Practice makes perfect, right? Wrong!

First of all, nothing’s ever perfect. I’d even say you don’t really want anything to be “perfect.” Why not? Well, once you’ve reached it, where else is there to go but backwards or, even worse, nowhere?

No, the point of practice isn’t perfection. We want to strive for perfection, yes, but that’s only going to work if you understand that it’s not just about the destination but the journey as well. That’s why it helps to look at the process when it comes to those outcomes we’re reaching for. Because what would be the point of getting to where you always wanted to be if you’re beat up and worn out by the time you get there? Where’s the happiness in that?

Happiness is a process as much as an outcome. Don’t get me wrong – a hard-earned victory is awesome. But think about it; should happiness in life be restricted to success in finances, or business, or career, or the attainment of goals?

We have all been there at some point in our lives, saying something like, “If only I had [fill in the blank], I’d be so much happier.” Hey, sometimes we may even get whatever it is we think will make us happy, but what usually ends up happening? We’re psyched for a little while—if at all—and then we find out it wasn’t really enough to make us as happy as we thought it would. There’s always more.

You can work your butt off to get to where you want to be by practicing your delivery, your backhand swing, your investment strategies—you can practice anything until you get it down, but that doesn’t mean things are always going to turn out perfectly. Practice doesn’t make perfect.

Practice becomes habit, and habits become permanent unless we consciously change them. We’re practicing something all the time through our habits, even when we’re not really thinking about it. If you practice the thought that “I’ll be happy when [fill in the blank] happens,” then guess what? You’re always delaying your happiness until [fill in the bank] happens. Not because things will never be great, but because you’ve become a master at being unhappy. Unhappiness will be your habit!

You have to practice being happy no matter what is going on in life; whether you win or lose, succeed or experience temporary setbacks, whether everything is the way you have always dreamed or if you are still on the road to your next major destination.

Practice whatever you want to be in the future now. If you want to be more patient and less reactionary, then practice patience now. If you want to be a manager of your own personal wealth, start managing your finances now no matter how much money you earn. If you want to be successful, then practice being successful now. Start small. Engage in things that you’re already good at and challenge yourself to be better, even if it’s just in small increments.

The key is to enjoy the process and the journey. We can have moments of perfection, times where we wouldn’t want a single thing to change, but it’s unfair and unrealistic to ask that of life all the time. But it’s totally within our control to practice being whatever we want to be right now!

So now it's your turn:  What are you going to practice right now?  What's that one thing you want to achieve and are willing to enjoy the process while making it a habit?  We want to hear from you!

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That’s got to sound ironic coming from someone who believes whole-heartedly in the benefits of being rich. Forget about getting out of debt, paying bills, buying nice things, etc. That stuff’s great, but at the end of it all you’re not going to give a damn about your credit rating. Money’s the last thing on your mind in that moment, I would imagine.

Money can reduce the stress of living, but it can bring just as much if not more anxiety. I’ve gone through my cycles of accumulating and losing money, getting more and losing it again. The money wasn’t burning a hole in my pocket. I just had a big hole in my pocket and didn’t bother to sew it up. That hole represented something in my mental blueprint that kept me from being stable with money. There was nothing wrong with the money.

On the other hand, people without money often think if they just had enough to do this or that, then things would be better. While that may be true, what happens when the mind goes into ‘Only if …’ consistently? That’s exactly what you get … ‘only if.’

‘This will only happen if…’

All of a sudden nothing’s happening and you don’t even know or remember that rule you created. In business that thinking often translates into “It takes money to make money.” No! If you have money it can certainly grow more money, but it doesn’t take money to make money. It takes creativity to make money.

Throwing money at a problem is disaster! In business there’s no such thing as a money problem. That problem grew out of somewhere else. You want to fix the root of the problem. If you throw money at a business problem, you’ll have the same business problem for the rest of your life and no money. Creativity and knowledge are the answers, not money.

It’s also not logical to blame money for people’s shortcomings, or the world’s for that matter. Obviously there are people that are rich and greedy, but there are poor people who are greedy and there are middle class people who are greedy. There are rich, poor, and middle-class people who are generous. There are rich, poor and average income people who can be both generous and greedy, depending on the stress they’re going through at any given time.

To say rich people are greedy as a blanket statement is just as unfair as saying poor people are lazy. I’ve met many a hard-working poor person who just hadn’t yet turned the corner on working smarter instead of just harder.

Money can’t be the root of all evil. Envy, jealousy, and greed—all based on fear of not having or getting enough of something we want—pre-dated currency (think about the story of Cain and Able). It’s a part of what it means for us to be human.

If money isn’t the cause of all that’s wrong, it’s not going to be the cure either. It’s not the answer. It’s the fruit of our expansion—or lack thereof—beyond ourselves and of the impact we’re having on the world. What we choose to do with that is a result of who we choose to be, not because of money.

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I believe we are spiritual beings living physical lives, and to make the most of this life we have to take care of, nurture, and more importantly listen to the clues that spirit gives us, mostly through gut intuition and feelings we have.

 

At some point, though, we have to honor the physical side of our lives as well, and that means taking action. To hell if conditions aren’t perfect, or if this circumstance isn’t quite ideal or that person isn’t following through the way they said they would. We’ve got to take all these spiritual principles and put them into action.

 

That’s exactly where a lot of people get stuck, even those with greater awareness and knowledge. You know you want to work out, need to get into better shape for the sake of generating more energy to work your mission. But what step is often the hardest to take? That first one.

 

Depending how long you had been in your last cycle, getting the ball rolling can feel like pushing a boulder uphill, metaphorically speaking. You need to build the next muscle and final spiritual muscle that separates the successful from those still waiting at the gate: momentum.

 

Momentum is that force that makes it easier for someone who’s successful to do what’s right than to do what’s wrong. Momentum is that process of getting that snowball moving. The hardest part about working out is getting to the gym.  Once you get there, it’s not that hard to do.

 

When you’re in motion, that’s when things begin to line up, not before (that goes for you perfectionist!). When in doubt, act. What did everyone else tell you? When in doubt, stop and think about it. No! That’s why I say thinking is dangerous to your wealth!

 

Most people who I know that got rich didn’t think too much. They saw a piece of property: ‘This looks good. Anything structurally wrong? Environmentally? No? Good, I’ll buy it.’ Twenty years later they’re very rich. They really planned that one out, huh?

 

Just as an aside, if you’re really “smart,” chances are you’re not going to be really rich. You’re going to get in your way, a real momentum killer. Those who aren’t too “smart” are open to knowing (A) They don’t know everything the need to know to be rich (B) Will learn how to be rich, even if it temporarily hurt’s their pride to know exactly how far off they were to begin with.

 

A body in motion will remain in motion and a body at rest will remain at rest. What do we want to do? Get into motion! Once you’re there, it gets easier. We already know that. Now we gotta just do it.

 

What in your life do you just need to get started and adjust as you go? What have you been waiting for? What’s the fear? Is that true or did you just make it up?

 

You will make it. Trust yourself. Love yourself and know that you make it all up. It’s your freaking story!

 

Now we want to hear from you! What are some positive momentum-changers that have worked for you?

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Of all the obstacles to creating wealth, one of the biggest is the feeling of unworthiness.

It’s something we’ve all had to subconsciously deal with just being children. What happens when toddlers do something we don’t want them to do? We say, “No!” A kid is much more likely to hear the word “No” versus the word “Yes.” It just happens.

As children we often take these No’s personally, don’t we? Hell—many adults still do (the ones that don’t go for what they really want in their lives because they’re too afraid of the rejection!). The interpretation in the mind is ‘I am not good,’ or ‘good enough.’ In our society what happens to “bad” people? Punishment.

As adults our parents aren’t usually around to do the punishing. Our memories are enough to take care of that so we take over unconsciously, yes or yes? One of the many ways that people punish themselves is by making sure they don’t have an abundant, happy and successful life. It comes down to that.

When you’re “bad,” bad things are going to happen to you. Someone is obviously taking advantage of a person with a good, sincere intention—in business, in a relationship—and they know they’re being taken advantage of, but they “feel bad” for the one who they rightfully acknowledge as being the truly weaker one in the situation by taking from others without proper reciprocation.

Yet the one being taken advantage of lets it keep happening until the situation inevitably crashes. Then they say, “Why do these things always happen to me?” They know why, but something prevents them from fully embracing the truth. And that something is often a subconscious feeling of not deserving better. It’s the thing that ensures that they have pain and struggle in their lives.

This feeling of not being good enough leads to another conclusion: “I don’t deserve wealth.”

Everything again boils down to your own frickin’ interpretation. Who’s to say whether you deserve it or not? You decide. It’s your game, right?

Feelings of unworthiness show up in people when they give their time or services away for too little money in the business world, or no money. How many of you have a hard time charging for your services, especially to people that you know? Common problem, common issue!

What you gave you gave for too little, right? So what do you have in return right now? The big nada! And what do they have? They have the service. There is a missing half in the universal energy. This person right now owes a karmic debt. You have placed it on them, even if they think they got something over on you.

It’s not about giving your service to others freely if you choose to. We still want to do that, of course, because other things can come back to you. But the power of giving is that much greater when it’s coming from a soul that knows it deserves all the things life has to offer, the good and the bad; fair exchange, or more than what they ever imagined. That’s how balance occurs.

What are some other ways feelings of unworthiness show up in our lives? The more we’re able to identify the inner obstacles that hold us back, the quicker we’re truly able to develop the Millionaire Mind. We want to hear from you!

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Nothing in nature is here without a reason. That includes us. That includes me. That includes you. We each have a reason for being alive at this place at this time, and that reason is called our personal purpose, or our mission.

Imagine life on earth as a pot luck dinner. What are you bringing to the table? There’s ‘that thing’ that happens. You know … “Oh, nobody told me I was supposed to bring something.” But there you are.

Do you feel like drinking something or grabbing something off the table to eat? Maybe, and who could blame you either way, but what if you do take something? You’ll feel guilty, like “I don’t deserve to take it.”

There’s only so long you can eat that without feeling guilty and undeserving. The same is true for our spiritual lives. In order to truly feel good about receiving, you have to feel good that you are giving. Yes or yes?

The purpose of our lives is to add value to other people; to help them, support them. That extends from your family to the greater human family—or as many people as you can possibly reach. The value you add is your personal way of doing it.

Unfortunately, there’s an element to our culture that encourages people to look out for themselves or only those that are like them. ‘Why should I be responsible for helping others? What are they doing for me? Why not just learn and grow and enjoy ourselves? How ‘bout that for purpose?’

Yeah, that’s great for the ego self, but it’s not how spirit works. Spirit works based on the fact that you’re here for a reason and that you have a place here, and that the world needs you.

Too esoteric? How about this for reason, then? If we go back to the Rule of Opposites, we understand that focusing on how to add value to others—and in that way serving a greater good—can, uh … make you rich!!! The richer you are, the more value you’re adding in some kind of way. That value may be subjective and even distasteful to some, but it’s still there.

There’s the money and success part of it, but what about happiness? It seems counter-intuitive that I can be happy by focusing on how to add values to others. Seems like it becomes about them and not me!

Fulfillment comes in many forms; from material, tactile goodies to reading a great book, but the highest form of fulfillment comes in fulfilling your duty, your dharma, why you were created. You can feel other things, but you cannot feel real fulfillment unless you fulfill your purpose.

All those other things; the money, the toys, the material joys—those follow purpose, not precede it in wanting. Want to add value, and you will reap the rewards.

How have you added value to someone in some kind of way—from saying something kind to an innovative idea you’ve implemented in business? How has the Law of Giving come back to benefit you? There are all kinds of stories about the power of giving. We want to hear yours!

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One of the funniest yet profound stories I’ve ever heard was about the young monk who goes into a monastery where you can only say two words a year.

He goes through that first year doing all the things he’s supposed to do. At the end of the year the head monk gives the young monk a chance to say his two words. “Bed hard,” he says.

Another year of painstaking work happens, better than any other monk. At the end of the year the head monk asks for the young monk’s two words. “Food bad,” he says. Another year, same thing, only this third time the young monk says, “I quit.” The head monk replies, “I’m not surprised. All you ever did was complain.”

Complaining becomes a habit. Focusing on the negative also becomes a habit. It’s one of the most detrimental habits you can possibly have. It can negatively impact you socially, affecting your personal happiness, but it can also subconsciously sabotage your money and success. How so?

First of all, when you complain to people 80% of them don’t really care, and the other 20% are kind of happy it’s happening to you. It makes them feel a lot better about their lives. Also, the ‘poor me’ victim role may have gotten you some sympathy or attention from your parents or from certain people, but successful people will not want to be around you.

We’re going to need successful people to help us get more successful, yes or yes?

The truth is nobody wants to be around a party-pooper, and complainers are the worst of them all. I get it all the time—people who love what we do at Peak Potentials, want to work with us, etc., but the way they approach me is to complain about something. Maybe they’re a sound person and they say the music was too loud at one of my programs.

They didn’t frame the approach in a positive way, like saying, “Here’s something that we can look at,” or “Here’s something you might be able to try.” All I need to hear is one complaint out of somebody and I’m like, “Back off, man! Get your own victim!”

Words have power. They are declarations to the universe. What you complain about becomes your focus and your intention, and it expands for you just like it’s suppose to. So go ahead and complain … or maybe not. You’ve got to catch yourself because no one’s going to do it for you, probably because they’re doing it, too.

Misery loves company, and those who don’t aren’t interested in the pity party. You think they’re interested because they asked you, “Hey, how’s it going,” and you start launching into, “Well, I can’t believe what so and so said and did and …” You know who’s interested? The other soap opera derby people you hang out with, not successful or even happy people.

It can be hard to change your peer group, or even dealing with loved ones who can be negative. What are some ways you’ve found to maintain a positive focus in spite of the complainers in your life? How do you care for, love and honor them while protecting yourself as well? We want to hear from you!