Five top tips to starting a successful business - by Richard Branson

Here is an amazing post from Richard Branson on starting your own business.  If you already own a business, don't dismiss this article as it applies to opening a new income stream or division.  Enjoy!

1. Listen more than you talk

We have two ears and one mouth, using them in proportion is not a bad idea! To be a good leader you have to be a great listener. Brilliant ideas can spring from the most unlikely places, so you should always keep your ears open for some shrewd advice. This can mean following online comments as closely as board meeting notes, or asking the frontline staff for their opinions as often as the CEOs. Get out there, listen to people, draw people out and learn from them.

2. Keep it simple

You have to do something radically different to stand out in business. But nobody ever said different has to be complex. There are thousands of simple business solutions to problems out there, just waiting to be solved by the next big thing in business. Maintain a focus upon innovation, but don’t try to reinvent the wheel. A simple change for the better is far more effective than five complicated changes for the worse.

3. Take pride in your work

Last week I enjoyed my favorite night of the year, the Virgin Stars of the Year Awards, where we celebrated some of those people who have gone the extra mile for us around the Virgin world. With so many different companies, nationalities and personalities represented under one roof, it was interesting to see what qualities they all have in common. One was pride in their work, and in the company they represent. Remember your staff are your biggest brand advocates, and focusing on helping them take pride will shine through in how they treat your customers.

4. Have fun, success will follow

If you aren’t having fun, you are doing it wrong. If you feel like getting up in the morning to work on your business is a chore, then it's time to try something else. If you are having a good time, there is a far greater chance a positive, innovative atmosphere will be nurtured and your business will flourish. A smile and a joke can go a long way, so be quick to see the lighter side of life.

5. Rip it up and start again

If you are an entrepreneur and your first venture isn’t a success, welcome to the club! Every successful businessperson has experienced a few failures along the way – the important thing is how you learn from them. Don’t allow yourself to get disheartened by a setback or two, instead dust yourself off and work out what went wrong. Then you can find the positives, analyse where you can improve, rip it up and start again.

My Confessions that led to Massive Breakthrough - Pt 1

I vividly remember a scene in the second Matrix movie when the Frenchman was explaining - Choice and Consequence; or Cause and Effect.  This dialog has stuck with me ever since I watched the movie.  In this scene, he discusses choice, but we do not have the power to choose our consequence.  He discusses the true power is in "Why!"  What is your "Why?"

Once you understand your "Why," you can then choose your actions to support this.  The challenge in life is that most people do not understand his/her "Why."  Without this understanding, we are essentially powerless because we base our decisions on emotions, feelings and the influence of others in that moment.

This is also true in business. Why are you in business?  How do you select your clients?  (That is right, how do you select your clients?  Too many people just accept anyone who agrees to give them money even if they are not a good fit for you.)  What kind of client service do you give?  How do you become EXCEPTIONAL!  If you do not base your CHOICE in your WHY, then your choices are random, and far too often they are reactionary.

And, sometimes you give your WHY or purpose away to another person by letting them determine your WHY for you.  This is very dangerous!  I recently found myself in this situation, and I had convinced myself that I was in control.  The reality was that many of my decisions were based on the emotions, whims and decisions of another person.  I found myself unfulfilled, unhappy and stressed to the MAX.  For months, I found myself going through the motions, feeling sorry for myself, and wondering what else life could throw at me.  (This is for another discussion, but the Law of Attraction was strongly at work here.)

Luckily, I had a great friend, Christina, that reminded me that I had choice.  She reminded me that I had the power to choose what I thought about, what I focused on, how long I dwelt on something, how I reacted to something and who was a part of my life.  At first, she simply challenged me with questions like:

• Why do you choose to think that;
• Why did you let yourself feel that way;
• That's interesting, why did you react that way;

For weeks, we had been talking about Attraction, Choice, Respond versus Reaction, and Happiness.  One day, she asked me to discuss and coach her on a specific business idea.  The funny thing is that when we met, we decided to walk and talk, and the focus of our discussion became the Power to Choose.  And, this is when she asked me my most revealing question -

And, the most enlightening question was, so you have been frustrated about this all day, why?  And, what do you have to do to change the way you feel?  Christina asked me this question almost off the cuff, but it penetrated to my very core.

(Ouch...And, I was frustrated for most of one day because a client wanted her website to be EXCEPTIONAL, and she kept making adjustments to  the photos on her site!)  Now, go figure that, a client has listened to me about being exceptional, and I choose to get frustrated!  Oops!

I doubt she even realized the impact of the conversation.

I rushed home, and started to pull out old books and notes from seminars that I had attended over the past two decades.  I was like WOW!!  I really have given away my power to choose.  As soon as I decided to eliminate the toxic thoughts, influences and people in my life - a peace overcame me.  I was able to focus on my WHY, something I had forgotten as I was rushing to put out fires and please others.

This sent me on a massive EVALUATION of my business and my life.  If you can relate to this, you will definitely want to bookmark this blog and read next week's post as I share with you the specific steps I took to make a major breakthrough in my life, how I did it, and within a few short months changed the entire outlook of my business and life.

To your success,
Jesus Balderas
The Coach

P.S. I recently had a client who was working with a high profile business person who was causing chaos in my client's life.  He treated my client as if she owed him something, and he kept dangling carats of big business.  This was causing her great stress, and I shared my story and some strategies with her that I am going to share with you next week.  Once she dealt with this person and situation, she was instantly relieved and her business grew almost instantly.

Matthew Balderas versus Michael Phelps

I know with all the Olympic buzz, and the success the USA is having at these Games that you may think I have lost my proud parent mind.  Yes, I am extremely proud of Matthew and his swimming.  He has become a little fish this year that requires at least 3 daily trips to the pool, and every trip requires some racing with me or his older brothers.  And, let me tell you, Matthew can swim, but there is a difference between being good at something and becoming great at it.

Will Matthew break all of Michael Phelps records in 14 years - I don't know, but probably not?  Could he break all his records, possibly?

The point is this, every day I see talented people with great business ideas that do not cultivate their skills to become a champion.  A champion puts hours of training, studying, and work into honing their skills.  Yes, they have a natural talent, but often times they often work much harder than anyone else to get the most out of that talent.  

To me, this is the difference - they identify their talent, and then they work hard to get everything out of it!

Right now, Matthew just loves swimming, and whether he comes first or second in a race he has won the race in his mind!  Will he become a champion swimmer, only if he puts in the work.  But for now, Matthew is my swimming champion!!

Here are keys to becoming a Champion:

1. A Champion realizes there is a price to pay.

2. A Champion is ready and willing to make the sacrifice that is necessary.

3. A Champion has the skill to focus in the moment. 

4. A Champion accepts nothing less than excellence. 

5. A Champion realizes it’s not what happens but how you react to it that counts.

6. A Champion is intent on self-improvement and creates inner pressure to achieve the desired result. 

7. A Champion always has a game plan and thinks and works on their plan. 

The Zappos Way

Zappos is an incredible success story that has created an amazing culture within its company.  Here are the 10 Core Values of Zappos that we can all learn from:

1. Deliver WOW through service.
2. Embrace and drive change.
3. Create fun and a little weirdness.
4. Be adventurous, creative and open-minded.
5. Pursue growth and learning.
6. Build open and honest relationships with communication.
7. Build a positive team and family spirit.
8. Do more with less.
9. Be passionate and determined.
10. Be humble.

There is so many great lessons in these values.  Study them, learn from them, and most importantly apply them within your business and service model.

What I learned from Richard Branson...

ARTICLE REPRINTED FROM ROBIN SHARMA'S ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER.


I hope you're great! Just finished an event with Richard Branson in Bucharest (a city known as the "Paris of The East") and wanted to share my takeaways with you to help you take your career and life to its next level of wow.

Richard was polite and larger than life. A pleasure to share time with. And a man who clearly adores all he does. I encourage you to read his autobiography "Losing My Virginity" as well as his book "Business Stripped Bare" if you haven't gone through them yet. Uber-inspiring. For people who want to become Remarkable Entrepreneurs - and express their absolute best.

Anyway, I'll get right into some of my observations as well as the ideas we discussed. Please don't underestimate the power of these simple ideas - superbly executed, they yield brilliant results.

1. Politeness Matters. As mentioned, Richard Branson was unfailingly polite. He mentioned to me that when he was a kid, if he criticized someone, his mother would make him stand in front of the mirror at home and say, "what you're seeing in others is really what you're seeing in yourself. So look in the mirror." This educated him on the key leadership habit of looking for - and then encouraging - the gifts and talents within other people.

2. Be Massively Independent. When Richard was just four years old, his mother stopped her car and instructed him to find his own way home, over many miles. When he was about 12, she told him to cycle 100 miles to Bournemouth alone, to visit a relative. He expressed to me that these childhood experiences were his mother's way of growing his self-reliance. And building the invincible inner core that has served him so well as an entrepreneur.

3. Screw It - Just Do It. What makes a great company (and great life) isn't so much the inspiring idea as the flawless execution around the big idea. As Edison once said: "Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration." Richard shared that much of his success came from his philosophy to disregard the naysayers and those telling him his dream was impossible and just get the dream done. (Please remember: the impossible is generally just the untried). This is a man with a giant bias towards action.

4. Lavish Praise on People. I know you know this: the bigger the dream, the more important the team. Having worked with many of the best entrepreneurs in the world, I've learned that every single one of them gets that you can't do it alone. Beautiful to have a brave vision. But the real key is finding the genius-level talent to get that vision delivered into reality. And if all you know how to surround yourself with is mediocre people, you're destined to experience mediocre results. Richard is brilliant at finding the right people that bring his targets of opportunity to life. And he confirmed that once they are on his team, "I lavish them with praise." Our takeaway: relentlessly celebrate+develop+inspire your people.

5. Be a Radical Innovator. When he was a young entrepreneur with nothing more than the little college newspaper THE STUDENT, he still showed a lust for disregarding all the rules. He challenged the status quo. And disrupted what was considered normal. An example: he somehow was able to get John Lennon to do an original piece of music for him. He then put the song on a special disc and packaged it into the newspaper, right next to the interview he'd done on the rock 'n roll legend. At Virgin Records, he recruited the Sex Pistols and reinvented a whole category of music. At Virgin Atlantic, he gave passengers massages on airplanes and dropped them home in limos. And with Virgin Galactic, he's taking people into space. Very cool. Fantastically bold.

At the Bucharest meeting, he told the 2500+ people in the concert hall that "sometime in your lifetime, every one of you will have visited other parts of the universe." And I believe it.

6. Build Your Brand. Richard Branson gets branding. He knows what he - and the Virgin name - stands for. Fun. Good Value. Strong customer service. And so at every possible opportunity, he evangelizes all it stands for. Oh, and he's also clearly a master of getting attention. From hot air balloon adventures that made global news to showing up at a press conference nearly naked to promote Virgin mobile, this Remarkable Entrepreneur gets the value of owning a share of our brain cells.

7. Find Your Necker Island. Get this: Branson paid roughly $300,000 for his beloved Necker Island. He and his then girlfriend Joan were visiting the Caribbean on a getaway. They fell in love with Necker - but it was about $4,000,000. But he wouldn't give up (let's never discount the power of a ridiculous amount of persistence around your most closely loved goals). A few months later, the owner needed cash. Branson made his deeply discounted offer. It has served as his retreat away from the world for many years. Here's the real point: in the world of so much noise and complexity, find your personal retreat (even if it's an aged wooded bench in a public garden) where you can withdraw to think+create+renew+rest.

8. Lucky Wins. We make luck. Enough said.

9. Don't Do It If It's Not Fun. Branson wears a smile pretty much all the time. He laughs naturally. And radiates happiness. Zero doubt: he loves his life - and all that's in it (George Clooney said he'd swap his life for Richard Branson's - much to the delight of Richard's wife). The lesson for us: life's just too short to be doing work that destroys your soul. This is the best time in the history of the world to become an entrepreneur. Find work you adore. And get busy changing with world with it.

10. With Gifts Come Responsibilities. OK, so Richard Branson's one of the richest people on the planet. But he gets that being good trumps shiny toys. He mentioned to me that, "with great wealth comes great responsibility." And so he's spending a lot of his days evangelizing Virgin Unite, his foundation that helps kids in need. Reminds me of what my amazing father taught me - using the words of the great poet Tagore - growing up: "Robin, when you were born, you cried while the world rejoiced. Son, live your life in such a way that when you die, the world cries while you rejoice."

So there you go. What the iconic Richard Branson shared with me on a sunny Wednesday in Bucharest. I hope the lessons also serve you well.

Robin

Quid Pro Quo

You are probably wondering what the heck is Jesus on about with this "Quid Pro Quo."  Also, the concept of Quid Pro Quo was given to me by Jane Balderas after she read my last blog.  Thanks, Jane.  Well, I want to continue to discuss the power of giving.  I was reading the Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John  David Mann.  And, the principles that they share in this book are very powerful.

So today's blog post is about Quid Pro Quo.  What does this mean?  According to the dictionary, Quid pro quo (this for that in Latin) most often means a more-or-less equal exchange or substitution of goods or services.  Another term I often hear in business, is win-win scenario.  What does this really mean, and I never thought of it this way until reading the Go-Giver.  It really is another way of keeping score in many instances.  I have a friend that we usually have lunch once a week together, and we alternate who pays for lunch.  Would I or he keep coming to lunch if only one of us paid every time.  Maybe, but probably not.  In business, I see people set up a referral arrangement between each other.  What they are really doing is testing the relationship.  They will give a referral to see if they get one in return.  And, after several referrals if they have not received a reciprocal referral, then they usually stop giving referrals, and they will look for a new relationship with someone in the same profession to test. How do I know this?  Because I've done it, and been on the other side of the equation of it.

I want to propose a new strategy.  Instead of thinking about whether you will receive referrals from a potential relationship, put your client first.  In other words seek out the best professionals and providers of service for your clients without thinking of your business.  Your focus is on who can provide the best products and services to your clients.  Then approach the business owner, and explain to them that you would like to provide referrals to them because your research says that they provide the best at what they do.  Then freely refer your clients to them.  I know some of you may think this sounds crazy, but think about it for a minute.  How would your clients feel about you if you always referred them the very best of everything?  Would they be happy?  Would they trust you?  How would the other business owners feel about you?  This strategy can explode your business in so many ways because you are doing business for the right reasons - to serve your clients!

This is just one example of how you can apply this powerful principle.  So what is this principle - give to others without the expectation of return.  On a personal front, focus on giving for the sake of giving, not giving to receive.  Give to your spouse to give her/him joy, a break, love, a laugh, etc.  Don't cook dinner to receive a massage.  If the massage comes then great, but if it doesn't you still gave your spouse a break and hopefully a smile from a wonderful meal (unless you can't cook).  I can't tell you how many times I have heard and maybe even said, if I do this for you, you will owe me.  No, they don't owe you.

One last example, find a way this week to give to someone that can't possibly pay you back.  Give to a stranger, a child, a single parent, or the elderly.  Recently a friend of mine met a single mom that was struggling to make ends even come close to meeting.  He quietly talked to several of his friends that were successful in their own businesses. After talking, they decided to go shopping for her, and they bought her about $500 worth of groceries and household needs.  When they gave it to her and her 3 teenage daughters, they just broke down crying (all of them).  The first thing out of the mom's mouth was "but I can't repay you."  The husband and wife said "we know, and we don't want you to."  The families that contributed to her family were so moved by it, they decided to give this to her every month because $150 a month wasn't a challenge for them to commit to.  This is giving freely, and you know what no one even knows that they are helping.

Let's abolish the principle of "Quid pro quo."

Give more value than you ever expect in payment

The title of this blog  is a statement that we hear from time to time, but is rarely seen in business.  What does this even mean?  What kind of value can I offer?  How do I measure the value?  All kinds of questions can run through one's head.

The essence of this message first starts with freely giving to your clients and those that you come in contact with, without expectation of return.  I've witnessed this first hand in relationships.  So often the approach is I'll meet you halfway.  Let's make sure this is win/win.  In theory this sounds good, but it doesn't always work out that way.  It's a nice way of saying, I'll give and then you are expected to give back; and if you don't give back then I'll stop giving.  The fundamental principle here is that you give freely to those that need you.  Here are things that you can give to add value:

• Kindness
• a helping hand
• an idea
• encouragement
• a smile
• great customer service
• a compliment
• a speedy response
• actively listen.

I think you get the idea.  These are all great things that everyone of us possess that we can give to our prospects, clients and random people that we cross paths with.

Now, when it comes to your service or product, make sure you package the above things into the offering of your already great service/product.  There are many people who can deliver the same quality that you can, but rarely do they add the extra touch.  This is what creates a great company.

I'm going to spend time over the next several blogs, but I want to challenge you to think about how you can increase the value of what you give to your clients.  Ask yourself if the culture of company is centered around giving and adding value at every opportunity.  And, if you aren't how can we get there.

Until next time,

Jesus Balderas

"The Coach"

Creating Your Future – The Power Of Goals

To change your life from where you are today to something better you must first be able to “see” what sort of life you would like to have.


Once you can “see” the sort of life you want, your mind will lead you in the right direction to achieve it.  The most important thing is to trust this process.  Unless you believe in it, it won’t work for you.  Try it for just 21 days.  You’ll see it really works.


Here’s What To Do Now

Step #1:  Imagine that everything goes perfectly for you for the next one or two years. 

Now write a “picture” or create a “vision” of this ideal life as you see it in 12 months or two years time. (Write in the present tense, as if you were already living it.  

Step #2:  Re-write this picture of what your future life is like every morning and every night for 30 days or more. 

The longer you do it, the more you’ll imprint this “picture” in your mind.  As you are doing this, you’ll start to believe it is possible for you, and be closer to making it real. 

Step #3:  Do it.  Take Action Now. 

Act on your dreams, do the things you know are right for you.  Only confident, positive action can ultimately change your life for the better.


Here are a couple of important tips...


Tip #1:  Write in the present.  For example, say… I am, not I will be. 


Tip #2:  The four areas of your vision should include...

·         Your health.

·         Your relationships with other people and who you associate with.

·         Your finances and your practice.

·         The environment in which you live.

IMPORTANT:  Be as specific as you can be.  The more specific your vision, the better it will be.  For best results rewrite this vision two times a day for at least a month. (The longer the better).


Do It. It Works.

Get Rid of Time Killers

Time Killer #1:  Most employees are in a re-active rather than a proactive mode.

Studies show only 20% of time is spent on the important activities.  80% is spent on things that get very low or NO results.  If we reverse these we can immediately get a 4 times increase in productivity.  That’s right, a 400% increase!!

Time Killer #2:  Re-reading the same information again and again without taking action.

Average business person spends 6 weeks a year re-reading the same information without taking action. This adds up to three and a half years in your career spent on something that has little or NO effect on your results.

Time Killer #3:  The “Open Door” policy.

This “Have you got a minute?” mode is the worst way to run a practice.  If anyone can interrupt anyone else anytime they want to, then the entire practice runs in a re-active mode.

Time Killer #4:  Not prioritizing your “TO DO” list.

Studies show that people who make “to do” lists will most often do the least important (or easiest) things first. The important things often get moved until they become urgent and then get done in a mad rush.

Time Killer #5:  No daily planning.

Most people only schedule appointments - not tasks or projects.  This makes it hard to focus on the important (but not yet urgent) things.

Timer Killer #6:  No system for dealing with documents and projects. 

This often leads to a messy desk and/or drawers and files.

Timer Killer #7:  No discipline for useless information. 

Most people keep and file away information only to toss it out 6 months later.

Questions - Are the key to a successful life

I love this picture and quote.  It really does say it all.  Have you ever found yourself stuck, and you keep trying the same thing over and over again and it doesn't quite work.  That has happened to me often in my personal life and business.  Sometimes, it is important to stop, and ask yourself a new set of questions and use your imagination.  Don't get stuck thinking that life is like the ABC's because in life sometimes Z actually comes before A to get you to the next step.  I find that when I don't allow myself time to stop and breath, I do not tap into my imagination/creative self.  So take time every day to be still and think about your biggest opportunities and greatest challenges.  And, when you are doing this, keep asking yourself questions that can provide you with the solutions.  My greatest successes have come when I do this.  The solutions come more quickly.

Keys to asking quality questions:

1. Be solution focused rather than focus on the problem.

2. Consult your Mastermind Group with your Opportunity or Problem.

3. Research this issue.

4. And, ask yourself if by doing this, is it going to bring you closer to your goals or not. (If not, you may consider not doing it.)

To your success,

Jesus Balderas "The Coach"

The words we choose can determine our success...

A couple of weeks ago we discussed creating multiple streams of revenue. This is such an important concept and foundation of your business. It is critical for your success. If you haven't yet figured out how to add this to your business, please get together with your mastermind group and brainstorm ideas or call me and we will sit down to determine how to create multiple streams of income as well as passive income in your business.
Today, I want to share a powerful concept that I was studying last week. Often times the thing that holds us back the most is ourselves. We are often our greatest obstacle to success. It is so important to constantly be developing oneself as a person. Read and listen to the personal growth coaches, and that will directly impact your business. In the book, Cash in a Flash, by Robert Allen and Mark Victor Hansen they discuss the power of the words we speak to ourselves and out load. Do you use positive or negative words and language? The words you choose can enable or disable you. They can energize or weaken you. They can take you to great heights or keep you in dark valleys.

They shared an exercise that I have found to be very powerful. I remember we did this exercise with my soccer team when they were 11 years old. Every time one of the kids made a mistake and started to get upset at themselves another player or one of the coaches would say CANCEL. It was amazing the impact it made over the season. This exercise is very similar. I want you to really listen to what you are saying to yourself and how you are speaking. Every time you hear yourself thinking or speaking a negative thought say SWITCH. 

And, then replace it with a positive thought. I am not saying that bad things don't happen, but I am saying that there is positive and good things in almost everything.

Let me give you some examples of positive and negative words:

Happy	Sad
Strong	Weak
Optimistic	Pessimistic
Easy	Difficult
Beautiful	Ugly

As you say the words, how do they make you feel?

Finally, let me give you an example of the SWITCH exercise in practice.

a problem	a challenge
a job that I hate	a job that I don't love
he is a real jerk	he is not a nice person
I have so much credit card debt	I had too much fun using my credit cards
Now, it's time to pay the piper	Now I have to learn to be more financially savvy.
I'm stuck in a dead end job	I'm in a place where I don't have the freedom I'd like to have.

These are just a few examples of changing your language. This can have a real impact on your outlook, your business and your relationships. Do the exercise for one week, and I'd love to hear your experiences.

Listen to this powerful song by Nina Landis, Greatest Weapon:



Committed to increasing your profits!

Multiple Streams of Income - Part 2

Last week we discussed creating multiple streams of income/revenue for you and your business. And, ultimately we want to create passive streams of income. The first stage of wealth building is to create a passive income stream that will cover all your expenses. Think about this for a minute. So often I have read books on buying property, shares, assets, or paying down debt, or increasing my income; but the first step to wealth creation is creating a passive income that will cover all your expenses. When you have done this, then you are in a position to accelerate your wealth creation. Whether you work or not, all your expenses are covered.

So, how can we create passive income streams, and really what is a passive income stream. The crux of passive income stream is that you make something once that you can sell once and get paid over and over again for the one effort. Most people have a product or service that you are required to continually resale to get paid so if they don't work they don't get paid. Are you in that situation? Here are a few ideas that lead to passive income:

• Write a book, audio recording, or video recording. (Create it once, find a vehicle to sell it and get paid for the one effort over and over again.)
• Build your business around a system, and then franchise it. (The initial franchise fees and the ongoing fees are an incredible source of passive income.)
• Direct sales or network marketing. (I know this may have a bad rap, but with the right research this is a legitimate way of creating an incredible passive income for the right person.)
• Products that are consumable and need to be purchased over and over again.
• Internet businesses that resale information. (Discover a niche that is underserviced, set up a website correctly, and you can create a cash cow.)
• Membership based services.
• Build a large sales team that you override a small percentage on the production. (Key point here is that they should not be salary based because this can kill your cashflow. Let the team get the lion's share of commission, and you take a overriding percentage for the training and support you provide.)

There are so many other ways to achieve a passive income. These are just a few to spark your creative juices. I have learned over the years that this is the most crucial step in creating a stable business. I am more than happy to sit down with you, look at your business, and make some suggestions on ways you can create a passive income stream over the next 6 - 18 months. Think about it - if you do not already have this in your business, how would it feel if you knew that every expense was covered before you even started working? 

Do you think you would be more excited, productive and effective?

The words we choose can determine our success...

Today, I want to share a powerful concept that I was studying last week. Often times the thing that holds us back the most is ourselves. We are often our greatest obstacle to success. It is so important to constantly be developing oneself as a person. Read and listen to the personal growth coaches, and that will directly impact your business. In the book, Cash in a Flash, by Robert Allen and Mark Victor Hansen they discuss the power of the words we speak to ourselves and out load. Do you use positive or negative words and language? The words you choose can enable or disable you. They can energize or weaken you. They can take you to great heights or keep you in dark valleys.

They shared an exercise that I have found to be very powerful. I remember we did this exercise with my soccer team when they were 11 years old. Every time one of the kids made a mistake and started to get upset at themselves another player or one of the coaches would say CANCEL. It was amazing the impact it made over the season. This exercise is very similar. I want you to really listen to what you are saying to yourself and how you are speaking. Every time you hear yourself thinking or speaking a negative thought say SWITCH. 

And, then replace it with a positive thought. I am not saying that bad things don't happen, but I am saying that there is positive and good things in almost everything.

Let me give you some examples of positive and negative words:

Happy	Sad
Strong	Weak
Optimistic	Pessimistic
Easy	Difficult
Beautiful	Ugly

As you say the words, how do they make you feel?
Finally, let me give you an example of the SWITCH exercise in practice.

a problem	a challenge
a job that I hate	a job that I don't love
he is a real jerk	he is not a nice person
I have so much credit card debt	I had too much fun using my credit cards
Now, it's time to pay the piper	Now I have to learn to be more financially savvy.
I'm stuck in a dead end job	I'm in a place where I don't have the freedom I'd like to have.

These are just a few examples of changing your language. This can have a real impact on your outlook, your business and your relationships. Do the exercise for one week, and I'd love to hear your experiences.

Committed to increasing your profits,

Jesus

Two Keys To Having The Life You Deserve

There are many keys to success in life, but I have found two which embody all keys. The first is that each of us must learn to love oneself. We have all heard the following - "Don't blow your own trumpet...Don't pat yourself on the back...and so on."

Humility is very important, but what is humility? to me humility is to confidently acknowledge one's being. We also must recognize that we are very special and blessed with unique talents. We have the power to think and create. This is an amazing gift. We are God's greatest creation so if we cannot love oneself then what can we love. Also, if one doesn't love oneself, then why should someone else. And, when you love yourself, you will then know how to love someone else completely and without conditions. So. pat yourself on the back. Remind yourself that you are very special.

The second key is to know your purpose. Without this, then one would live their entire life on accident. Because if you do not know which path you want to follow, then how is one ever going to get on it.

One's life purpose needs four things:

1. Passion - Our purpose in life should be one which drives us from bed in the morning with joy and happiness. One which will give us joy to face each and every day. You will know you are in your Passion when you are juiced going to be and you hop out of bed.

2. What you want to give - In life we must always give before we can receive. It is said if you want great wealth, then you must help enough others gain wealth (this applies to everything).

3. What you want to receive - You need to know what you want. If you are only giving then you are a martyr. So, what do you want: happiness, wealth, freedom, good health, love, strong family, etc.

4. Massive action - It won't happen by itself, we need to do it. It all starts with a thought, but it doesn't happen by a thought alone. We need to act and do whatever is necessary to achieve and live our purpose.

This area of achievement and success is something I have studied for twenty years, and it is amazing how the little things can make such a difference. Also the one thing I have learned is that the science of success is something that one will study for a life time. It is essential to always read or listen to books on this subject because you will learn something every time you do.

BBI has a great course on Goal Achievement and Time Management called Life Management Systems, and I encourage you to get it. For more details go here.

Until next time,

Jesus Balderas

Entitlement vs Discipline

This subject is something that I find keeps coming up in different forums constantly. Yesterday, I heard a great sermon from my pastor on what God thinks about hard work and discipline. As a business coach, I work with businesses of all kinds and have done so for almost 17 years now. Over the years, I have noticed that so many employees have an attitude of entitlement. I have seen people believe it is their right to have a smoke break, check personal emails, read the paper, take extra time at lunch, etc. You know the drill especially if you own a business. I see it in children as well, and this is scary.

It is almost an attitude of - what are you going to do for me, and then I will let you know what I will do for you.

This is the complete opposite attitude of success. In life and business, we are given the charge to give it our all. Be disciplined, work hard, and make your own LUCK (Labor Under Correct Knowledge). We can find it in the principle of Give and You will Receive.

I find a key in life is to give it your all in every situation. Don't hold back until you see what the other party is going to do. Often times, I find when you do give it your all, the other party joins in and gives it their all. How cool is that? The alternative is that both parties hold back a little just to see.

So, my final thoughts to success is this.

1. Lose the attitude of entitlement if you have it. And, if you don't, keep it that way.

2. Research every opportunity that comes your way, but once you know it is a good deal jump in with both feet and keep giving it your all.

3. Be disciplined every day.

4. Re-focus on your goals as often as you need to so that your actions keep pace and on target for your goals.

5. Embrace and love hard work because it is good for you.

6. Truly enjoy the success that comes to you.

Each and every job that comes your way deserves your all that includes your work, your hobbies, your marriage, your children and so on. I think you get the point.

I know this post is a little raw, but it hit a nerve so I just typed and posted.

If you would like to receive more information on goal setting and time management, I would encourage you to check out our Life Management Systems.

Until next time.

Not getting the results you desire, this is going to help.

I'm going to take a stab in the dark and ask you what your greatest frustration is when it comes to creating wealth.

For me, it was feeling as though I was doing lots of activity to create wealth such as seminars, books, etc, etc, etc. But no results showing up in my life.

...And then someone shared with me a story. Imagine a tree, let's suppose that this tree represents a tree of life. On this tree there are fruits, in life the fruits are called our results.

So we look at our fruits (our results) and we don't like them.

There ain’t enough of them, they're too small or they don't taste good.

So what do we tend to do?

Most of us will put even more attention on the fruits (our results), but what is it that actually creates those particular fruits.

It's the seeds and the roots that create those fruits. It's what's under the ground that creates what's above the ground.

It's what is invisible that creates what is invisible.

So what does that mean?

It means that if you want to change the fruits, you'll first have to change the roots. If you want to change the visible, you must first change the invisible.

And, this is true with your business. In today’s economy, business owners want different results, but they are focusing on their results not their roots. Many keep doing the same thing that didn’t work before hoping it will change.

Why do we do that? Often times, it is because we simply don’t know another way to do it, maybe it’s out of desperation, and sometimes it is simply our routine.

Well, I want to give you a different path. I want to give you specific strategies that you can implement now to dramatically transform your business so that you can thrive in today’s economy and prosper during the recovery.

How am I going to do this? Tomorrow I am going to reveal all the details of my 6 week coaching program – Get Results and Profits Now! You definitely want to check this out because not only will it dramatically affect your bottomline, but I have made it very affordable for the select few that get to participate. There will only be 20 spots available because I am only running two groups of 10.

Check it out tomorrow. In the meantime, please accept this e-book as my gift to you – The Fundamentals of Marketing.

To your continued profits,

Jesus Balderas

The Coach

12 Secrets To Success

I am often asked what is the difference between successful people and those that do not experience success. There are many quotes and books on this subject. Some of my favorite thoughts are:

• Successful people are prepared to do the things that others aren't willing to do.
• Successful people set goals.
• Successful people focus on daily improvement (CANI - constant and never-ending improvement.)
• Successful people have faith, and so on.

This is a huge subject, but I thought I would share with you my thoughts in the form of a list of 12 keys. Enjoy, and may you find greater success in your life.

12 Secrets To Success

1. MWPs (Millionaires with Purpose) take risks and understand that high risk and massive education = low risk!
2. MWPs focus on ONE thing and do it well.
3. MWPs do not over estimate the short term or under-estimate the long term.
4. MWPs NEVER give up, they just change tact.
5. MWPs do the numbers then back themselves to the hilt.
6. MWPs surround themselves with like-minded people.
7. MWPs make decisions quickly and confidently once they have all the facts.
8. MWPs make everything urgent.
9. MWPs take time out to formulate their own thinking about critical issues relating to their life.
10. MWPs say "How can I?" instead of "I can't."
11. MWPs do whatever it takes to change their lives.
12. MWPs always take personal responsibility and never place blame. If one person can do it then they can do it.

Live with Passion,
Jesus Balderas "The Coach"