Lighten Your Load

Do you want to lighten your load today?  Do you want to feel more alive today, more creative today?

 

Well, here's a quote I heard that I know is true.  It says, "Forgiveness is a gift we give ourselves."

 

Right now, just ask your inner Knower, ‘Who would you have me forgive today?"

 

Whoever it is and whatever the situation, ask God, ask the Holy Spirit, ask the part of you that is infinitely wise to show you how to forgive.

 

Forgiveness starts with really wanting to let go.  You need to think that you really do want to set this down.  In fact, your hanging on is the heaviness that is blocking your aliveness, creativity and freedom.

 

All we have to do is ask for help and then let it go.  We then repeat the process.  Over time, we find that we can scarcely even remember what it was we needed to forgive.  Forgiveness really is a gift we can give ourselves starting today.

 

Lighten Your Load

Take Flight

French poet Guilliame Apollinaire wrote a poem entitled, "Come To The Edge."
Come to the edge, he said.
We are afraid, they said.
Come to the edge, he said.
They came to the edge,
He pushed them and they flew.
Come to the edge, Life said. 
They said:  We are afraid. 
Come to the edge, Life said. 
They came.  It pushed them... 
And they flew.
If life were inviting you come to the edge, what would life be saying to you?  You might be feeling afraid.  But what if life is saying come to the edge of yourself?  Come to the edge of possibility.  Come to the edge.
What would your edge be?  What I know is that all you have to do is ask the question and something will occur to you. 

If you do come to the edge of yourself and your fear, you may just find all along you have always known how to fly.
  
Take Flight

How Every Decision You Make Can Make You Richer - or Poorer

Everything You Do

Craig Ballantyne

"Most people think 'Well - this won't hurt me will it?' I get my clients to think, 'Will this help me or not? Is this a positive step or not?' Once you get that -- you're a hit." - Alwyn Cosgrove

---

By Mark Ford, wealth coach, The Palm Beach Letter

You go to lunch with a colleague. Everything is good. When the waiter puts the bill on the table, the total is $26. 

Do you pick it up? Do you wait and hope he does? Or do you suggest you split it? 

On the surface, this is a minor decision. But in truth, it is one of a million chances you've had, have, and will have to become wealthier.

A cheapskate might look at it this way: 

If I pay the whole bill, I'll be $26 poorer.

If we split the bill, I'll be $13 poorer.

If I can get him to pay it, I'll be $13 richer.

To the cheapskate, the best decision is obvious. So when the bill arrives, he gets up to "go to the bathroom," hoping he'll be $13 richer when he returns.

But I have a different view. Wealth building, like quantum mechanics, often operates according to laws that seem contrary to what is "obvious."

Paying the tab, in other words, might actually make you richer. Because the $13 you spend on your lunch partner might give you a return of much more than $13.

Your generosity might signal to him that you are the kind of person he can trust. It might tell him you are someone who is willing to give first without demanding recompense. If he sees you in that light, a relationship might be seeded by this small investment on your part. A year later - it is possible to imagine - he might recommend you for a promotion when he himself gets promoted to head up your department.

It depends on your assessment of his character.

If he impresses you as a person who believes - as you do - in reciprocity, you will know that the $13 is a wise investment. If, on the other hand, he shows you that he is a person who believes in exploiting others, the wise move might be to pay only your share of the bill and not develop the relationship any further.

In either case, you are richer.

In the first case, you are richer in a potentially lucrative business relationship. In the second case, you are richer in knowledge - knowledge about him that can help you avoid trouble or seize opportunity in the future.

I am making two points: First, almost every event in your life is an opportunity for you to become richer. And second, by seeing every situation as a wealth-building opportunity, you can take the actions that will gradually make you very rich.

The people I call "instinctive wealth builders" understand this on a gut level. They see every transaction - social, personal, or  business - as a wealth-related opportunity. They are always angling, even subconsciously, to increase their wealth.
Most of us aren't born with that instinct. For us, a casual conversation is just a casual conversation. And choosing to join a club or hire or fire an employee is that and nothing
more.

But the moment we put this principle into practice, we see the world very differently. Its potential is no longer limited. It is enormous, maybe even infinite. And we view every action we engage in as a chance - big or small - to increase or diminish our wealth.

Train yourself to ask the following four questions - keeping in mind that every situation, big or small, is an opportunity for you to become richer...

1. "In what way is this an opportunity for me to become more wealthy?" (Note: I don't ask, "Is this a wealth-building opportunity?" - because every situation is a wealth-building opportunity.)
2. "What is the potential of this opportunity?"
3. "What are the possible problems with this opportunity?"
4. "What can I do to seize this opportunity?"

Look at every situation you find yourself in as an opportunity to make yourself richer.

And I do mean every situation, even the most mundane. This includes:

• The first thought you put in your mind when you wake up each morning.
• What you listen to on your commute to work.
• How you greet your boss and fellow workers.
• What you talk about at the coffee machine.
• The expression on your face and the firmness of your grip when you shake hands.
• The conversation you initiate with the person next to you on a plane.
• Whether you buy a brand-new car or a used one.
• How your voice sounds when you answer the phone.
• How you prepare for a meeting.
• Whether you buy your clothes at Saks or Marshalls.
• Whether you go out to lunch or eat at your desk.

Some of your opportunities will be small and some large. But by asking yourself these four questions first, you will bring your batting average way up...

If you make it a habit to approach every situation this way, it will soon become automatic. And before you know it, you will have seized hundreds - even thousands - of wealth-building opportunities... each one making you a littler richer

The Key to a New Independent Life

There are parts of us that would rather be punished by unkind people than have to spend one minute being alone, because the only way these same parts in us can exist is if they have someone to resent or somehow fear. In this case we remain in these ruinous relationships because the fear or emptiness we feel in even considering leaving them seems to be too much to bear on our own.

Here's the key to escaping this captivity: This familiar fear -- of being alone in life -- feels real, no doubt; but it belongs to an imagined self. We must now act on what we know is the truth of our condition, instead of remaining its captive. Translation: walk away from anyone who "helps" you to feel that it's necessary for you to hurt; leave anyone who causes you pain for "your own good." Here's the rule to remember: Never accept as natural or necessary any relationship outwardly -- or inwardly -- with a person or psychological state that punishes you. Say "no" and just go! A whole new and independent life awaits you.

To Your Ever-Upward Progression

Life is an ever-upward progression, seeking to express itself through every one of us.  This entire universe is in an evolving process of becoming.

 

This means that there’s an opportunity to view what looks like a problem to us, as we would view a child’s difficulties. When we can see a child’s difficulties from the adult perspective, we know that the child will get past it.  We know that with new learning and understanding we get a bigger paradigm.

 

Having a challenge doesn’t have to mean having a problem.  We can see challenge as an opportunity to practice expanding.  We can experience becoming bigger, larger and greater than the “problem” we’re facing.  With this practice, life brings the empowering result that we’re holding in mind and energizing with our beliefs.

 

To Your Ever-Upward Progression

My Turn

These days, it's de rigueur to deliver a commencement speech or to at least write your own as an op-ed. Being highly opinionated, and not one to avoid modeling a good idea, I figured it was high time to take my turn at it. Here's the commencement address - for all ages - that you've been waiting for.

Craig Ballantyne

"Gently, yet often, exercise your risk threshold like a muscle." - Frank McKinney

---

To the Class of the World of 2012
By Craig Ballantyne

Dear Class of 2012,

You're about to discover the best way to deal with the future. One that I'm sure you're not going to like, but it's the only solution to the problems you face.

But first, I have a question.

What happened to the adventurous youth of yesterday?

In my coming-of-age days, it was all the rage to get out of your parent's house and travel the globe. Years ago, young people were eager to throw on a backpack, sleep in hostels, and see the world. Now, the trend is for them to finish college and move back in at home or never leave at all. What am I missing?

After all, today opportunity exists all over the globe like never before. Exotic countries like Brazil, Singapore, Malyasia, and Chile are all rising economies with great prospects for entrepreneurs and intelligent, hard-working individuals. Why not take advantage of the chance to combine world travel with work experience?

In fact, most of my friends have not even grown out of their travel-the-world-for-opportunity stage.

One of my best friends from high school, also with the initials CB (so we called him CB Sr.) and his girlfriend picked up and moved from Belfast to Doha, Qatar. It is there, in the Mid-East, that a great opportunity for him in the fitness world exists, one that is no longer available in Europe. He's positioning himself to better take control of his future and financial independence.

Another mate, known to all as "Kiwi Chris", has spread his wings from New Zealand, and, after time in Miami, has settled in Medellin, Colombia. There he runs his nutritional supplement company. That is to say, he's there to salsa dance, while running a supplement company on the side.

My mysterious friend, Simon Black, travels the world, seemingly visiting a new country every week. During his travels, he explores opportunities in developing locales that are breaking free from poverty and competing for intrepid entrepreneurial investors.

And yes, I even know many interesting, adventurous people under the age of 25, having met them the past few summers at our Liberty and Entrepreneurship camp held in Lithuania. Our friend Yure drove from Eastern Europe across the Middle East and all the way to the shores of Vietnam. He's now settled in Thailand and writes about the burgeoning entrepreneurial opportunities there.

Another friend, Julian, who has spent time in over two dozen countries. With each new place he visits, he not only sends updates of his business ventures, but also his trademarked photo of him doing a handstand in the new country.

Then there's Matt, who not only attended our camp but has also joined us here at Early to Rise as one of our summer interns. As soon as his summer break began, he moved from his college campus out to Denver, where he didn't know anyone, to become part of our One Million Mission to transform that many lives around the world.

Matt works in a unique open warehouse in Denver alongside our Director of Operations, Jeff Schneider, our Director of Customer Satisfaction, Leigh, and another young man named Sam Wolken who has proved invaluable to me as my copy editor. Sam is proof that ambition and initiative are not lost amongst all our youth. Every day, he makes the hour-long trip via public transit from Boulder to Denver and back again to work with our team. His attention to detail has not gone unnoticed.


All of these young folks have taken the world by the tail - because there is NO other option. But the great news is that no matter what your age or where you live, you don't actually have to leave your country, your city, or even your home to succeed.

Today, you can combine your energy and passion with technology to work towards what you believe in. You can inspire people with your dreams. You can sit at home and, by leveraging the power of the Internet, add value to the world and create your own financial reality.

Because here's the bottom line about the best way to succeed in the coming years.

We have NO choice but to deal with the present and the future that gets thrown at us. We must deal with reality and make the best out of whatever situation we are in. You can't change the past. You can't control others. But you can control your future, and you control how you respond to everything.

I have great faith in you. Whether you are 16 or 76, you still have so much to offer the world and yes, you can make it a better place. The sun will come up tomorrow whether you're angry or optimistic. It's your day. We all have the same 24 hours, and it's up to
you to choose what to do with it.

Choose well. Choose to change. Choose to add value to the world.

I admit, it will not be easy, I'm not promising you an easy path to a six-figure income, but on those days when you are struggling, remember this:

You will do a lot of things right in your life, business, and career that you'll think that no one noticed, and you might get disheartened. But trust me, taking action equals attraction of opportunity.

Your hard work is not going unnoticed. Instead, your efforts are accumulating goodwill and will continue to do so until one day - BOOM - you will reach "overnight success" status.

Believe me, I know how you feel. I spent almost a decade struggling in obscurity before my hard work accumulated into success.

It happened by taking action every day, strong and steady, by overcoming obstacles and powering through the dips, by trudging onward through tough days and getting energized by great days. The backbone for it all was my clear vision of what I wanted to achieve. Each action a small victory, each accomplishment another step closer to my big breakthrough.

So keep going. Keep pushing.

Take action and you'll attract good people, great opportunity, and exactly, yes exactly, what you want in life. Do not get down, and never, ever, ever give up. Everyone here at Early to Rise is with you on your journey, right by your side.

Now is the Time

When my father passed away, my mother had to manage the entire farm all on her own. Twelve rooms, a yard that required two hours just to cut the grass (on a riding lawn mower), and old fixtures that seemed to break down one-by-one on a regular basis. One day, she had enough. It was time to move to a smaller house with fewer stairs and a smaller yard. She had reached her breaking point and was ready for a change.

When will it be time for you to make your change? When will you have had enough with the way things are? When will you be ready to dedicate your resources to taking control of your future? Don't wait any longer. The time is now. Let us help you start again.

Craig Ballantyne

Personal responsibility is the ultimate freedom. When you accept that everything is your fault, and that it's up to you, and only you, to save yourself, then you'll be free. No more depending on others to rescue you. It's your decisions that control your future. That mindset is the ultimate freedom.

---

Starting From Scratch

By Craig Ballantyne

She's starting from scratch out on the farm. After 40-plus up-and-down years, my mom has sold the farmhouse, most of the land, and she is moving half-a-mile away to a brand new home. Over the past seven months, she's been busy looking at designs, picking out materials, and working with contractors. It's all been a little overwhelming for her.

Starting from scratch on a something that you've never done before can be intimidating.

There are so many things to do, so many people to trust, and so many new terms to learn. I know how you feel. But whether it's building a house or creating an online business, starting from scratch can also be a wonderful, cathartic experience. It's your chance for fresh, new beginnings. So if you're starting anew, don't worry. We have you covered.

Perhaps it's the power of the deadline, knowing that there are only a few months left in this old house (where I'm writing to you at 5:01am, Tuesday, May 22nd) that also encourages me to take action and visit more often. Time is almost up for the old farm before my mom (and my dog) moves to the new place less than a mile away.

From 1994 to 2006, my visits back to the old farm were few and far between. In '94 I had started college, and the weekends there were exciting and filled with meeting new friends and adventures. By the year 2000 (still sounds futuristic, doesn't it?), I was living in the big city of Toronto and spent most of my time either training clients or exploring the nightlife.

Even when I got my dog in 2006, my trips back home to see my parents remained sporadic. It wasn't until my father got sick in the spring of 2008 that I began to return home on a more frequent basis.

These days, my dog has practically moved out to the farm (due to my constant travel and inability to find him a good dog-sitter in Toronto). Picking him up and dropping him off brings me back to the farm at least twice a month.

Let me take you on the 15-minute walk from the old farmhouse to where my mom is building her new house. In the above left photo, you can see the old farmhouse as viewed from where my father's barn used to stand. It, along with an 80-foot silo, was demolished back in the summer of 2010.

In the above-right photo, if you look to the right of my dog's tail, way off in the distance is a tree line in a field. That's where the new house is being built. Let's take that walk, down along the river that bisects the farm...*walking*

Good times, isn't it? Funny how the dog likes to go in the river and cool off after he's chased the scent of the riverbank groundhogs, isn't it? Sorry for getting your shoes dirty, but here we are at the new home.

They've only put in the driveway and started digging the foundation, but it won't take long for it to be done. In the bottom-right photo, you can see the old farmhouse. It's off in the distance in the top left of the photo, above the dirt pile. We'll be able to look out upon it and watch the beautiful sunsets through the backyard, just like we did at the old place.

My message to you is this: things change.

You may end up starting from scratch at any age. The world is much more dynamic now than ever, for better or for worse. You could, I suppose, bury your head in the sand with excuses, but that's clearly not the type of person you are, or you wouldn't be here at Early to Rise. If you sheltered yourself with excuses, you certainly wouldn't have made it this far.

Like my mom, you're up for the challenge.

You're ready to take advantage of the incredible opportunity that the world is still offering today. You have the ability to choose your location, dig your foundation, and lay down your driveway for prospects to come into your world where you'll offer them great value (by delivering a solution to their problems).

You may choose to be the face of your product/services, or you may choose to simply be the Project Manager behind the scenes, pulling the strings and making the decisions. Both approaches work, and both can be extremely lucrative.

I hope you're looking forward to your new journey as much as I am. This is a good time to be alive. This is an important time to be taking control of your financial future. And rest assured, despite what the negative media says, there remains a LOT of opportunity out there in the world. Your blueprint to overcome whatever the world throws at you.

The world simply cannot stop you. As Victor Hugo once said, "Nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come." The time is now, the idea is yours. Let's go and get you started so that you can experience the success you deserve.