7 Secrets of Effective Leadership from a Financial Guru

This article is a reprint from a man of whom I am on his emailing list. He delivers consistent good advice on investment, investment strategies and on leadership in general. He and his boss are amazing business people. I highly recommend following them both. Cheers! ~ Daniel Sweet

Seven Secrets from the Smartest Businessman I Know

My boss (Porter Stansberry, investments guru) is the smartest guy I know. I’m not just saying it because he signs my paychecks. Seriously, I mean it. He does things most bosses don’t do. It’s made him a wealthy man. And it’s made many of his employees more money than they’d ever dreamed of.

I have a unique perspective here… I hired him 13 years ago. We’ve known each other since we were kids. Now, rightly, he’s my boss. He worked his way up from the bottom to the top. It wasn’t because of some sort of power-mad ambition. He didn’t have a master plan. He simply thought of better ways to do things.

What does he do that’s different? What does he do that’s made him more successful at what he does in a shorter period of time than anyone else? I’ll share a few of his secrets with you today…

1) He’s not afraid to be proven wrong.

I’m not saying he likes being wrong… He’s a competitor. But he won’t hold stupidly to his original belief once it’s been discredited. Ever since we were kids, he’s had a unique ability to lead the troops in one direction, full speed ahead… Then if he’s proven wrong, he’ll do an immediate about-face and lead the charge in the opposite direction.

2) If a business idea isn’t working, cut it.

Don’t waste valuable time trying to make a wrong a right. Surprisingly, most smart people have a hard time with this. In a business deal, he does an outstanding job explaining what’s in it for the other guy. In short, he doesn’t talk about himself, his wants, and his needs… at all. He talks about the benefits for the guy on the other side of the table.

Like everyone, the guy on the other side of the table is selfish. When you get down to it, he really doesn’t care what’s in it for you. But if you can convince him you’ll make him more successful at what he does, you’ll get your deal.

3) He praises and constructively criticizes people equally.

If you’re screwing up, my boss will call you out. So when the praise comes from him, everyone knows it’s legitimate. It’s valuable. If you’re the boss, you know constant praise without constructive criticism is useless. (Unfortunately, that’s my management style. I’m too nice.)

4) He’s friendly with “rivals.” He even gives away most of our secrets. I didn’t understand this one at first. I’m sure our competitors still don’t…

Why would we happily give away our secrets? Well, after spending time with us, our competitors often end up wanting to partner. That grows their business, which grows ours… And if a rival’s business folds, the employees know us and try to get a job. We end up with the best talent.

You might not like the idea of inviting your rivals over to share your secrets. But it makes great sense for both sides. (My boss says, “I don’t mind giving our secrets away… They’ll never execute them like we can.” That is the biggest insight of all.)

5) He hires people smarter than him.

Wait, didn’t I say he’s the smartest guy I know? My friend is brilliant, yes. But he’s not that organized. So he hired a man “to run the business.” And when he decides to push our business into new areas, he hires the best guys he can find.

6) He pays his employees well – through pay incentives.

He’s done a fantastic job tying his employees’ pay to the jobs he needs them to do. In my own case, he’s always structured my pay in a way that should 1) increase my income and 2) push me to put my efforts behind the best opportunity he sees.

7) Lastly and most importantly… it’s not about the money.

The money is simply one “scoreboard” of his success. A lot of it is about fun… about coming up with a business idea and seeing if it works.

If you took all his money away tomorrow and told him he had to move to a different country, pick a place where he didn’t speak the language, and find a different industry, he’d make all that money back again in the same short amount of time. He’d use all his secrets… like the handful I outlined above… and he’d do it. No question about it.

Some of these secrets might sound backward at first. But if one sounds “totally wrongheaded,” think long and hard about it… My boss is the smartest guy I know… and I’ve seen him do these things over and over again.

You should try to do the same.

Good investing,

Steve Sjuggerud

 

Difference between Men and Women: Opportunity | Observational Humor from Musician Daniel Sweet

An attractive young woman strolled up and pulled out a chair from one of the outdoor tables. It was a warm summer day so she was dressed cool in thin shorts and a tight fitting purple halter top that accentuated her, ahem… ample personality.

She positioned the chair in the middle of the busy side walk and sat down seemingly to enjoy the warm sunlight but effectively put herself on display. As she made herself comfortable reclining back she put her feet up on a brick wall while talking on her phone oblivious to the attention she was garnering around her.

Watching this public display of pheromones unfold as I sat inside a restaurant near a window I found it to be an interesting albeit impromptu social experiment in the difference between men and women.

Since she was right in the middle of the sidewalk so passers-by couldn’t help but notice her. Men would walk by; looking her up and down while smiling. A few stopped to chat with her. Sorry boys, no cigar today.

All the women who passed by would look her up and down and then frown, some even sneered at her with contempt. 

Why is it that most women feel threatened by another woman whom they perceive as more attractive than themselves?

That’s one of the major differences between men and women. Men have no problem being around other men who are better looking. You know why?Opportunity. They are hoping for the throw backs and left overs from the studly guy! Easy pickins’. It’s like dolphins following a fishing boat catching throw backs and straggler fish that fall out of the net.

If women would just get over themselves a little they could do the same thing. Hang around with prettier girls catching their throwbacks and left overs. Women always say, “Where are all the good men?”   Well ladies, find an attractive woman sunning herself in a tight purple halter top in the middle of a busy sidewalk and you’ll find all the men you’ll ever need!

- Get free home studio recording tips from Daniel Sweet, Musician & Leadership Guru

14 Reasons Why Illegal Immigration is Bankrupting America

Illegal immigration is a PLAGUE of financial death on our great country. Why do our leaders in government allow this to continue happening, no matter who is in office?

Before you lash out and call me a racist… first get to know the cold hard facts listed below. While it’s true that some of the illegal aliens are here to find honest work (most are not).  But here’s the catch… It’s not honest work when they are here illegally! 

They are too lazy and dishonest to go through the proper channels to be in the USA legally. I whole heartedly OPPOSE any illegal activity, especially illegal immigration.

Another thing, I’m all for LEGAL immigration. Our country is built upon it. It is a good thing when everyone abides by the laws of the land. But ILLEGAL immigration is a massive drain on the resources of every legal US citizen.

A Real Eye Opener: 14 Reasons Why Illegal Immigration is Bankrupting America

1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal aliens each year by state governments. Verify at: http://www.fairus.org/site/PageServer?pagename=iic_immigrationissuecenters7fd8
 
2.  $2.2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens. Verify at: http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.HTML

3. $2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal aliens. Verify at: http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

4. $12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of English! Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
   
5. $17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies. Verify at http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
   
6. $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens. Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
    
7.  30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens. Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

8.  $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for Welfare & social services by the American taxpayers. Verify at: http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.html

9.  $200 Billion dollars a year in suppressed American wages are caused by the illegal aliens. Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

10.  The illegal aliens in the United States have a crime rate that’s two and a half times that of white non-illegal aliens. In particular, their children are going to make a huge additional crime problem in the US .Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/12/ldt.01.html

11.  During the year of 2005 there were 4 to 10 MILLION illegal aliens that crossed our Southern Border also, as many as 19,500 illegal aliens from Terrorist Countries.. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth, heroin and marijuana, crossed into the    US  from the Southern border. Verify at: Homeland Security

12.  The National policy Institute, estimated that the total cost of mass deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion or an average cost of between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period. Verify at CNN.com

13.  In 2006 illegal aliens sent home $45 BILLION in remittances to their countries of origin. Verify at: http://www.drdsk.com/articles.html

14.  ’The Dark Side of Illegal Immigration: Nearly One million sex crimes Committed by Illegal Immigrants In The United States. Verify at: http://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/ia05_king/col_20060505_bite.html

The total cost is a whopping $ 338.3 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR AND IF YOU’RE LIKE ME HAVING TROUBLE UNDERSTANDING THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY; IT IS $338,300,000,000.00 WHICH WOULD BE ENOUGH TO STIMULATE THE ECONOMY FOR THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY.

Are we as a nation THAT stupid? YES, FOR LETTING THOSE IN THE U.S.CONGRESS GET AWAY WITH LETTING THIS HAPPEN YEAR AFTER YEAR!

If this doesn’t bother you then just ignore this web page.  If, on the other hand, it does raise the hair on the back of your neck, I hope you leave a comment and forward this page to every legal (and illegal) resident in the United States.

AND PLEASE REMEMBER IT AT THE NEXT ELECTIONS!

Fearless Leadership Equals Unlimited Success for You | by Daniel Sweet

The definition of FEAR is simply this; False Evidence Appearing Real.

We are bombarded every day with propaganda that tries to define who we are in our own minds. Social stereotypes often hold a person back from achieving because it gives the individual a mindset that we must fit in the place we were born into. I am a firm believer that this is a lie no one should fall for.

It is all about changing what you believe about yourself, not focusing on the problems but looking for solutions. 

You must always be on top of your game looking for solutions to attitudes and needs they have as they grow. If you want to build a good report with the people you network with and the people you are leading you must put yourself aside focus on them. 

The other thing that helps to overcome fear is surround yourself with the right people. If you surround yourself with positive people who are already successful it will affect how you feel about yourself. If you are around negative people who constantly judge you and tell you there is no way for the path you are walking to bring your dream to a reality; you will feel fearful and give up. So run as fast as you can from that environment no person that is negative family or friend is worth the strife.

Educate yourself do not sit around waiting for things to change go out and make a change. If you lack education you will walk in fear knowledge is power. I am not necessarily talking about schools either they are just a stepping stone. You need to go beyond the institutional form of education and explore other areas. This raises your confidence level the lack of it causes fear.

With the changes in technology the resources are endless find things that interest you and learn by life experience. Every time a person says you can’t achieve what you are pursuing press in harder.

Believe in your dream and keep your vision.

- Daniel Sweet is an expert in leadership and internet marketing. If you enjoyed this blog, please tell us by leaving a comment.

Leading by Giving

Giving is a strong aspect of high quality leadership. Because as you give, you will receive. Give generously, and you’ll receive in like measure.

True leaders understand the power and importance of tithing. For leaders who have a heart for God, giving begins with their church.

Tithing is an Old Testament term that applies to people living under the Law of Moses. The Greek and Hebrew words for “tithe” literally mean “tenth” (according to Strong’s Dictionary), so the basic meaning of tithing involves giving 10% of something.

For those of us in New Testament times who are living under grace, the tithe is no longer mandatory; it is now voluntary according to our hearts. But the concept of tithing still works. 

Yet, we should give not only because God expects us to. Our sincerity in giving is equally important. “He which soweth sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who soweth bountifully will also reap bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly,or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” (II Corinthians 9:6-8).

Giving is of God, and God is faithful to us according to His word. So knowing that you reap what you sow, be sure to sow plentifully!

Giving and Tithing operates The Law of Reciprocity:

“Give and it will be given to you” defines a remarkable spiritual principle. It can also be called the law of reciprocity, which is quite evident in the physical world: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Smile at another person, and he’ll probably smile back at you. Be critical of others, and they’ll respond in kind. As you give, you will receive. Give generously of that which you would like most to receive, and you’ll receive in like kind and measure to your giving.

When you are generous to God and to others, God rewards us in a very generous fashion. As it is written, “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor (humble); his righteousness endures forever.’ Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God” (II Corinthians 9:8-12).

Where Should You Tithe Now?

In the Old Testament, the Jews were instructed to take their tithes” to the storehouse,” which was the temple; the center of religion for the entire country. Today, it’s important that you give your tithe to the place that feeds you spiritually. Who has given you one or more of the following:

• Joy;
• Peace;
• Inspiration;
• Instruction in Godliness;
• Reminded of your divinity;
• Made you feel glad to be alive;
• Encouraged to go for your dreams;
• Gave you an answer to your question;
• Helped you feel the power of the Holy Spirit moving you to tithe, give or abundantly share.

Done on a regular basis, tithing serves you as a constant reminder that God is your sole provider. You alone will decide how to account for your leadership of the financial blessings God gives you and how to honor Him with your tithes and offerings.

Read more about Tithing, Offerings and Abundant Sharing.

- Daniel Sweet is the President and founder of Gods Word First Christian Ministry and an expert in business leadership.  He is the author of the Power of Leadership Book Series and the creator of the Power of Leadership Training University.

 

Daniel Sweet on the Economy Recovery Farce

Obama, CNBC and other totally unreliable sources are saying the economy is in recovery.

Believing Them Will Destroy You! Here’s Why…

Governments just love to mess with the money supply. Our economy is not simple stuff, but when you wrap your mind around it you’ll be living in totally different (and better) world than people who are getting their info from Obama, Fox News, CNBC and other totally unreliable sources. It’s worth taking the time to get it right because fortunes will be made by people who get this right.

One school of economic thought, the Keynesian School, think that’s a great idea. (Before you attribute Keynesian manipulation to the “right” or the “left,” understand that they ALL do it. It was Ronald Reagan who kicked off the bubble that’s dominated the US economy since 1980.)

The other school of economic thought, the Austrian School, says the government should stay the heck out of manipulating the money supply.

Why?

Because it doesn’t work in the long run. The piper always has to be paid and in the meantime, the waste and excess that is spawned during bubble times is not good for society or real wealth building. I’m in the Austrian school, all the way.

Who cares?

Does the broader economy matter to the individual entrepreneur?

Does a bear s*it in the woods?

True, during a bubble time, the state of the economy might not matter that much. In fact, a lot of loony ventures that wouldn’t work in normal times, thrive during bubbles. Ignorance can be bliss – and profitable.

But when the bubble goes the other way and things tighten up, intelligence (i.e. being interested in the wider world around you) pays obvious dividends again.

First, the little question…

Let’s take care of the little question first… Is the recovery real? To quote a sage friend of mine: “This recovery has everything going for it – except customers.”

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there is no recovery. Bogus pyrotechnics on the stock market does not mean that the marketplace – the place where real people buy and sell – is in good shape.

Sure some businesses are flourishing. Well run, well positioned business, in “fortunate” niches are doing great, but the vast majority of business activity – and buying – is down across the board. …And the problem is structural: heavy debt overhang taken on when blue skies looked like they were going on for ever and ever.

If you get your business news from CNBC, you’re going to argue with me on this point. OK, I give up. Larry Kudrow and Jim Kramer are financial geniuses. You win.

The Real Question

The real question is will the insane excesses of recent years lead us to inflation (or hyperinflation) or deflation (price crashes.) The average thinking person assumes that the bailouts are inflationary. It’s a reasonable position to take – unless you include one variable: Scale.

Here’s what I mean…

If someone turns on a garden hose and just sprays water in the air all day and night, that would seem pretty wasteful, wouldn’t it? But step back and look at the bigger picture.

What if that same person is spraying his garden hose in an attempt to fill up Lake Mead after Hoover Dam has collapsed? Now a completely different picture emerges.

It Won’t Work

Yes, it’s a shame to waste all that good water AND it’s nowhere near enough water to work.

Yes, it’s obscene that first Bush and then Obama have been shoveling untold trillions of dollars down a black hole trying to “shore up” the banking system AND as big as these bailout numbers are, they are absolutely dwarfed by the size of the problem.

The problem: Money is disappearing from the economy faster than it can be replaced.

Where is it going?

Well, a $1 million house in California is now worth say $395,000. $590,000 in value just went up in smoke. No one else made it. Poof. It’s gone.

The bank that made a loan based on the $1 million valuation counted on getting that back some day with a profit no less. The owner counted on being able to sell the property and capture the profit or borrow against it.

No more.

Multiply that by tens of thousands of properties in California, mix with fifty states, throw in commercial real estate, and a countless number of enterprises that are selling less, earning less and therefore worth less and you’ve got a massive exit of dollars from the economy that even reckless bailouts can’t fill.

It’s all supply and demand.

A dollar shortage means cash is more valuable, NOT less. When cash gains in value, prices go down. Inflation is the opposite. Dollars become less valuable so the prices people demand go up.

The 1980’s, 1990’s, and 2000’s were a massively inflationary period – in real estate, in stock prices, in commodities, in business valuations – now we’re coming down the other side.

Why you’ll never hear this on TV

This is not simple stuff which is why most people get it wrong. You’ll rarely hear this scenario being discussed intelligently or in depth. Why?

Because it’s not profitable for TV channels to talk about it.

Take CNBC as an example (please). It sells its airtime to one-million-and-one financial services companies, all of whom want you to turn your cash into their financial products.

Even if the smartest thing in the world right now (and for the time being it is), is to keep your cash in US dollars and in safe places, CNBC will NEVER tell you that because its advertisers would have a fit.

They’re pitching, not reporting or teaching.

Speaking of “fits,” notice that CNBC’s stock picking rock star Jim Kramer tells people to BUY-BUY-BUY and SELL-SELL-SELL, but he never tells us about the third option which is to go to and stay in cash until things blow over. And you know what, he never will.

To translate this into practical advice: Don’t borrow to buy things at TODAY’S prices and only make big purchases (like real estate) if you absolutely have to – and you don’t, you can always rent.

If you continue to “play” the market – and anybody who owns stock is “playing the market” even if it’s in a conservative mutual fund – it’s best to realize you’re playing with a grenade whose pin has been pulled. Play if you must, but be ready to move fast or face an unpleasant outcome.

If you own a business, tighten up. If you can expand without taking on obligations, go for it, but the theme of the day is batten down the hatches. Get smart. If you’re going to invest, invest in improving your game.

The good news is that flexible, well run, marketing-savvy enterprises are going to be the best place to be.

Guiding Lights

This is not simple stuff, but when you wrap your mind around it – and you can if you want to – you’ll be living in totally different (and better) world than people who are getting their info from CNBC and other totally unreliable sources.

It’s worth taking the time to get it right because fortunes will be made by people who get this right.

- Daniel Sweet is a expert best selling author on leadership. Many thanks to Ken McCarthy for bringing the contents of this article to light.

Forget About the Economy, Think About the “What” and the “WHY”

Forget about the economy, it has no control over the amount of wealth in your life.  The amount of any success in our life is based on the following 7 things:

1.Your mindset
2.Your vision
3.Your actions
4.Your game plan
5.Your tools
6.Your daily habits
7.Your associations

If you find the economy beating you it is because you have an outdated business strategy!

A business strategy is a game plan, and the game plan you used even a couple of years ago does not work today.  However, most people today are still trying to make it work.

Here is a concept that you must add to your game plan of success: Perseverance

But how do you hang on when you have no strength left and you feel you are at the end of the rope?  How do you keep going when your going got up and left?  I like many of you have felt these same emotions of running on fumes, until one day a few years ago I found the Secret how to tap into an unlimited flow of sustaining strength.

It comes from your Why or Dream

You must know what you want and know WHY you want it.  If you know what you want, and why you want it, that will give you the strength to hang on until you get it.

You better read that again and write it down.  In fact that statement is so powerful it could be the key factor that causes many of your dreams to come true.

I go over my dream everyday, many times, and every time I hit a wall, setback, or struggle,  and doubt plus fear knock on my door, I remind myself the reason I keep going on is because I really desire my dream, my Why.

The next time you feel down and feel like giving up, take a look at your dream and say; No matter what I must go through, dog gone it, my dream is worth it. I can endure another rejection, I can make it through another dry spell, I can make one more sales call.  I can keep on keeping on!

Your dream or your Why is a fountain of strength, I encourage you to go today and draw from it.

- Daniel Sweet is an acclaimed author in small business leadership, and the creator of the Power of Leadership Training University. Increase your personal leadership skills today for a more prosperous tomorrow!

What Does Jesus Say in the Bible about Leadership?

I’ve heard a whole bunch of lessons on how to be a good leader, but I’ve never heard a more powerful lesson on how NOT to be a good leader than in the bible in Matthew 23: 1-7.

Don’t worry; I’m not going to get “preachy” here. It’s just a great illustration of a problem I see among mainstream leadership that needs fixing.

What does Jesus Christ say about Leadership in the Bible?

In this chapter Jesus Christ denounces the powerful religious leaders of his day for their selfish, misguided, abusive, arrogant, contemptible, and condescending leadership. This guy is fearless:
                  
1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:
3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. (Sound familiar? Like politicians, corporate bosses, etc.)
4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. (Most people who become a “Leader” in title only are lazy bums who are afraid to get their hands dirty with honest work)
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, (putting on a show to look good)
6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, (want to be treated special like royalty)
7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. (Rabbi means Teacher… They wish to be looked up to as knowledgeable men of honor)

Unfortunately, many of the abuses by religious leaders that Jesus denounces in this chapter are actively and widely practiced today by some religious leaders, small business owners, many major corporations and MOST political leaders.

Jesus takes very seriously the way his followers will lead in his Kingdom. Of course, when the hero of a movement is willing to die a sacrificial death for his followers, it tends to stand leadership styles upside down. Maybe that’s what Jesus had in mind when he said that in his Kingdom, “The first will be last and the last would be first!”

Bottom line for today’s blog: Leaders must be helpful to those they lead, not so they will be seen and honored, but so that those they serve will be blessed, everybody profits and God himself will be pleased!

- Daniel Sweet is the founder of Gods Word First Christian Ministry and an expert in business leadership.  He is the author of the Power of Leadership Book Series and the creator of the Power of Leadership Training University.

 

The Myth of Work vs. Play: Another Reason Why Most New Businesses Fail

There’s another very important reason most businesses fail, and it’s one which will seem abrasive and wrong when you first hear it.  I virtually guarantee this post will solicit numerous “Dan, you’re a really smart guy but you’ve got this one wrong” comments.

And that’s exactly WHY  it’s such a powerful vehicle for sabotaging our success… because it slips into your thoughts like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

It’s the MYTH of Work vs. Play.

That’s right.  The idea of  striving for a “balance” between work vs. play is the wrong paradigm.  It doesn’t lead to a balanced, contented, and joyful relationship with your thriving business, even (and perhaps especially) if it becomes wildly profitable, and more importantly, it won’t make you happy.

Just hear me out OK?

Let’s look at work vs. play for every other mammal on the planet.

Here’s the thing, what starts out as play naturally evolves into their work.

For example, when a cute little wolf cub grabs a stuffed animal and shakes  it back and forth, it’s actually practicing a behavior which evolves into an essential kill move later in life, during the hunt.  (Your cute little puppy is doing the same thing, by the way).  And when your kitten scoops water out of the bath tub with her little paws, she’s actually practicing to feed herself and her babies by fishing later in life.

In the animal kingdom, play is practice for work.  Play is instinctually gratifying to young animals because it’s work without the pressure (much like we “play house” as small children).   And these behaviors naturally evolve into their more mature forms.

There is NO artificial distinction between work and play in the animal kingdom, which is why you never hear a wolf complain he needs a vacation.  He’s GENUINELY HAPPY he gets to hunt.

But people have broken this natural chain of events.  We’ve come to think of work as “doing things we’d rather not do but must in order to survive”.

So rather than resolve to find work which feels like play to us… to be genuinely happy when we hunt, we strive to eliminate work from our lives because it’s become so unpleasant.

This sets up a pattern for failure because passion is the essential ingredient for overcoming obstacles.  If you hate “being in the office”–working on the myriad of activities we need to accomplish to make progress as internet entrepreneurs–then when things get tough, there’s nothing to carry you through.

And this is what drives us to jump from project to project, course to course, conversion method to conversion method, traffic technique to traffic technique, looking for anything to “take us out” of this thing we hate called work.

But it doesn’t have to be like this.

You can consistently strive to integrate your enjoyment into your work, and that doesn’t mean being tethered to a computer, or doing what someone else tells you to do.

But because most people’s mindset is “how can I work less and play more”, they live for the weekends, obsess about vacations, and dream of the day they retire.  (I can’t tell you how many friends and family members I’ve seen fall into a major depression within months of retiring due to the shock that it doesn’t really fulfill their life’s dream)

Their sole motivation for work is to not have to work anymore.

And I think that’s the problem in a nutshell for many entrepreneurs.  Because leadership is all about imparting value to your market, and the ultimate value is love.

How will you EVER love your market if you hate your work?

Something to think about.

PS – I’m genuinely curious what you all think, would you let me know below please?

- Daniel Sweet is an expert in business leadership, the author of the Power of Leadership Book Series and the creator of the Power of Leadership Training University.  He is also an ordained minister and the founder of God’s Word First Christian Ministry.

Andrew Carnegie once said…

Andrew Carnegie, American Industrialist, Businessman, Entrepreneur and Philanthropist.

Andrew Carnegie once said, “Some people believe that education consists of the acquisition of knowledge, but in a truer sense it means that one has learned how to use knowledge“.

From the age of eight I have been an acute reader and lover of knowledge but it was not until I learned how to use knowledge that I began to manifest all the things I dreamed about.

Never look at marketing the same way again: Have you ever wondered what was the key factor of making one business a booming success and the other a frustrating failure?

The successful business understands the one major secret of success called the law of the built in market.  This law states that no matter what you sell or market there are hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of people who want to purchase your product. 

The business that becomes the frustrating failure is the one who thinks customers are scarce and must find them.  The business that becomes a booming success is the one who continually seeks creative methods of exposure so that those looking for them can find them.

Here are 5 tips that can help you get better exposure in your business marketing:

1) Realize your ideal customer already exists
2) Know your ideal customer is looking for you
3) It is your responsibility that your customer finds you
4) Rekindle your zeal for what you do
5) Get excited about helping people with what you do.

If your income or business is not at the level you desire it is simply because you are not exposing your business or product enough.  Looking for customers is to hard, letting customers find you is easier and much more profitable!

I hope you enjoyed this insight.  Remember, by writing chapters in The Power of Leadership books you can be engaging the Law of Attraction and getting great exposure for you and your business.  The newest book is currently open to submissions.  Learn more about how you can be in the next Power of Leadership book RIGHT HERE.

- Daniel Sweet is an expert in business leadership, the author of the Power of Leadership Book Series and the creator of the Power of Leadership Training University.  He is also an ordained minister and the founder of God’s Word First Christian Ministry.