"Wait to Worry"

An Excerpt from
Attitude is Everything
by Vicki Hitzges

I used to worry. A lot. The more I fretted, the more proficient I became at it. Anxiety begets anxiety. I even worried that I worried too much! Ulcers might develop. My health could fail. My finances could deplete to pay the hospital bills.

A comedian once said, "I tried to drown my worries with gin, but my worries are equipped with flotation devices." While not a drinker, I certainly could identify! My worries could swim, jump and pole vault!

To get some perspective, I visited a well known, Dallas businessman, Fred Smith. Fred mentored such luminaries as motivational whiz Zig Ziglar, business guru Ken Blanchard and leadership expert John Maxwell. Fred listened as I poured out my concerns and then said,"Vicki, you need to learn to wait to worry."

As the words sank in, I asked Fred if he ever spent time fretting. (I was quite certain he wouldn't admit it if he did. He was pretty full of testosterone-even at age 90.) To my surprise, he confessed that in years gone by he had been a top-notch worrier!

"I decided that I would wait to worry!" he explained. "I decided that I'd wait until I actually had a reason to worry-something that was happening, not just something that might happen-before I worried."

"When I'm tempted to get alarmed," he confided, "I tell myself, 'Fred, you've got to wait to worry! Until you know differently, don't worry.' And I don't. Waiting to worry helps me develop the habit of not worrying and that helps me not be tempted to worry."

Fred possessed a quick mind and a gift for gab. As such, he became a captivating public speaker. "I frequently ask audiences what they were worried about this time last year. I get a lot of laughs," he said, "because most people can't remember. Then I ask if they have a current worry - you see nods from everybody. Then I remind them that the average worrier is 92% inefficient - only 8% of what we worry about ever comes true."

Charles Spurgeon said it best. "Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but only empties today of its strength."

The Zodiac and its Mystries

By S.K. Smith
Many times psychics and spiritual advisors use language and words we may not be familiar with. That’s why we consulted our experts to come up with this exclusive psychic dictionary. Now you can become familiar with – and learn the language of spiritual enlightenment. Use it to enhance your journey and understanding of yourself.
Air Signs
The three air signs of the zodiac are Gemini, Libra and Aquarius. Air Signs are communicative, intellectual and have clarity of thought. People with an abundance of Air in their chart tend to have their head in the clouds.

Ascendant
The ascendant means “rising sign,” which is the sign that had just risen over the horizon at the moment of an individual’s birth. The ascendant is your public persona – personality traits, needs and physical characteristics.

Aspect
An aspect is a relationship between two planets. This relationship generally consists of the geometrical angles between them – some aspects are beneficial while others present challenges.

Astral Plane
An astral plane is a level of awareness in the etheric world. It acts as a double of the earth with a notable exception – everything is neutral. It is a place where soul minds can meet and change forms.

Astrologer
An astrologer studies the relationships and influences of the stars and planets. Using this information, they can prepare astrological charts that can tell intimate details and predictions of people, places and things.

Astrology
Astrology includes the study of planetary cycles and how their respective energies influence life on earth. Astrology studies the harmony of the universe and relates it to the possibilities of human behavior and experience.

AuraEverything present in nature has an aura – an envelope of energy that radiates from within. An aura is not visible to the normal eye but generally can be seen by Clairvoyants as a multicolored mist or halo of light.

Automatic Writing
Automatic writing is a free-flowing message sent by an entity in the form of the written word via a person. It is sometimes called ‘trance’ writing, because it is done quickly and without judgment. The person may appear in a trance-like state, putting down whatever comes to mind. The messages may be in a language foreign to the person’s own native tongue and the handwriting can be unrecognizable to the person penning the words. It may also be lacking spaces and punctuation. Pictures or symbols may be part of the writing as well. Automatic writing allows the person access to the entity for guidance. It can also serve to retrieve information from your unconscious and/or provide insight.

Birth Chart
A birth chart is a basic tool of astrology which uses the date, time and place of an individual’s birth to show the positions of the planets in the signs and houses at the time of birth.

Cardinal Sign
The Cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. Cardinal signs are the initiators of the zodiac who are associated with getting the ball rolling – but also being impulsive.

Chakra
According to Tantric philosophy and Yoga, chakra is the Sanskrit word for ‘moving wheel.’ The chakras are vortexes of energy present in the energy centers of the body. The chakras are not physical, but they function as pathways for energy to be taken in. There are seven such chakras and each one is associated with a section of the body, as well as assigned emotions, thoughts and functions within the body. Chakras are assigned a color, which is displayed in a person’s aura, and can help to reveal a person’s spiritual and physical health, as well as one’s karma.

Channeler
A channeler is someone who receives messages of advice and teachings from a spirit guide. The channeler’s relationship is a direct, beneficial one. A guardian angel serves to protect a person from harm and a spirit guide provides guidance and knowledge in order to help further one’s path to spiritual enlightenment.

Clairaudience
Clairaudience is defined as one’s inner voice – translated it means ‘clear hearing.’ This is the power to hear sounds that are not audible to the normal human ear, but exist in the tangible world or in another dimension.

Clairsentience
Clairsentience means ‘clear knowing’ or ‘clear thinking,’ and signifies your inner sensing. Those with this ability can perceive information out of the range of ordinary perception. It is not tied to one specific sense and can manifest as feelings, sensations or smells. It’s the subtlest way of receiving psychic messages, and many people may not even be aware it is happening and explain it away as a revelation.

Clairvoyance
This term is often used as a catch-all phrase for psychic ability, but it really describes one’s inner vision. Clairvoyance is a French term which translates to ‘clear seeing.’ It’s the ability to ‘see’ what is not physically in front of you, in the form of an image or event in the past, present or future.

ConjunctTwo planets are conjunct when they occupy the same degree of the birth chart.

Cusp
Cusps are the imaginary boundaries between zodiac signs and the houses.

Divination
Divination is an attempt to communicate with the Divine or the supernatural in an effort to foretell the future and seek answers to questions or mysteries. Divination has traditionally been the chore of Shamans, oracles, priests, prophets or psychics by a variety of methods such as the use of the Tarot, Astrology, Ouija Board, runes etc.

Dream Interpretation Dream interpretation is the process of interpreting the universal symbols and archetypes seen in your dreams and unconscious state to understand how they relate to your waking life.

Earth Signs The three earth signs include Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. Earth signs are sensual and love luxury. They are industrious and get the job done.

Elements
Also known as triplicity, the elements are Fire, Earth, Air and Water. The twelve signs of the zodiac are divided amongst the elements: Aries, Leo and Sagittarius are Fire; Capricorn, Taurus and Virgo are Earth; Libra, Aquarius and Gemini are Air; Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces are Water.

Empath
Empaths are very susceptible to the feelings of suffering and distress picked up from others. They tune in on an intuitive or psychic level to the emotions, moods and attitudes of a person, group of people or animals.

Ephemeris A book used by astrologers to find the exact location of any given heavenly body on any given day.

EquinoxEquinox means a time of equal day and night. There are two equinox per year usually occurring around March 21 and September 23 – when the sun crosses the equator.

Fire Signs
The three fire signs include Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. Fire signs are known for their explosive, energetic nature – and fickle tendencies.

Fixed Signs 
The fixed signs are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. Fixed signs are concerned with maintaining the status quo – and are known for perseverance and strength.

Feng Shui
Feng Shui is a physical way to bring a sense of harmony and well being into one’s space by arranging furniture and structures to be one with the occupant. It uses all of the elements – earth, wind, fire and water as well as compass points to achieve a sense of peace and tranquility.

Houses
Like the signs of the zodiac, the sky is divided into 12 houses. Each house encompasses a specific area of life such as love, career and health.

I ChingThe 3,000-year-old I Ching has 64 hexagram configurations that comprise an entire philosophy based on the Yin and Yang principles. The aim is to achieve and maintain balance in your life via a messaging system, which involves tossing coins in sets of six. The male, or active energy of Yang, encourages actions and ideas. The female, or receptive energy, enables adaptation and flexibility.

Intuition
Intuition is “knowing” without conscious reasoning. It draws on knowledge gained from past experience that has been stored in the subconscious mind.

Kabbalah
Kabbalah is a form of Jewish mysticism and is actually a Hebrew word meaning “received knowledge” or “tradition.” Though its origins are debated, most believe Kabbalah to be as old as the Torah, while others maintain it did not rise until the 13^th Century. Traditional Kabbalah was passed down orally and is an esoteric belief that every accent, letter, word and number in the Torah contains keys to understanding the nature of the human soul, and by extension, the universe.

Karma
The explanation of Karma varies slightly per tradition or philosophy, but the basic principle remains the same: “You reap what you sow” … “what goes around, comes around” … or (if you prefer) “an eye for an eye.” Karmic philosophy may have its roots in religion and spirituality, but even the most scientific mind cannot dispute that, “every action causes an equal and opposite reaction” – in other words, the purpose of Karma is actually to restore balance.

Mantra
Historically, a mantra is a word with spiritual significance in Hindu culture. In general, a mantra is a syllable or word without meaning that you focus on while meditating in order to achieve a deep state of relaxation. This method is used in Transcendental Meditation and it has been shown to be a very effective technique. According to the teachings of Transcendental Meditation, thinking a mantra helps you focus your attention inwardly. Regular meditation has been shown to help eliminate irritability, even reducing blood pressure. Benefits are numerous and its affects are lasting, as meditation has been known to mitigate the body’s reaction after a stressful event.

Meditation Meditation has been around for centuries and is a focal point of many religions. It incorporates deep thinking, contemplation and engaging in a deep mental exercise in an effort to achieve a heightened level of Spiritual awareness.

MediumA medium is someone who can contact loved ones who have passed from this Earth. This special ability allows him or her to communicate with the deceased individual in another realm or dimension. The death of a family member or friend can result in unresolved emotions and questions for those left behind – a psychic medium can help bring them peace.

Mutable Sign
Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces are the mutable signs of the zodiac. These signs are versatile and capable of prospering in any environment.

Natal Chart
A natal chart is a basic tool of astrology which uses the date, time and place of an individual’s birth to show the positions of the planets in the signs and houses at the time of birth.

Near Death Experience
A near death experience occurs when an individual is physically deceased yet returns to life with a memory of what happened to them. Many have recounted stories of seeing their physical body beneath them and traveling toward a white light or tunnel where they are greeted by friends and relatives.

Numerology
Like Astrology or the Tarot, Numerology is a means of divination. Through the use of numbers, Numerology tells us about the human condition and about our journey through life.

Opposition AspectAn opposition aspect is an arc of 180∞. This means that planets are opposite each other if they are six star signs apart. An opposition can be indicative of tension.

Pendulum
A pendulum is any object suspended freely from a string or chain. The universal vibrations received by the dangling object provide knowledge to the holder of the pendulum usually in the form of simple yes or no answers to the questions asked.

Psychic
Often called a Clairvoyant, a Psychic has the ability to draw knowledge from the universal consciousness. They know without conscious reasoning and are highly intuitive. Some psychics use tools such as the Tarot, Astrology or runes to help answer questions and divine the future.

Retrograde Planets in retrograde look like they are moving backwards. The energy from a retrograde can cause communication mishaps such as when Mercury is Retrograde, or can derail love when Venus is in retrograde.

RunesRunes are a divination tool used by some psychics in much the same way that astrology or the Tarot is used. They generally consist of clay tiles or coins with an inscription from the Runic alphabet.

Shaman
A member of society (priest, magician, spiritual healer, medicine man, etc.) that acts as a medium or negotiator between the physical world and the spirit world using ritual-like practices and chanting for the purpose of healing, predicting or controlling natural events.
Scrying
You’ve probably heard of crystal balls – scrying is a fancy name for concentrating intensely on a shiny surface to induce Clairvoyance.

Soul
The soul is the immaterial part of you that dictates your mind and personality. Depending on your particular beliefs, the soul can live on through many incarnations or exist on different ethereal planes. Soul to many is synonymous with Spirit.

Soulmate A soulmate is someone you have experienced many lifetimes, learned life’s lessons, bonded with and loved. Some believe your soulmate is literally the person who carries and completes the other half of your soul.

Spirit GuidesSpirit Guides are non-physical entities which tend to be either highly evolved beings or the spirit of the dead. The purpose of these entities generally includes protecting an individual, assisting in spiritual development or as a source of inspiration. Many psychics utilize the help of spirit guides in their readings.

Sun Sign
As the Earth follows an elliptical path around the Sun, it passes through 12 constellations known collectively as the Zodiac. Your Sun Sign indicates in which constellation the Sun was positioned when you were born. It is sometimes referred to as your Birth Sign.
SynchronicityThe belief that everything and everyone in the universe is connected by a universal force and therefore there is no coincidence. The famous Swiss Psychoanalyst, Carl Jung referred to synchronicity as “meaningful coincidence.”

Tarot
A form of divination using a deck of 78 cards that depict images and symbols based on the Universal knowledge of humanity, including personality types, life cycles and experiences. It uses archetypal behavior patterns and the laws of synchronicity to reveal to the past, present and probable future of a particular situation.
Universal Consciousness
The combined memory and inborn knowledge of all human experience. Carl Jung categorized it into recognizable archetypes, personalities, situations, images and metaphors that recur consistently throughout mankind’s existence. He was fascinated with the Tarot because of it’s depiction of human nature and it’s use of synchronicity to divine the future.

Water Signs
The Water Signs include Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. Those with lot’s of water in their chart are said to be highly sensitive, empathetic and emotional.
Yoga
A spiritual discipline for achieving a state of perfect insight and tranquility through focused concentration, meditation, postures and controlled breathing. The liberation from suffering through enlightenment is a common goal of all branches

Why I Hate the Bamboo Story

By Noah St. John

If you've been to a "motivational" seminar or heard someone talk about success in, say, the last 10 years, you've probably heard the "Bamboo Story."
The Bamboo Story goes something like this...
"The Bamboo is amazing. You water it and wait. You wait an entire year and nothing appears. No bud, no twig, nothing.
"So you keep watering and protecting the area and taking care of the future plant. You wait another year. Still, nothing happens.
"Another year passes, and still no sign of growth. It has been three years. Should you give up? Someone told you that it might take a while to really see the fruits of your efforts, so you keep on keeping on.
"Another year passes. No plant.
"You begin year number five with the same passion as day number one. You keep watering and keep waiting. Finally, after five years, the Bamboo starts growing-and in six weeks, it grows to over 80 feet tall! Yes, 80 feet in six weeks! Well, not really. It is 80 feet in five years.
"The point is simple. If you had given up for even the shortest period of time, there would be no Bamboo. It took almost impossible persistence. The plant is there for one reason and one reason only-because you never gave up on it."
This story is supposed to illustrate the power of persistence and never giving up.
But think about it...
You watered it for the first year and didn't see any results. The second, third, fourth, and even fifth year, you did the SAME THING and got the SAME RESULT.
That means you spent more than 1,825 days doing the SAME THING, getting the SAME RESULT, and expecting something DIFFERENT.
And that's what most people are doing in their lives.
They keep doing the SAME THING, getting the SAME RESULT, and expecting something DIFFERENT.
How's THAT workin' for ya?
Look, I get it: The Bamboo suddenly shoots up from the ground after your long, arduous years of sacrifice and patience, thereby showing the benefit of faith and persistence.

So here's the reality-and I know some people are going to hate me for saying this, but here goes:
The only purpose of the Bamboo Story is to make you feel better when you're getting lousy results in your life.
Sure, it feels good for someone to come along and say, "Hey, I know things look bad right now... But don't worry. Just keep doing what you're doing, and I'm SURE it'll turn around eventually!"
But that is a recipe for disaster.
I am Exhibit A. Several years ago, my business was struggling. I was providing great information, and my clients were getting awesome results, but my company wasn't showing any profits. In fact, every month we were going deeper in debt.
Not coincidentally, the woman who was my business partner at the time subscribed to the Bamboo Theory. She told me, day after day: "Don't worry. Things will turn around. It just takes time!"
But I never believed her. I told her over and over again:
Time is UTTERLY IRRELEVANT when it comes to success.
The only thing that's relevant is following a BETTER STRATEGY.
Naturally, she didn't listen to me. That's why we're not business partners anymore!
Now think about this...
Let's say you are doing the WRONG things for the WRONG reasons. And you keep doing the WRONG things for the WRONG reasons.

Is doing that longer going to get you better results?
Of course not.
But you'd be amazed by how many people succumb to the Bamboo Theory. (We've probably all done it at some time in our lives.)
So here's what I want you to keep in mind:
Nature can make a Bamboo plant grow because Nature has a hidden SYSTEM that works.
Nature also has hidden Systems for healing your body, digesting your food, making babies, and millions of other things we experience every day.
But we don't necessarily know how those hidden Systems work. And even if the Bamboo Story were true, it wouldn't make any difference-because the person watering the Bamboo doesn't know what caused it grow so fast in the first place!
When we succumb to worn-out cliches like the Bamboo Story, all we're doing is perpetuating the belief that "things will somehow work out"... without taking responsibility for our own ACTIONS and RESULTS.
I'm all for persistence. I'm all for believing that things will work out for the best. I'm all for having faith.
What I'm NOT for is telling people that continuing to do the wrong things will somehow make things work out.
You have more power than you think.
Don't succumb to the belief that spending more TIME doing the wrong things will somehow create the RESULTS you want.
Take control. Take action.
And if you're not getting the results you want, try something new.
It's only by following a better STRATEGY-not "hoping" for something better-that you'll see better results, and a real change for the better, in your life.

To Your Challenge, Support and Growth

Dr. John Demartini say that support plus challenge equals the best formula for growth.

Consider your life --where the challenge is and what the support is.  Know that life takes care of the challenge and it's up to you to take care of the support.  This doesn't mean that life isn't providing the support.  It does mean it's up to us to look for, appreciate, and then draw to us the kind of support that will help us.

We must find support to not only meet but surmount the challenge; It's how we grow.  Sometimes support is found by amplifying the way we give support, or by the way we appreciate the support that is in our environment right now. 

Support plus challenge equals the best formula for growth.  All of life is inviting you and me this day to grow, grow, grow.

My Baby

My Journey to Personal Success

As early as the age of 16 I knew what I wanted to do when I grew up. I loved to read and learn, and somehow I was going to find a way to get paid to do this. That set me on a fifteen-year journey of lifestyle design, but in 2006 I was able to achieve my goal. There were a lot of success steps on this journey that I did naturally and that I stumbled upon that Rich Schefren exposes today. In his guest essay, Rich gives you a structured plan to help get you to your goals fast.

Craig Ballantyne

"If you don't know what you want, you end up with a lot you don't." - The Doorman, Fight Club

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The 3 AM Epiphany: The Missing Factor that Separates the Millionaires from the Failures

By Rich Schefren

It was three o'clock in the morning.

I know because I saw the alarm clock as I reached for a pad and pen.

I had been spending a few hours a day for the past week analyzing all the surveys my business clients have sent me over the past six years.

Trying to find the distinction between the monster successes my company, Strategic Profits, has spawned and the failures we failed to prevent over the years.

The activity in itself isn't that unusual. I do research like this from time to time. It helps me uncover topics to write about, products to create, and new marketing approaches that'll resonate.

There were, however, two unusual characteristics this Thursday morning. First, me waking up at this ungodly hour. Second and much more important, is an idea so powerful it shook me awake.

Even better: It's easy to execute, and will stimulate more business success than any other information I could deliver.

I couldn't stop myself. I spent the next few weeks in intense writing sessions to articulate this easy-to-execute idea for my clients. This intense writing produced my most popular client-only report of all time.

It's the same idea I want to share with you today...

The Critical Missing Factor 

I started this writing process by pouring over the files from past clients - both successes and failures.

From those files, I compiled a list of red flags indicating the failed clients possessed a flawed thinking process. Then on the flipside, I created a list of my most successful clients and what factors helped them achieve that success.

I quickly discovered my most successful clients and I shared a way of thinking - a similar perspective, a philosophy about what really causes success in life and business.

Their thinking literally determined their level of success in everything.

Why This is More Important Than Ever

Here's the good news: This successful way of thinking is not something you're born with - it's something you develop.

If you do have a flawed way of thinking that's holding you back, you can fix it. (And I'll tell you how in just a second.)

This is the idea that shook me awake at 3 am: The fastest, easiest, and biggest leap an underperforming business or entrepreneur could make to improve their results and grow their profits... is to change their thinking.

Or in short, think better.

And in 2012, if you can learn how to improve your thinking, you will definitely have a competitive advantage.

It's more important than ever to be a good strategic thinker - and it's also more difficult.

We're living in the Information Age, where you're inundated with information. As an entrepreneur, you must be able to sift through that information, find what's important, and then maximize that information's value - better than your competitors.

All that takes strategic business thinking.

How to Think Your Way to a Better Business

Most entrepreneurs don't realize there is a process to successful business thinking - just like there's a process to thinking like a medical doctor, engineer or lawyer.

That's why they don't realize that every stumbling block in their business is a lesson. Learning that lesson challenges you to think differently.

But it's more than just painful trial and error. There are shortcuts to better thinking you can use.

Once you hear these shortcuts, you'll not only see more clearly, think more creatively, and plan more effectively. You'll also never make most of the mistakes that plague entrepreneur's lives when they succumb to faulty thinking.

Here are a few of the shortcuts I give my clients...

First, I highly recommend keeping a journal. I've been keeping a journal to record my business success and failures for over 25 years now. It's how I think through everything...and challenge myself to be a better thinker.

What to write in your journal: I'm a visual person so I use diagrams and mindmapping to think through any new projects. I also use my journal to grade my performance on how I did during the week... outline and define goals... and stay the course when I feel like I'm in a rut.

Questions to get you started: For all new clients I always challenge them to answer the following questions in their journals. I ask: "What exactly do you want from your business? What's the absolute minimum necessary to have it? What's the fastest and easiest way to get it?"

The last three questions sound deceptively simple, but they're incredibly important. Trust me when I say knowing the answers to these questions will help you reach success faster than any course or program you can buy.

Because if you knew exactly what you wanted - and the specific steps that would get you there - wouldn't you agree that you would have what you wanted by now?

As I tell my clients: you must focus on the what before you can focus on the how to. You must be clear on exactly what you want, so you can map out the steps to get you there.

So take a moment right now, and start writing down your goals for your business (or your life in general). Then start outlining what it would take to achieve those goals - and the quickest ways to make those goals a reality. Take your time and give your answers some thought.

Remember: Thinking can be your strategic competitive advantage. Don't waste it. 

Take Responsibility For Your Actions

 You alone are solely and completely responsible for your current financial situation. Before you react defensively, read that sentence again. I didn’t say you are the cause of your situation. I said you are responsible for it.

 

By taking responsibility for you current condition, you also assume responsibility for your future. Nobody can change your fortune but you. And nobody else will. The sooner you accept that reality, the sooner you will shed the anger and blame and begin to feel financially powerful. I’m not giving you a pep talk. I’m telling you the truth. I’ve done it myself, and I’ve coached dozens of people to do it, too. It is a simple adjustment of your thinking, but it is extremely powerful. It works instantaneously. Without it, you cannot move forward, even by a single inch.

 

The next thing you must do is to set realistic expectations. I have had people tell me that they don’t want to make 10% or 15% on their money. They think returns like that are ho-hum. They want some incredible stock tip or some secret get-rich-quick technique. But when I hear people say that, I think, “This person will never become wealthy.” 

 

First of all, 10%-15% is a high rate of return. Warren Buffett, the most successful investor of all time and the third richest person on the planet, has averaged 19% on his investments over his entire career.

 

Secondly, realize that the journey to millions of dollars is earned one hundred dollars at a time. You must be willing to accept this fact in order to move your financial life forward. Your financial life is like a train that has stalled, and right now, you want to be driving it at a hundred miles an hour. But it can’t go from zero to a hundred miles an hour in no time flat. Inertia is against you. Be happy with ten miles an hour now and then twenty and then thirty. This is how wealth accumulates: gradually at first but eventually at lightning speed.

 

The third thing you must do is reread my essay on the “three bucket system” for managing your money. I sent you that when you first subscribed. You must thoroughly understand the difference between spending, saving, and investing.

 

And the fourth thing you must do is to recognize that your net investible income (the amount of cash you have after spending and saving) is the single most important factor in determining how quickly you will become wealthy. 

 

The world of wealth is governed by universal dynamics—supply, demand, wealth, greed, etc. These dynamics are as old as human civilization. Winning the wealth-building game is about recognizing and exploiting those dynamics, not denying them. Our job at The Palm Beach Letter is to highlight those dynamics on a weekly and monthly basis and then help you make smart, enriching decisions—the sort of decisions that have made men wealthy for thousands of years.

 

It’s not fun to realize, in the midst of your life, that you haven’t acquired the wealth you want. But the good news is that your past doesn’t have to be a prologue, unless you allow it to. You can change your fortunes today by doing the four things I’ve just told you to do.

 

Let me be a bit more specific: 

 

Accept responsibility for your future. Refuse to complain, criticize, or condemn. If you want us to help you achieve your goals, then trust in and follow our advice. Stop doubting it. Stop denying it. Have faith.

 

Give up the foolish notion that you must get rich “now.” Be happy to earn 10% or 15% on your stock market investments. Realize that if you make 10% to 15%, you will be ahead of 99% of your fellow investors. Embrace the huge impact this will have on your wealth over time.

 

Begin to allocate your income according to the three-bucket system. With every paycheck you get, first cover your necessary expenses (bills, mortgage, etc.) Then put some money toward saving and then some money toward investing. Then and only then—after you have “paid yourself”—should you add to your “spending” account.

 

Stop complaining about making “only $27” an hour. That’s more than a lot of people make. Be grateful you earn that much. Commit to add to that with a second income. Make an honest count of the number of hours each month you devote to television and other non-productive activities. Devote them to wealth-building instead. Cast aside the comfortable shoes of victimization. Put on the working boots of a financial hero.

 

If you are willing to do that, we can help you succeed. We are giving you investment recommendations that could give you realistic 10% to 15% returns (and sometimes much more.) You can buy the books I’ve written on how to earn more money and save more money. And we will be preparing additional reports on these subjects exclusively for our Palm Beach Lettersubscribers. We are fully committed to giving our readers more valuable and realistic wealth building advice than any other investment newsletter in the market. We have the experience and the know-how to do that. We will deliver if you do.

 

Now I want to address another comment you made: 

 

You suggest that you don’t have the wherewithal to implement some of my recommendations. You suggest that buying apartments and starting businesses is something only wealthy people can do. You are dead wrong on this subject. If you are willing to work hard and smart, you can begin building your own business empire with as little as a thousand dollars – if you want to. The businesses I’ve started can all be started for that kind of money or less. Again, I will explain how this is true in future issues and reports. If you stick around and trust us, you’ll learn how you can do the same.

 

The good news is that you are only forty-seven, not eighty-seven. You have plenty more years to increase your income and grow your net worth. Why do you assume that all is lost when, as any eighty-seven-year-old will tell you, you have a whole wonderful life ahead of you, a life that can be rich in a hundred ways? 

 

Everybody in your situation has the same choice: you can rue your situation or you can dedicate yourself to changing it. We can show you how. For the equivalent of a tank of gas, or a dinner out you are getting a whole year of realistic investment and wealth-building research and advice from me, Tom, and Paul Mampilly. You have what you need to get your gravy train moving. But you are the engineer. Nobody but you can start the engine.