Mentors - Having and Being One

Dr. Ben Carson rose from humble beginnings as the son of a single parent to become a trailblazing brain surgeon. Many of us remember the time when he separated congenital twins who were not expected to live or have watched his life story in the movie "Gifted Hands". His cutting-edge methods and strong commitment that involved over 15,000 surgeries were recognized with numerous awards as well as respect and gratitude from those who crossed his path.

Dr. Carson's whole life was not only dedicated to developing expertise in his field of practice but also to serve others. After retiring from his medical career, he unsuccessfully ran for President of the United States and now holds the position as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

This week I finished reading the book "A Doctor in the House" in which Dr. Carson's wife, Candy provides an insider view of her husband's personal and medical activities.

She described a method that he developed over the years for solving any dilemma that involves asking himself the following four questions:

1. What is the best thing that will happen if I do this?
2. What's the worst thing that happens if I do this?
3. What's the best thing that will happen if I don't do this?
4. What's the worst thing that happens if I don't do this?

Four simple questions that can be used as a template for decision-making in all situations!

Because Dr. Carson and his wife wanted to encourage others to reach potential, they created the Carson Scholarship Fund and regularly spoke to various groups even when his work week was extremely demanding.

On June 9, 2015 he was a guest speaker at the inaugural graduation of the Ben Carson High School for Science and Medicine in Detroit, the city where he started his life and journey. During his speech he cautioned students to beware of naysayers and described a situation where his medical school advisor had told him that he wasn't cut out to be a doctor.

Dr. Caron stated: "When someone tells you something like that, remember that they are speaking from their experience, about what they can't do. They really can't speak for what you can do. Only you have control over what you can do."

Over the years, I have been blessed with many good mentors. Some of them were personal friends or acquaintances. Some were ones who I observed from a distance. And some were found in the stories published in the media and books.

We don't need to adopt everything that others say or do but it is important to sift through the information and capture the nuggets of wisdom that will move you forward with your life and goals.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Mentors---Having-and-Being-One&id=10202500

Importance of Mentors (By Madeline Frank)

Throughout your life you will have remarkable mentors and teachers. How do you appreciate and thank them?

Your mentors and teachers show you how to do the work and inspire and motivate you to a higher level of achievement. They model how you should do the work and how to lead!

While I was a student at the Juilliard School, I played Principal viola at the 92nd Y Orchestra which gave me a stipend to help me pay my rent. One of the section members was an amazing and inspiring amateur violist named Herman Silver, age 75. He was passionate about playing chamber music on the weekends at his home with the best musicians in New York City. Herman would loan me the music to study for two weeks and would tell me the date of our concert. I would go to the Lincoln Center Public Library, borrow the recordings to study, and practice the music.

Herman enjoyed sharing his passion for chamber music with the next generation and had marvelous professionals join us. Herman was a marvelous and inspiring mentor. He introduced me to Toscha Samaroff, a concert violinist, who did studio work and recordings in New York City. He was a remarkable violinist, who had studied with Leopold Auer. When I met him he was 75 years old. Toscha played the very challenging first violin parts to Felix Mendelssohn Octet & Louis Spohr's Octet. Toscha was a remarkably strong leader who played with a beautiful tone and gorgeous phrasing. Herman Silver said, "Toscha Samaroff sounds just like Jascha Heifetz!"; a high compliment indeed. In these chamber works I played the first viola parts and Herman played second. It was one of the best experiences in my life playing with Toscha Samaroff. He was a magnificent musician. He led and encouraged others to play at their highest level of playing.

When Toscha came to visit his daughter, Lee, in Virginia Beach several years later, we arranged to play Handel Halvorsen's Passacaglia for violin and viola and other works. It was a beautiful chamber music experience I will long remember!

Another marvelous violinist who played with Herman Silver's Saturday night concert series was Stanley Hoffman. He studied violin with Arthur Grumiaux and studied at the Juilliard School with Mischa Mischakoff, Oscar Shumsky, and Raphael Bronstein. When I met Stanley, he was 47 years old. Herman Silver said, "Stanley plays Paganini 's Caprices brilliantly."

He was a member of the New York Philharmonic, and later the Jerusalem Radio Orchestra.

We played Tchaikovsky's Souvenir de Florence String Sextet in D minor with Stanley playing the difficult and beautiful first violin part. Stanley was a marvelous leader with his lovely phrasing and beautiful sound. When you played with Stanley you played at your highest level of playing too!

Over the 7 or 8 years we played together, we also played Brahms String Quintets, Mozart String Quintets, Beethoven String Quintets, and Dvorak String Quintets. It was an amazing experience.

Many years later I taught and played these same works with my students in concert. It's all about passing the mentorship gifts on to the next generation!

What are the three things you can do to mentor and teach others, to pass on the gifts your mentors gave to you?

1) Pass on their mentorship gifts to others! Dr. John Maxwell, number 1 leadership guru, and one of my mentors says, "Make people development your top priority and see everyone you mentor as a 10."

2) Model the way for others to follow by listening, observing, connecting, adding value to them, respecting them, empowering others, and instructing them.

Lift others up. Help the person you are mentoring by encouraging, motivating, and inspiring them to a higher level of excellence. Take them under your wing just like Herman Silver, Toscha Samaroff, and Stanley Hoffman did for me.

3) Mentors have a positive attitude and lead the way for the mentee to follow them!

Remarkable mentors and teachers make the difference! They help you to become the success you are today! Pass on their gifts to you, by mentoring the next generation to leave a lasting legacy from them.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Importance-of-Mentors&id=10190992

Message From the Universe: Be Open Minded!

"Sometimes, finally seeing things from someone else's perspective can totally change your life.

Which, sometimes, explains exactly why they're there.

Spooké,

The Universe"

We can't always be set in our ways, all of the time. We get sometimes stuck on a process and find it difficult to get out of it. Since we've been working on this problem for a while, we seem to not see the solution that might be right in front of us. We get consumed by the issue and are not looking at the right places. It is important to allow someone else that is not involved in your venture to look at the issue with a fresh pair of eyes, which is return, can allow them to find a solution, yet, very obvious to you, but hard to see. Because of our implication on the project, obvious solutions aren't that easy to find, especially when we are not looking at the right places. Let the right people offer a hand and you might be surprised on how quick they can resolve your existing issue. Their aptitude is not always a requirement to find a specific kind of solution, because common sense gets involved in the process, regardless of the amount of knowledge you may have on the subject at hand.

When involving others, especially mentors, you may have a fresh perspective on what alternative plan could be available to resolve the existing issue. Being open minded to allowing others to help you find the solution doesn't show a sign of weakness or stupidity, but provides you with a better insights as to what can be the best probable solution to your existing challenge. Admitting your limitations is a sign of respect to yourself, that it is OK not to know EVERYTHING. You are allowed to be weak in certain areas of your life, and this is why others are around you to help you get past these problematic scenarios. You are not the ONLY human on Earth with weaknesses and always remember to avoid, at all costs, to compare these weaknesses with someone else's strength. Nothing good will ever come out of it.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Message-From-the-Universe:-Be-Open-Minded!&id=9499138

Advocates, Champions, Mentors - Got One?

I have never met anyone who has achieved sustained career or business success that did not have a champion, advocate, coach or mentor in their corner as they worked towards a dream, a goal or a vision.

How about you? Are you the exception to this belief of mine and are you still trying to "go it alone" as you travel one step after another towards your unknown future?

Mentor - adviser, guide, guru, counselor, consultant, confidant(e).

Personal coach - Coaching is a form of development in which a person called a coach supports a learner or client in achieving a specific personal or professional goal by providing training, advice and guidance.

Advocate - upholder, supporter, backer, promoter, proponent, exponent.

Champion - advocate, proponent, promoter, supporter, defender, upholder, backer, exponent, campaigner, lobbyist, crusader, apologist, booster, flag-bearer.

I'm sure none of the above are anything new for you but I offer them as a reminder that they all have something in common - the blending of wisdom/knowledge that is shared with others in some beneficial way.

As a side note: two of my mentors for many years have been Will Rogers and Mark Twain (I guess this is where I get one of my missions that is to get under other people's skin to trigger positive change in some way. If I'm not under yours yet - just give me time you'll get there.)

Yes, they are both dead and I never met either of them but I can still learn from them from their many books and words of wisdom.

Where was I - back to the main points of this article;

What are the benefits of have one of the above (in the title)?

During my career, I have had numerous relationships with mentors, coaches and mastermind groups but the ones that have done the most for my career and business success over the years are Advocates and Champions. Yes, the other helpers are valuable and can save you lots of time and resources but I have learned that

Advocates and Champions always do more for you than the others and they do it because they want to not because they benefit in some way.

These people want to help you succeed, believe in what you are doing and why and have no skin in the game other than the satisfaction of contributing in some small way to your achievements and/or success.

They help you save time. They help you make valuable connections. But the most important thing they do is "Sell" you to the important people or contacts that they know in a way that improves your credibility and saves you effort.

Let me give you one quick example.

A friend and fellow author was unknown but one of his connections liked his writing and contacted him to see if he could be of any help. Well, to make a very long story short, because of one of his connections he was able to secure a publisher for his first book with a significant six figure advance. The story isn't over yet. He recently told me he just got a 5-million-dollar advance on his third book. And how and why?

Just because someone he didn't know all that well was willing to help him. Go figure!

Have any champions in your life? I've been fortunate during my career to have a few but they shall remain anonymous as they are or have been all celebrities in their own way.

They can save you time, make you money, make you famous, get you new positions etc. I could go on for a few pages on what a champion or advocate can do for your career or business.

But, if you don't get it yet, I won't waste any more of your time.

Where can you find them?

They are everywhere. They are in your Facebook, LinkedIn or some other social media list hidden just waiting to surface. They live next door, work across the street, they know your relatives and they know some of your customers. They work for competitors. Have I made myself clear yet? Again, they are everywhere. So, you ask, how do you find the right ones who can help you accelerate your career or business? First of all, networking is not who you know but who knows you, so attending events every night to collect hundreds of business cards might help you some before you retire but there might be a better way.

This is not a book about this subject so I'll leave you with three quick ideas.

1) If you don't ask you will never know.

2) If you don't ask you will never find out.

3) If you don't ask you will never find them.

I know - a bit redundant. But, what are you waiting for?

http://ezinearticles.com/?Advocates,-Champions,-Mentors---Got-One?&id=9735393

The Givers and Takers of the World (By Maram J)

What makes a person a giver or a taker? Is there a thick bold line between the two, or is it more muddled? Are women more biologically prone to giving -whether it is time, money or apologies?

The idea of 'give versus take' takes shape in all interactions and relationships of our personal and professional lives. We are either giving advice, making time for people, or being philanthropic in any way possible without any strings attached, or we are on the receiving end. We alternate between the two based on different situations we encounter on a daily basis, if not an hourly one. In other words, we are almost never always just givers or takers.

According to Adam Grant, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and author of the groundbreaking book "Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success", most people fall under the category of matchers.

A matcher is someone who strives to tip the scales so that they are even, fair and just. They make careful observations on takers and make it a point for them to pay something back in order to tip the scales again. They basically hold tabs on who has done what for who, and hate to see people who act so generously towards others not receive any rewards. In fact, most matchers will go out of their way and do karma's job by promoting and supporting givers so that they can get the good they deserve.

Givers, on the other hand, have close to zero expectations from other people and are not bothered when their request for favors go unanswered by those who they went out of the way for. In his book, Grant explains that givers fall under the two opposite ends of the spectrum: they are either very successful people or can be found at the bottom of the ladder. Either way, givers often put themselves at risk for burning out or being taken advantage of and ultimately give a few sacrifices, tangible or not.

Is there a gender factor that plays a part in this?

A study led by Hannah Riley Bowles, a professor at Harvard University, focused on the role of our sex chromosomes on the idea of giving and taking. She asked 200 senior executives to sit down in pairs where one person would act as the boss and the other as an employee to negotiate salary promotions. Male 'employees' asked for an average salary of $146k while the females asked for 3% less -only $141k. But why did they not bargain as hard as the men? Simply because they were more inclined to be givers.

Another group of women, who acted as the 'employee's mentors', asked for an average salary of $167k. Why the big difference? Bowles concluded that these women's tactical use of aggression on the negotiating table was consistent with their self image as givers; they were each fulfilling their responsibilities to be mentors for other people.

So, would it be fair to say that all men are takers and all women are givers? Of course not. But are women more inclined to do so, perhaps due to theories of evolution and social conformations?

If we are to observe the history of the female role in society, we will see a commonality across all cultures and traditions. Before colonization, and in the Choctaw Native society, women were deemed with high respect due to their vital roles as caregivers for their families, communities and tribes. In fact, they were dignified to the extent where family lines followed that of the mother, and during tribal functions, the children would sit at the fire of their mother's family while the father sat at a separate one.

But history didn't stop there. Up until our modern day, most women are most likely to stay at home and care for their children while men go to work and earn the bread. Within a household, the mother is most likely to be the emotional giver, the one who her children confide in, the one who provides comfort, whether it is by preparing her husband's favorite meal or taking care of a sick child.

Does this mean that history has dictated that all women enjoy taking up the role of the giver? Or is it that men never had the chance to take it up? Or perhaps a little bit of both?

As a woman, I cannot deny that I do enjoy the act of giving up my time, my knowledge, and my care and attention to the people in my life, and more often than not, complete strangers. I don't expect anything in return, but I do tend to draw the line and pull myself away when I feel like I'm being taken for granted. I also tend to get upset when I see a loved one's continuous actions of kindness go unnoticed. So, it is safe to say that I am 50% giver, 35% matcher and 15% taker.

I do know someone, however, who is 99% giver. I don't know how they manage to stay sane, but they are constantly devoting their time, sharing valuable insights and going out of their way for everyone who crosses their path. They give, give and give and expect nothing in return, and although they have changed the lives of many people, they rarely see any of it returned. But the universe is slowly repaying them; they are now extremely successful, well known for what they do and admired for it, too.

So, maybe, no good deed ever goes undone?

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Givers-and-Takers-of-the-World&id=9332919

Message From the Universe: Be Open Minded!

"Sometimes, finally seeing things from someone else's perspective can totally change your life.

Which, sometimes, explains exactly why they're there.

Spooké, 

The Universe"

We can't always be set in our ways, all of the time. We get sometimes stuck on a process and find it difficult to get out of it. Since we've been working on this problem for a while, we seem to not see the solution that might be right in front of us. We get consumed by the issue and are not looking at the right places. It is important to allow someone else that is not involved in your venture to look at the issue with a fresh pair of eyes, which in return, can allow them to find a solution, yet, very obvious to you, but hard to see. Because of our implication on the project, obvious solutions aren't that easy to find, especially when we are not looking at the right places. Let the right people offer a hand and you might be surprised on how quick they can resolve your existing issue. Their aptitude is not always a requirement to find a specific kind of solution, because common sense gets involved in the process, regardless of the amount of knowledge you may have on the subject at hand.

When involving others, especially mentors, you may have a fresh perspective on what alternative plan could be available to resolve the existing issue. Being open minded to allowing others to help you find the solution doesn't show a sign of weakness or stupidity, but provides you with a better insights as to what can be the best probable solution to your existing challenge. Admitting your limitations is a sign of respect to yourself, that it is OK not to know EVERYTHING. You are allowed to be weak in certain areas of your life, and this is why others are around you to help you get past these problematic scenarios. You are not the ONLY human on Earth with weaknesses and always remember to avoid, at all costs, to compare these weaknesses with someone else's strength. Nothing good will ever come out of it.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Message-From-the-Universe:-Be-Open-Minded!&id=9499138

The Theory of Scarcity And How To Find Ways To Get The Most Out Of Your Resources

There is a theory in economics called the theory of scarcity which basically discusses that there is limited availability of certain resources at any point in time. This basically dictates that due to the limited resource, it also means a limited number of goods can be created.

This theory of scarcity exists for our lives as well.

In any one moment of time, we have a limited amount of resources at our disposal:

A limited amount of TIME 

A limited amount of MONEY 

A limited amount of KNOWLEDGE 

What we choose to do with these three resources ultimately dictates 

the success we have in our lives.

To truly create a successful and wealthy life you need to focus your efforts on finding ways to get the most out of each of these areas and forever expanding each of these components in your life.

#1 Limited Resource:Time

SO HOW DO YOU DO THIS?

1. One of the most valuable things I did early in my career and growth journey was to get a productivity coach and learn how to maximize and prioritize my time. Get great at time management; the pay off is extraordinary.

2. Get clear on what is important to you in your life and who you want to become, what you want to achieve and what legacy you want to leave in this world. When you give yourself a direction in life and identify what is truly important and valuable, you will know how to prioritize the limited resource of time we all have.

There are many more ways to do this and I will spend more time on this later. I love productivity and coaching others how to get more out of everyday. It is such a valuable set of tools.

#2 Limited Resource: Knowledge

IT IS COMMONLY KNOWN THAT YOU CAN ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE IN TWO WAYS

1. From your own experience

2. From the experiences of others

Knowledge from your own experience is slow, tedious, and sometimes rather painful

Knowledge from others who have achieved the results you truly want is something every successful person will tell you is essential. This is where a mentor comes in.

HOW DO YOU MAXIMIZE YOUR SECOND PRIMARY RESOURCE?

1. There is a saying I love "I stand on the shoulders of giants". How powerful. This is so true for me; a massive amount of the success I have achieved in my life has been due to the mentors I have surrounded myself with. Whether these are mentors I sought out to work with me personally, which I have done throughout my career and still do today, or through learning from the writings or videos or audios of great people. Mentors can save you so much time on your journey to success, make you so much money, leapfrog your progress personally and professionally. If you don't have one now, get one!

2. Create a strategic growth plan. Look, any growth is better than no growth; but if you want to maximize your success, you need to be strategic about how you are growing and in what order. Get into the habit of asking: "What should I be learning and how should I be growing right now to reach my next major milestone. Again, if you are not sure, get a mentor. Do I need to say it again? GET A MENTOR.

p.s. here is a little tip - if you want to maximize your personal learning and growth, start by getting clear on where you want to go into the future, then learn how to manage your time and learning how to learn effectively in your own style. I can't overestimate the significance of this.

#3 Limited Resource: Money

But for right now, what are the choices you are making with your money. Is it to buy another pair of shoes you truly don't need? Is it to buy lunch out every single day?

Or is it to set clear budgets and make clear decisions with your money based on your goals and values?

The choices you make with the money you have right now, will dictate the level of supply of money you have available to you tomorrow.

SO HOW DO YOU GET MORE OF IT?

1. There is a law of universe that says that if you can't manage the money you have got, then why would you be given more to manage. So first thing is first, get great at managing your finances: Create budgets, have money nights, become financially literate, this is the foundation of all wealth.

2. Start investing today; get your money working harder for you than you have to work for your money. It does not matter how small amount of cash you have, start now and get your money working as your little slave and again get educated. Stop waiting for the perfect time, get educated and start

Remember your future is based on the decision you make today with each of these resources and how you continue to learn and grow in each realm. Seriously GET A MENTOR and watch your life soar.

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Theory-of-Scarcity-And-How-To-Find-Ways-To-Get-The-Most-Out-Of-Your-Resources&id=8953115

The Theory of Scarcity And How To Find Ways To Get The Most Out Of Your Resources

There is a theory in economics called the theory of scarcity which basically discusses that there is limited availability of certain resources at any point in time. This basically dictates that due to the limited resource, it also means a limited number of goods can be created.

This theory of scarcity exists for our lives as well.

At any one moment in time, we have a limited amount of resources at our disposal:

• A limited amount of TIME
• A limited amount of MONEY
• A limited amount of KNOWLEDGE

What we choose to do with these three resources ultimately dictates

the success we have in our lives.

To truly create a successful and wealthy life you need to focus your efforts on finding ways to get the most out of each of these areas and forever expanding each of these components in your life.

#1 Limited Resource:Time

SO HOW DO YOU DO THIS?

1. One of the most valuable things I did early in my career and growth journey was to get a productivity coach and learn how to maximize and prioritize my time. Get great at time management; the pay off is extraordinary.

2. Get clear on what is important to you in your life and who you want to become, what you want to achieve and what legacy you want to leave in this world. When you give yourself a direction in life and identify what is truly important and valuable, you will know how to prioritize the limited resource of time we all have.

There are many more ways to do this and I will spend more time on this later. I love productivity and coaching others how to get more out of everyday. It is such a valuable set of tools.

#2 Limited Resource: Knowledge

IT IS COMMONLY KNOWN THAT YOU CAN ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE IN TWO WAYS

1. From your own experience

2. From the experiences of others

Knowledge from your own experience is slow, tedious, and sometimes rather painful

Knowledge from others who have achieved the results you truly want is something every successful person will tell you is essential. This is where a mentor comes in.

HOW DO YOU MAXIMIZE YOUR SECOND PRIMARY RESOURCE?

1. There is a saying I love "I stand on the shoulders of giants". How powerful. This is so true for me; a massive amount of the success I have achieved in my life has been due to the mentors I have surrounded myself with. Whether these are mentors I sought out to work with me personally, which I have done throughout my career and still do today, or through learning from the writings or videos or audios of great people. Mentors can save you so much time on your journey to success, make you so much money, leapfrog your progress personally and professionally. If you don't have one now, get one!

2. Create a strategic growth plan. Look, any growth is better than no growth; but if you want to maximize your success, you need to be strategic about how you are growing and in what order. Get into the habit of asking: "What should I be learning and how should I be growing right now to reach my next major milestone. Again, if you are not sure, get a mentor. Do I need to say it again? GET A MENTOR.

p.s. here is a little tip - if you want to maximize your personal learning and growth, start by getting clear on where you want to go into the future, then learn how to manage your time and learning how to learn effectively in your own style. I can't overestimate the significant of this.

#3 Limited Resource: Money

But for right now, what are the choices you are making with your money. Is it to buy another pair of shoes you truly don't need? Is it to buy lunch out every single day?

Or is it to set clear budgets and make clear decisions with your money based on your goals and values?

The choices you make with the money you have right now, will dictate the level of supply of money you have available to you tomorrow.

SO HOW DO YOU GET MORE OF IT?

1. There is a law of universe that says that if you can't manage the money you have got, then why would you be given more to manage. So first thing is first, get great at managing your finances: Create budgets, have money nights, become financially literate, this is the foundation of all wealth.

2. Start investing today; get your money working harder for you than you have to work for your money. It does not matter how small amount of cash you have, start now and get your money working as your little slave and again get educated. Stop waiting for the perfect time, get educated and start

Remember your future is based on the decision you make today with each of these resources and how you continue to learn and grow in each realm. Seriously GET A MENTOR and watch your life soar.

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Theory-of-Scarcity-And-How-To-Find-Ways-To-Get-The-Most-Out-Of-Your-Resources&id=8953115

The Three Most Important Decisions You Will Ever Make

If you want to be successful in life and in business, then you need to take massive action. Before you do, however, you need to make these three important decisions.

I just returned from the Tony Robbins Business Mastery seminar, and what I'm about to share with you will change your life--but only if you take action on it. What has great advice not followed ever done for you? Right, so take the next five minutes to discover some of the greatest insights that, when acted upon, will ensure you are as wealthy and successful as you can possibly imagine.

No. 1: The Most Important Financial Decision You'll Ever Make

The most important financial decision you'll ever make is what percentage of your paycheck you will automate toward your retirement (or what I refer to as my Freedom Fund). Statistically, you have not saved nearly enough to be Financially Free. Many of us have fallen victim to the many false beliefs around retirement. Things like:

• I'm too young to worry about retirement
• I can't afford to put money aside now
• Isn't that what Social Security is for?
• My 401(k) and IRA plans will cover my needs
• I only need to put aside 10X my current salary

Pick up Money: Mastering the Game if you'd like a detailed explanation around why these and many other false beliefs have blinded you to the truth. For now, just know that you have been lured into a false sense of security and, if you're not careful, you're going to end up one of those 75-year-old Walmart greeters making minimum wage instead of enjoying your Golden Years.

To ensure you become financially free, take the salary you think you'll need and multiply it by 20. That's what you need to put away in order to live off the interest without touching your principle. To get there, you need to make the most important financial decision of your life. What percentage of your current salary do you take off the top and set aside? For me, that number is 25 percent. I know people who live off half their salaries (50 percent) and some who are taking as little as 10 percent.

But regardless of your number, you need to work with your payroll team to automate this so that you NEVER see the money. Set up a separate account and have this amount deducted from your paycheck. Think of this deduction as your wealth tax. It's what you need to do to ensure your financial freedom. Delaying this decision only hurts you, as you will miss out on the power of compounding (when invested correctly--see No. 2, below).

No. 2: The Most Important Investment Decision You'll Ever Make

Once you have made the most important financial decision, now it's time to make the most important investment decision you'll ever make. What percentage asset allocation will your investments go towards? There are two asset classes: 1) Security oriented investments, and 2) Risk/Growth oriented investments.

The most important investment decision you'll ever make comes down to how much risk tolerance you have as you look to compound the money you've set aside for retirement. Are you 80 percent Security and 20 percent Risk/Growth? Or are you 60/40, 50/50, or some other allocation?

This decision is best made with your fiduciary, who is a registered financial investor. That's because whatever you believe your risk tolerance is, we're only human, and it's one thing to say you can accept losses when it's not actually happening and totally different when a big chunk of the money you've set aside gets wiped out.

If you have a savvy fiduciary, talk to him or her about asymmetric risk. It's the billionaire's secret, whereby they get Risk/Growth-like returns with assets that would fall in the Security asset class. The wealthy risk very little and expect substantial returns. Most people risk most of what they have for a small return (which is why we remain, well, NOT wealthy).

No. 3: The Most Important Business Decision You'll Ever Make

And finally, the most important business decision you'll ever make is who you will model your success after. Great people building great companies have incredible mentors who have helped them achieve their success. Ask any successful CEO, and he or she will tell you who mentored them. If you want to grow, you need a coach.

If you want to grow massively, you need someone who has already accomplished what you want at a scale 10 to 100 times greater than you're even dreaming about right now.

Which is why I urge you to sign up for Business Mastery. What other coach do you know who's created a net worth of over $6 billion dollars and is willing to help you? If you know someone else like that, please contact me immediately. As Tony Robbins says, "Proximity Is Power." Think about it. If you want to lose weight, do you seek the advice of a person who is obese? No, of course not. You find the person who is an absolute picture of health and vitality, and you model what he or she does.

Not only does Tony Robbins play full out with his time and energy, but he brings in several other successful billionaires who share their formulas for success. This week, I had a one-on-one conversation with Jay Abraham. If you don't know him, he's considered one of the top marketing minds of our generation. What's that worth to my business? We're talking millions once I implement the sage advice he imparted to me.

But here's the best part. When you sign up, you have what I consider to be the most incredible money-back guarantee I've ever heard. You go to the first day (of a five day event) and if you don't find insights that day that are worth at least $1 million dollars to your business, you get a full refund, no questions asked.

So yeah, I think this was the right choice for me. I have calculated at least $3 million dollars (this year!) that I will generate from the insights I learned this week, and when I continue to implement these incredible ideas, the ultimate outcome in the next decade will be in the eight or nine figure range.

If you want to be a billionaire, then you need to take massive action. That starts with having a coach who's already done what you want to accomplish. If you don't have that, then that's your first order of business. As Tony Robbins likes to say, "When would NOW be a good time to make that happen?"

http://www.inc.com/bill-carmody/the-three-most-important-decisions-you-will-ever-make.html

Seeking Advice: The Wisest Way to Hit the Next Level of Success

Successful people listen to those who are willing to share their knowledge. Lean on these 6 resources for wisdom.

Learning from others who have achieved the kind of results you’re looking for is one of the wisest—and quickest—ways to hit the next level of success you’ve targeted. This crucial piece of the success puzzle catapults results to heights you could never achieve alone.

First: The Who

In the best scenario, you’ll seek the advice of a professional coach who will challenge and inspire you to be your best. You’ll also want one or more mentors who will give you the benefit of their wisdom and experience. You can always go to colleagues you trust and respect for advice, too.

At other times, you will hire people for expertise in their specialties, such as attorneys, certified public accountants or financial planners. And you can mine insights from books, videos and websites to gain the advantage of the study and experience of others.

But don’t forget about yourself. Reflect on moments in your life—both good and bad—to learn from and make better decisions based on your experiences.

As you think about these sources of advice, consider that many successful people are open-minded and use a mix of all six.

Roles and Relationships

Once you find advisers you trust, stick with them. Longevity provides a definite gain in efficiency and multiplies your ability to achieve your goals.

Before meeting with your advisers, determine your objectives and agenda. Send those goals to each adviser in advance. This gives them time to formulate responses and recommendations.

The Four-Step Process

1. Identify your issues and opportunities.

Look at where you are compared to where you want to be, and then list the issues keeping you from bridging that gap. (Your advisers may—and probably will—help you identify more issues than you can identify on your own.) Make a list of the opportunities available to you so you can seek input on how to move forward.

2. Determine your best resources.

Reflect on the six resources and determine the strongest one(s). If you are building your business or starting your career—or if you realize you need help in your personal life—be sure to invest time in studying as many resources as you can to make the best decisions.

3. Evaluate.

Gather your options and then review the pros and cons. Consider the recommendations given to you and list any ideas or options you’ve identified from your resources and reflection. Then weigh all of the information you’ve gathered.

4. Act.

After careful consideration of your options, confidently choose your best path and go forward based on what your advisers recommend. By going through this process, your chances for success will skyrocket.

Bonus!

Another benefit of working with advisers is the spinoffs that can come from those relationships. All of your advisers, coaches, mentors and colleagues have their own sets of connections. Tap into them. They can become a multiplier for you.

For instance, as a natural extension of your relationship with your mentor, you might land a profitable business deal—either from the mentor or from one of his or her connections. Your advisers’ contact lists can become a gold mine of connections for you, and each one multiplies your opportunities.

Experience

Experience is the best teacher. A wise person listens to those who are willing to share their knowledge. The benefit of gaining wisdom from someone else’s experiences can make an amazing difference in your life.

http://www.success.com/article/seeking-advice-the-wisest-way-to-hit-the-next-level-of-success