know how to succeed financially know that an asset is something that produces an income, something that costs you money is a liability. Robert Kiyosaki in his best selling book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" upset many dyed in the wool accountants when he turned modern day thinking on its head and show how the real rich think.
A house is worth what people will pay for it but ultimately its value is the value to you. A house that you have made into a home for you and your family will never lose its true value. If you are paying £700 a month for your home you are getting the comfort, warmth and 'welcome home' feeling that a true family home can give you. That value is the same whether someone will pay you £200,000 or £150,000 for it.
The price is only relevant if you want to sell it. This is the point that most people miss.
If prices continue to fall there is really only one advice - HOLD ON. The price will recover. My parents home cost them £3,000 over 40 years ago. Over the years it has gone up and down, it is probably now worth less than it was a year ago and more than 5 years ago but it doesn't matter because they love their home and have no intention of selling so the 'price' of it is of interest only to other people.
Deep in the article by the Nationwide they said........ "prices were still nearly £11,000 higher than they were three years ago"!!!!!
Does it really matter? Close your curtains, put the kettle on and enjoy your house for what it is - your home for you and your family and not a figure on a balance sheet.
THE GOOD NEWS PORTAL
Credit crunch, negative equity, rising petrol prices, food prices, electricity prices.
Everywhere you look today there is bad news.
This blog aims to be an oasis of good news, showing you how you can avoid the worst of any recession and how you can even thrive.
Did you know more millionaires are made in recessions than in boom times?
I am going to give daily help, post resources, and give advice on how to get out of debt and back into the black.
Recessions are often borne out of a loss of confidence, panic and surrender. It doesn't have to be this way.
I have shown people how to get out of debt and given practical advice over the last 20 years, through the last recession when negative equity ruined many lives and through the boom times.
Times change but good solid financial skills don't, let's work together to make sure we prosper.
Everywhere you look today there is bad news.
This blog aims to be an oasis of good news, showing you how you can avoid the worst of any recession and how you can even thrive.
Did you know more millionaires are made in recessions than in boom times?
I am going to give daily help, post resources, and give advice on how to get out of debt and back into the black.
Recessions are often borne out of a loss of confidence, panic and surrender. It doesn't have to be this way.
I have shown people how to get out of debt and given practical advice over the last 20 years, through the last recession when negative equity ruined many lives and through the boom times.
Times change but good solid financial skills don't, let's work together to make sure we prosper.
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