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Article by Peter J. Normandia. Follow me on Twitter.

Inspired recently by Napolean Hill’s classic book ‘Think and Grow Rich‘, my partner and I recently sat down to plan our strategy to make more money than we can count. The following steps are the process we went through over the last year to get to the point where we were able to make this plan. There are six steps in the plan put forth in ‘Think and Grow Rich’. I have included them in this list, and added my interpretation of them. If you have not read ‘Think and Grow Rich’, I certainly suggest it. I can’t say it will make you rich, whatever your definition of that is, but it will certainly open your mind to the fact of just how possible it is to become so.

1. Think about what type of life you would like to live.

Don’t think about money. Money is pointless at this stage. In fact, pretend money does not exist. You simply have to choose what you will spend the majority of your time on. Now, don’t worry about changing your mind. That is okay. The important thing is to be successful in whatever you do, so learning how to succeed on one path will easily translate over to the next. Even if you pick the wrong path, it will not be a waste of time.

2. Write down how much money you would like to make.

As Napolean Hill says, you need to define this number and make a commitment to it. Write it down on a piece of paper right now. Don’t be scared either. I wrote down $200 million. My partner wrote down $333 million. Remember, this is our one life. If we are not going to try and go big, then why try at all? 

3. Write down what you are willing to sacrifice for this financial gain.

Napolean Hill opened my eyes to a very simple concept, that for some reason or other, had eluded me. If you want to make a lot of money, it is going to take sacrifice. It is not simply, think about it, and it will happen. You are going to have to give up family time, weekends, hobbies, television, and all sorts of things. Right now, list all of the things you are willing to give up to reach this goal. Remember, the higher the sum, the more sacrifice it requires.

4. Make a due date.

Another great step from ‘Think and Grow Rich’. Define the time period in which you want to achieve this goal by setting a due date to reach it. Now, don’t be scared to make the commitment. I wrote down 3 years with a due date of 7/4/2012. You can write down anything you like. The important part is to make that date and stand by it no matter what. Write it down right now.

5. Make a plan to acquire those sums.

This step from the book is quite useful. It helped us tremendously. You see, my partner and I had a couple of services that we are releasing this June. Now, originally, we were set on a certain strategy for marketing these services. We were thinking, in a few years, we may be able to collect enough monthly to pay all our bills. However, with this new commitment to a large financial gain, we had to think bigger. So we did, and what we came up with is incredible! I am not able to delve into details at this time, but the idea is probably our best idea yet. I can’t believe we didn’t see it before. We would have never thought of it had we not been forced to plan a way on how to make our fortune.

What I learned while doing this is, if you do not make a plan, how can you hope to achieve that sum? The answer is you can’t. That’s why, right now, you need to take some time and write down exactly how you plan to acquire the sum you desire. Don’t worry about the small details. Just get to thinking how you are going to take your passion, and turn it into gold.

6. Read it 2x a Day

So you now have a list. Napolean Hill, and my partner who had read hundreds of similar books, both say you should write the plan as if it already happened. For example, you may write…

“In the last 3 years, I have acquired $200 million dollars. To get this sum, I have sacrificed time with my family, weekends, television, training, luxuries, expensive dinners, good credit, sweat, blood, and tears. My fortune was acquired by (insert plan here). 3 years ago, I made a deal that by today, I will have acquired $200 million. There is no feeling quite like knowing I achieved my goal. It is too treasured to try and explain with mere words.“

Napolean Hill suggests reading it when you wake up, and before you go to bed. I think, as long as you read it daily, it will have the same effect. The important part is to get a taste of the incredible feeling of reaching that goal every time you read it. That is your daily motivation, Not the money, but that feeling of success. Right now, write down your own tale, as you would be telling it to others, after it is accomplished.

7. Believe in Your Ability

One of the things this book has done for me is it cemented the thought in my head that I really can do anything I want to. I think, along the course of our life, barraged by negativity day after day, we tend to doubt our ability to achieve things. ‘Sure, I’d love to be rich, but I’m just not the rich type.’ If you think like this, unfortunately, you are a 100% right.

To follow your plan, you must believe in it whole heartedly. You must believe that even if you are not ready at this very moment, by following that path, you will become as ready as you will ever be. It is not you that makes the path, but rather the path that makes you. You have made a commitment because you believed in your self. Now you have to do your best to stick to it.

8.  Start Right Now!

This is Napolean Hill’s final step in his book. He points out that, whether you are ready or not, you must start on this plan right now. It reminds me of starting out in Jiu Jitsu. They don’t show you moves, and make sure you know what to do before you start. Instead, they simply throw you right into the fire. To become good at Jiu Jitsu, you must first learn what NOT to do, before you learn what to do. The same goes for your plan. Jump right into the fire, and trust in your ability to adapt. Humans are nature’s greatest example of adaptation, so don’t tell me you don’t adapt well. Tell me you choose not to let yourself adapt well, because you are afraid you might not succeed. That is the truth, and from here on out, as you set out to start on this plan, the truth is all you have left.

9. Be honest with yourself.

Making a commitment to reach a goal is quite scary. It may sound ridiculous to others. It may invoke some teasing from friends and family. People think I am a moron when I tell them I am going to make $200 million in the next three years. However, I don’t care what anyone thinks. I don’t expect them to believe me. If someone told me that, I would not believe them either.

The truth is, you are not telling these people when you speak to them. You are telling yourself. You are being honest with yourself and your intentions. This is an important part of self confidence. Be firm in what you want. Don’t let anyone tell you different. It is your life, and the only thing you can do, is be honest with yourself about how you want to live it.

10. Money is not important.

This may seem ironic. If money is not important, than why the hell did we waste our time on the first 9 steps? The answer is that money is one part of living a stress free life. The feeling of reaching the goal you set out to reach is the true treasure of this journey. Imagine the possibilities that will open if you firmly believed you can achieve anything if you actually committed your mind to it. Think about the smug feeling of confidence you would have the next time somebody laughs at your lofty goals.

This is the feeling you need to have right now. This is the feeling of confidence you need to make your plan a reality. It’s not about the money, even though there will be plenty. It’s about harnessing the power of your mind, and realizing that with the gifts you have right now, anything, anything at all, is possible. It’s just a matter of committing yourself to it. Are you ready?

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Article by Peter J. Normandia. Follow me on Twitter.

In New Jersey, USA, it has just reached spring time. The plants are budding, the landscapers are back, and the weather is finely enjoyable (at least for this week). With all of the new developments in nature, spring should be a reminder of the cycle all life follows, and all businesses as well.

Like a new business, there is seasons for each part of the process it takes to build a successful venture. One of the biggest mistakes a new business owner can have is believing that everything is going to run smoothly from the start. It takes time to learn how to become ‘seasoned’ in your business.

Today’s post is all about identifying the four seasons a business year will have, and helping you identify the best way to handle each one.

Spring

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Ah, the beginning of all life. Every new business venture is like the spring. Things look bright as life envelopes the barren landscape that once was. As the ideas start to bud into fruition, the business begins it’s new life.

The most important part of the spring is taking the time to make sure all the seeds are planted with the right amount of care. The same goes for your new business. It is important in this stage of the process to identify your desired outcomes, plant the proper seeds, and take into account that not everything will go smoothly. A lot of things occur between the spring and harvest time that are out of your control. If you lack experience in this new business, definitely prepare to learn some important lessons the hard way.

Once you have properly planted the seeds of your business and prepared for the year, it should be about time for the next season to roll on in.

Summer

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Ah, the heat is on. Summer is the busy time. This is when you put in the sweat and tears, all while rolling with the punches. The summer can either be a scorcher, or a day at the beach. It all depends on how well you prepared in the spring.

It is during the summer time that it’s important to view things objectively. When it’s hot in the kitchen, people want to get out. You must be prepared for things to be rough in the beginning, and for you to be adaptable. Don’t get caught up in playing the blame game with your team. It is important to correct the mistakes that come up during the busy summer season, so that they don’t happen twice. Planning perfectly to avoid any and all mistakes takes years of experience. Don’t expect it the first summer you put your business out there.

Once the business slows down, and the heat subsides, it will be about that time when autumn rolls around.

Fall

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This is the harvest time. Every business creates a plan (spring), puts it into action (summer), and then they see the results of their labor. Busy times are seasonal for almost any business. When things begin to slow down, that is a good time to evaluate the fruits of your labor.

Fall is a time of change. You now have seen the results of your actions. This is the time to implement the changes you need to make. Don’t wait for next summer to roll around and think you will remember all the things you need to do better. Make those decisions in the fall, when the last busy summer is still fresh in your mind.

Fall is also the time when you will see if the harvest will get you through the slow season known as…

Winter

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They can be long and hard, or they can be mild and bearable. Depending on your business, there is always a slow time. For mine, it is in November and December. For other’s, that is the busiest time of year. It all depends on the geography of your business.

Regardless, though, the metaphorical winter time is the slow time for a business. This is when you need to survive off the fruits of your labor from the spring and summer. In the beginning of a business, this can be the hardest time. Money is tight, business is slow, and surviving the financial freeze can be as difficult as trying to steer a car on a sheet of ice during a blizzard. This is where you need to hold down the fort, and concentrate on doing whatever you can to make your business more prepared for the coming spring. Simply take it a day at a time.

As your business grows, eventually, you may have no winter at all. When things go well, these slow months become vacation months. However, you have to get to that point first. You don’t start out at an ideal situation. You simply create one through years of hard work.

It’s a New Year!

When the flowers start to creep out from the dirt, and the leaves begin to bud on their branches, it is time to start the process all over again. Every spring, you will have a renewed vigor to do better than the last year. Every spring you will gain experience through your triumphs and your failures. However, as a ‘seasoned’ veteran of your business, you will become more & more familiar with the ins and outs of navigating your way through each year. It is only a matter of time.

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Article by Peter J. Normandia. Follow me on Twitter.

The last few weeks have been a bit tough for me. Although it has been quite exciting building my business, and seeing projects coming to fruition, the problem has been in making enough steady money to live comfortably.  The future actually looks bright. It’s just, in the present, it’s still raining. I’m sure every entrepreneur knows the feeling. The money you make goes right back into the business as you keep on molding it to perfection, time and time again.

Yesterday, it just seemed like from the minute I got up, to the minute I went to sleep, the bad news just kept on rolling in. To sum it up briefly, there were credit card problems, client issues, a sick family cat that is not looking good, and my wife quit her job. You could say it was quite a whirlwind day.

In the middle of this nightmare, I went to my partner’s house to work on further branding our business, and finally put up our own website instead of everyone else’s. While he was going through the process, my head was spinning with all sorts of nonsense. I had too many things to worry about. The pressure felt overwhelming. What was I going to do? 

“PETE!”

….my partner yelled. He could tell I was on another planet. I fessed up and tried selling him on my problems, but he wouldn’t bite. Then he said something that took a little while to sink in, but eventually eased my mind. It was one of those things that is so obvious you almost don’t pay attention to the legitimacy of it.

He said, ‘What is worrying going to do about it?’

That had always been my motto on life. When I was sick, I did not worry about getting better. I just focused on getting through each day. The same goes for now. Things are rough out there, and starting a business in these times is very challenging. It is even more challenging when you need to sustain a certain level of living that your family is used to.

However, worrying about things is only wasting time.

In fact, I’ll take it further and say that worrying is actually a cop out to dealing with the problem. Instead of taking proactive steps to sturdy my situation, and fight through the rough spots, I was feeling sorry for myself. I was worrying about what I was going to do instead of actually doing something.

It’s like a fighter standing in the ring worried about getting knocked out. If you are thinking about it, chances are, it will happen. You don’t worry about getting hit when you fight. You expect it. You just focus on your game and trying to set the pace no matter what they throw at you.

If you are worried, you are not focused, and that means you will most likely fail.

I think this is a common trap many entrepreneurs fall into while trying to get their business off the ground. We get tied down with deciding each day whether or not we are going to make it. We worry about the outcome instead of dealing with the now. In the end, though, the ‘now’ is all we can control. We may be able to come up with all sorts of possible outcomes in our head, but none of them matter. The only thing that matters is what you do TODAY.

We must learn to stop worrying about whether or not it’s going to work out. As my partner said, have faith in yourself. It is going to work. It’s just a matter of taking care of the now. After this pep talk, we got down to branding Reimagine, and it went rather well. Instead of wasting time worrying about my situation, we spent it on making my situation easier for the future. I just have to remember that it all happens just one step at a time. Nobody leaps the staircase to success in a single bound. Not even Superman.

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Article by Peter J. Normandia. Follow me on Twitter.

WARNING: The following article will obliterate any and all excuses you have created for why you can not be successful. If you wish to continue to effectively believe these excuses, please skip today’s post.

When I was a kid, I used to be sure that I was going to be rich. When I was in film school, I was sure I was going to be the next big movie director. And today, for the first time in a long time, I am sure of those things again. It’s just a matter of time.

I realized this the other day, before Jiu Jitsu class, while reading the back of a t-shirt. As stupid as that sounds, it is actually true. I’m sitting there stretching between classes and I see this printed on the back of my boy’s t-shirt

“What would you do if I told you, you could not fail”

I started thinking about YinvsYang immediately, and figured I’d write a post about the concept. However, I thought the quote could go even further. I started thinking about it, and suddenly, I realized something I could not believe. How did I not think of this before? My eyes popped open with excitement, like a kid who finally figures out the way to beat a tough video game. What I realized was…

Failure does not exist.

Take a minute to let this settle in for a second.

Failure does not really exist.

Think about it. What exactly is failure?

In the literal sense, ‘failure’ is a word. In the Oxford American dictionary, a ‘word’ is a single distinct conceptual unit of language, compromising inflected and various forms. Words are created by humans to have a meaning. Oxford American dictionary defines ‘failure’ in 2 ways.

1. A lack of success.

• An unsuccessful person, enterprise, or thing
• lack of success in passing a test
• A grade that is not high enough to pass a test.

2. The action or state of not functioning.

• A sudden cessation of power
• The collapse of a business

Upon closer study, you see that ‘failure’ is only specific to a moment in time.

• Being unsuccessful means you have not reached success yet. That is time specific. It only takes having success once to realize your time ‘being unsuccessful’ was actually just the bumpy ‘road to success’.
• Failing a man made test happens at a specific time. Many students have failed a test, and then passed the class.
• A sudden cessation of power has different details behind it every time.
• Businesses only collapse once, unless they are rebuilt and collapse again. Either way, it’s unique to a moment in time. 

The point is you can fail in the short term hundreds of times, but that does not make you a failure in the long run. Failure is a word that is based on other’s perception. An unsuccessful person, and a grade that is not passing, are both defined by man. Man creates the test, and Man creates a definition of failing that test.

Unless you let a time that you fail be your last moment chasing that goal, how can you possibly be a failure? The answer is, you can’t. If you continue chasing your dreams, it is impossible to be considered a failure. You are just going down your path to success, and these are the bumps in the road you are facing. Each one you navigate over builds character, confidence, and wisdom. Just look at some these ‘failures’ we know about in life….

• Was Michael Jordan a failure when he got cut from his high school basketball team?
• Was Donald Trump a failure when his business went bankrupt?
• Was Abraham Lincoln a failure when the country broke out into Civil War?

The answer to all of these is both ‘yes’ and ‘no’. If they would have gave up at those moments, then yes, they would have cemented failure for them self. However, they did not give up, and history shows that these men have been anything but failures.

‘Failure’ is not a term to define our life as a whole. It is used to define the sum of events up until right now. For example, if I fail my driving test, then right now, I am a failure. However, once I pass it, that is no longer the case. It just took me two times to succeed.

‘Failure’ is also a manmade term. Animals don’t understand failure. They are simply survivors. Whatever they fail at, they try again and again till they figure it out, or they move on and forget about it.

Failure does not exist, except in our own minds.

The mind is powerful, and can show you all sorts of potential devastating outcomes. However, the mind is a muscle. It needs to be developed and taught the right answers. The mind’s best teacher is experience. To get experience, you must fail over and over. These ‘failures’ are all just moments in time. Once you reach your goal, the ‘failures’ wind up becoming the obstacles you overcame. The bigger the failure, the bigger the obstacle, and subsequently, the better the story.

The fear of failure, is the fear of your own mind.

Anything we want to accomplish can be done, if we just realize the road to success is going to be bumpy on the way there. Many people try to travel the road to success, but as soon as the terrain gets rough, they turn and run back. Successful people keep going. They know the road to success is never easy, therefore they never expect it to be. In fact, they know the more difficult the terrain, the greater the success will be. It’s all relative.

Once you realize this, than the truth becomes obvious. We really can do anything we want to as long as we put our mind to it. Putting our mind to it means we are willing to deal with the terrain of the road we choose to travel.

Becoming successful is really all about answering the following questions, which you can do in the comments below.

1. What do you dream of doing?
2. Are you truly willing to deal with ALL the bumps in the road it takes to get there, even if you don’t know what those bumps are?

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Article by Peter J. Normandia. Follow me on Twitter.

Hey, you want to be successful? You looking to take it to the next level? You ever wonder what is it really going to take to achieve your wildest dreams? Me too. Over the course of the road I have traveled, I have come up with six things every single person must know if they ever dare to dream of success…

1. Shit ain’t easy.

I don’t care what it is, being successful is never, ever, ever, going to be easy. It is going to be a grind regardless. Just think about it, if it were that easy, everyone would be doing it. It takes physical and emotional strength. It takes faith. It takes nerve. Put it this way. Right now, think to yourself how hard you estimate it’s going to be to become a success in whatever you choose. Think about the long road. Okay, now however hard you just thought it was going to be, I would times it by 100. That might even be a little optimistic.  The bottom line is, whatever you want to do, it takes a lot of sweat and tears. If you know that going in, it makes the bumps in the road that much easier to travel. 

2. Don’t just do things, do things right.

We all love the short cuts. I am the king of short cuts. However, I learned time and time again, especially in Jiu jitsu, that you have to do things the right way. You may be able to get over everybody on a daily basis, but you are only fooling yourself. Take the time to do things right. Don’t rush them, or just do things to get them done. Take the time to learn everything you can. Do the research to feel confident in your decisions. You can’t win every battle, but you sure as hell can increase the odds each time. 

3. Even when no one else does, believe in yourself.

Risk is an essential part of becoming successful. A lot of people will warn you of the risks, mostly because they wouldn’t dare to take them themselves. Want to know what I think of this kind of advice? Next time your stomach is not feeling well, turn around after you finish using the toilet. That stuff floating there is just as valuable. I mean actually, it might be worth more. Business is business. No one knows what it’s like in your position except for you. No one has your passion. Don’t let the crowd steer your ship. That’s the captain’s Job, and passion is his steering wheel.

4. Out work your competition

Picture your job field like a huge MMA tournament. Everyone is training hard, but some are pushing the limits. Some are so dedicated to their own success, it consumes them. They become a machine, working every day toward their goal without thought. When it comes time to get in the cage, they look like silent predators stalking through the night, emotionless, till the cage door closes and it’s time to attack. Their belief in their preparation is what carries them through the arduous fight. Apply this same story to your job field. Are you a machine? Are you prepared for the grueling grind to be successful? You better be.

5. Do unto others as you would have done unto yourself.

An oldie, but a goodie. You don’t need to be religious to live by this creed. I have found that Karma is real. It is everywhere. When you do something negative, you send out a negative vibe, which always reverberates back to you in some way. The same goes for when you do something positive as well. Don’t worry about what other people do to you. Just do what you do. If your mind is right, they don’t have a chance anyway. You can overcome everything on the road to success. As I was always told by my family, it just takes patience, persistence, and perseverance to overcome any obstacle life throws your way.

6. Reap the Rewards and Pass them Around

You work your ass off. The first five steps involve taking people’s crap, working when other’s sleep, taking risks most wouldn’t dare, and making sacrifices most couldn’t bare. When you travel this kind of road, you better enjoy all of the success you get. Reward yourself for pushing the limits. Reward those who have helped you push those limits. Give away parts of your rewards to those that deserve them. Remember, whatever good vibes you spread around always reverberate back to you, so spread them while you can. Nothing breeds success, like success…or so I have heard

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Article by Peter J. Normandia. Follow me on Twitter.

Every Wednesday is Personal Development in Business, and this week, to make up for Monday, I included some Jiu jitsu as well.…

The last few months or so have been pressure packed for me. As you can tell by my various posting schedule, my time has been short. I have a budding business I am helping mold, major projects being released, and a growing list of clients to deal with. On top of that, money has been tight because I have been putting it all right back into the business, or working for pennies to build my portfolio. All in all, you could say it has been a tough, but very productive, first quarter of the year.

Considering the economy, I’m sure many of you have been dealing with similar problems in your business or job. Your mind is tied up with all sorts of issues while you try to hack out the best possible path in your life. You have bills, deadlines, worries, expenses, and not nearly enough time in the day to take care of them all. Your mind is clouded with these thoughts, and you want nothing more than for them to disappear.

If you are like me, then you toss concern to the side and just keep on pushing, knowing that at some point, the night will eventually fade into the spectacular splendor of dawn. At least that’s the hope  However, the other day in Jiu Jitsu, I noticed how much of an effect these thoughts have on our daily state of mind.

Performing at your Peak

When times are tough, it is more important than ever to have a clear mind, and attack problems with confidence and optimism. However, when times are tough, confidence and optimism can be hard to come by.

When training in Jiu Jitsu, if I have a clouded mind, I am completely off my game. I don’t have the same drive, or energy level needed to do my best. My mind is constantly wandering, and nothing seems too important until I’m put in a really bad position and forced to fight my way out. It’s as if I don’t even care until it’s almost too late.

I have found the same goes for life as well. When our minds our clouded, we tend to not want to deal with anything. There is too much on our plate already, and anymore will break the entire dish. Therefore, we tend to lose focus, trying to just to keep up as best we can. It seems each time we solve a problem, another has already built up enough to cover the part of the plate we just cleared. The cycle goes on and on, like a bad dream you can’t wake up from.

Clearing Your Mind

I realized this the other day, how can I possibly become successful if my day is spent focused on the negatives? How can I be optimistic in my approach to success, if all I deal with is one negative after the next?

The answer is you can’t. Remember, success is a state of mind. You do not get this state of mind after you are successful. That is called getting lucky. You develop this state of mind first, and that leads you to your success. Developing that state of mind is the first step to becoming successful beyond your wildest dreams.

Developing this state of mind is not something we are going to accomplish by the end of this article. No, that is something we have to continue to work on each and every day. However, by the end of this post, you will have a great base to build off of.

Developing the Successful State of Mind

Times are rough. There seems to be more problems than solutions in the current world.

For a person feeling down about their situation, this is a negative statement. They think like the majority: ‘there are too many problems to deal with, so we just do our best to get through it.’

For a successful entrepreneur, they see that statement as a gold mine of opportunity. A successful entrepreneur realizes that if there are more problems than solutions, then there must be a lot of opportunities to make money off of solutions.

This is an example of the state of mind you need to have to be successful. It is an optimistic state of mind, bordering on lunacy. Whether times are bad, or times are good, you know opportunity is everywhere. Each problem that comes your way is just another step on the old ladder. Success is all about how you perceive the environment around you. With this in mind, I have come up with…

5 Steps to a Successful State of Mind

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1. Take control

Today is today. Yesterday was yesterday. Tomorrow is not here yet. The first thing to do to clear your mind is to let go of all the nonsense out of your control. Let go of the past. Let go of all the possible future outcomes. Let go of anything you can not control right now. If it is not in your control at the present, then you can not concern yourself with it. You can only take care of the now.

2. One problem at a time

Too many times, as the problems start to pile up, people get overwhelmed with taking care of all of them at once. The bottom line is that to correctly solve a problem, you must focus on only one at a time. Write down your problems somewhere, prioritize them, and check off that list as you attack each one. Don’t worry about how long it takes. Just solve one, and move on to the next.

3.  Nothing is as serious as it seems.

When I was 18, I was deathly sick with Crohn’s disease. Out of the blue, in the middle of college, I lost over 60 pounds in a few months. They were not sure if I would ever be the same. Surgery was my only option. The reason I write this is because your health, and your loved one’s health, is all that really matters. Everything else may seem like a big deal, until you compare it with the value of good health. So when facing financial, business, or personal problems, remember, it could always be worse. Those problems are easy compared with some of the health issues others are forced to handle.

4. Enjoy the Challenge

Problems are fun, right? Maybe not while you are facing them, but afterwards, we always like to reminisce how we overcame the obstacles we face in life. It gives us character, and a sense of pride. Try to remember that while you are dealing with the problem. Look forward to be able to one day talk about how ‘it was really no big deal’. I will even go so far as to advise you to pretend in your mind that you already solved the problem, and see what it feels like. Get a glimpse of that feeling of success, and then hold on to it for motivation during the hard times.

5. Believe in Yourself

If you don’t believe you can be successful, then stop reading, shut down your browser, and start thinking about changing careers. Your belief in your own success does not get tested when times are good. No, belief in your own success gets tested when times are rough. A true success thinks like the aviator Howard Hughes. Even when the whole world is laughing at your feeble attempts to reach your seemingly impossible goals, you know that just makes it all the more glorious when you come through. It is this belief that carries you through the darkest times of your journey.

6. Take responsibility

Each problem you face is a test of your resolve. It is up to you and you alone to make sure a solution is found. It is not up to your friends, families, co-workers, or relatives. It is not up to fate. Life is what you make it, and if you give up trying to make it, then nothing and no one can help you out. You must fight hard to stay focused and take responsibility.It will by no means be an easy task, but you can overcome anything you put your mind to. I can not tell you how long it will take, but any problem can be solved over time. Just look at what one of the smartest people in our history said…

“It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer .”
–Albert Einstein

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Article by Peter J. Normandia. Follow me on Twitter.

Every Wednesday is Personal Development in Business, however I was late this week due to business obligations…

‘No nuts, no glory’ is a rather vulgar way of saying that if you don’t take risks, you’ll never get where you are going. This is great advice for business, and if you are like me, than the blunt, vulgar approach sinks in much faster than the sugarcoated, sappy crap.

I was listening to the rapper TI’s ablbum the other day, and apparently, this is a favorite statement of his. It’s not like he invented it, or that I never heard it before, but being in the position I am in right now, it really hit home this time.

My business is in it’s second year, and we are just now getting to the right point we should be. It has been a long road, as this blog can reveal, and we are still climbing up hill. However, we have really made it through thick and thin, and survived.

When we first started, many thought I should just get a job for security and safety, especially after my failed mortgage venture. However, I have a very thick head and now, because of the ailing economy, everyone is realizing that the idea of a job giving you security and safety is a just an illusion. No one is safe from bad times. Truth is it’s not about avoiding the bad times, it’s all how you handle them.

After my experiences, the best analogy for starting a business I can come up with is playing a game of Texas Hold’em. Whether in business, or poker, it’s all how you play the hand your dealt.

Surviving the Initial Buy In

The initial buy-in in Texas Hold’em is like your initial investment in the business. Many people lose everything on the first few hands. It’s kind of the first test of a business.

• Can you survive?
• Are you able to live with the risks you need to manage?
• Can you handle financial stress while working for cheap, sometimes even free at first?
• Do you have the gall to risk everything on a pipe dream?

These are the kinds of questions every self employed person needs to answer. Believe me, there have been plenty of times I thought about whether or not I am on the right track. It certainly has not been easy. In fact, IT’S BEEN DAMN HARD. So hard, that I could not imagine possibly ever going through it again.

However, as a friend of mine recently said, ‘…these are the good times. When the money is rolling in, don’t get me wrong, it’s great, but these are the fun times, when you are building it all up. This is the stuff you remember.’

Over the years , this friend of mine made over a million, lost it all, made it again, lost most of it, and then just got it back again. He is a survivor, and the kind of person you need to be to deal with the lightening quick changes the information age causes today. Just like in Texas Hold’em, it’s not how many chips you have that matter, it’s how you play the hand you have.

Managing Risk

Now, if you have ever played Texas Hold’em, than maybe you can understand the meaning of ‘No nuts, no glory’ for a business owner. You see, the poker table is like your business world. The chips represent your market share, or your assets. The only difference between the table, and your world, is that at the table, everyone starts with the same amount of chips. In the real world, it is much more skewed.

At the table, though, the real playing does not begin till the chips start to move around. How many times have you seen somebody up big, and all of a sudden, like that, they are out? This person is probably a big risk taker. They may win big sometimes, but in the end, they are going to take one too many chances, and wind up ‘all in’ at the wrong time.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, how many times have you seen somebody play it so tight to the vest, that they never are even in the game? This person takes no risk. They play the hand they have to the tee. If it’s good, they are in. If it’s bad, they fold. They never lose a lot of chips at once, but they always lose them all over the course of the game while waiting for the perfect moment that may never come.

How to Play Poker Better and Apply it to your Business

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The same traits can be applied for business owners. Behind every success story is a story of tremendous risk management, and a soldier like work ethic. The best businesses, and the best poker players, all know how to manage risk. They take big chances, but only when they should.

For example, the best poker players bide their time before suddenly swooping in and taking all the pots. The reason is, they know how to manage their risk. They know that it’s not only about the hand you have, it’s also about the hand everyone else has. So they tend to skip a lot of hands in the beginning because the risk is too big. Too many players with too many cards and chips.

However, after getting a handle on the table, and how the other players play, a great player then feels comfortable taking big risks. As soon as the opportunity presents itself, they swoop in with big calls, and take home the pot.

For business owners, it is the same idea to build a successful business. At first, you need to keep your risks low, and get a feel for your market. Get a feel for your competitors. See what they do well, and what they don’t. Know your business world inside and out. Then, when an opportunity presents itself that just feels right in your gut, it’s time to suck it up, and take that big risk. If you don’t take the risk, you will never advance.

Most people are afraid of falling backwards. Not me. I’m afraid of staying still. The only time their are ups and downs is when you are making progress. If there are no ups and downs, than you are not moving at all, and that’s scarier then anything I can imagine.

Taking big risks does not mean you will always win either. That’s okay. No professional poker player wins even half the time. However, they all make a lot of money when they do win, and it usually compensates for the times they lose. Not only that, but each time they lose, they gain experience for the next time they face a similar situation.

So it’s all up to you whether you use this advice to take your friend’s money at the Texas Hold’em table, or simply use it to motivate yourself to success. The choice is yours. Just remember, the next time an opportunity presents itself…

NO NUTS = NO GLORY.

Go for it. Win or lose, you always come out on top in the end. It’s those of us that don’t go for it, that wind up the worst off.

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Article by Peter J. Normandia. Follow me on Twitter.

Every Wednesday is Personal Development in Business…

As a business owner, and an American, I’m a little torn about the whole Stimulus package about to be passed by our Government, and I’d like to hear your input. The concept of the Bailout is supposed to be to provide a cash infusion that will stimulate short term growth to get us out of the worst recession possibly ever.

For those that do not think this recession is anything new, I have this bit of news for you. In the late 70s, and even during the Great Depression, there was one major difference between those recessions and this one: our government had money.

That’s right, this is the first time I believe in history where not only is the country broke, but so is our government. They actually are going to just print billions in paper and call it money, something in style since the early 1970s.

Now I have heard about the spending on the war in Iraq, but how about the spending on Healthcare? Does anyone realize as a country, we spent over $2 trillion dollars on Healthcare last year alone? I mean, our Government burns through money faster than me on payday.

However, it is not Barack Obama’s fault we are in this situation, and he is doing his best, and what he thinks is right, to get us out of this rut. I just personally don’t think he has a chance with this bill. However, I am no expert.

History in other countries, specifically Japan in the 90s, has shown that Stimulus packages do not usually have the desired effect. Japan tried that road in the 90s and wasted a decade on it. The way they finally emerged from their recession was by cleaning out all the companies that should have gone under in the first place.

What do you think?

I do not believe in the stimulus package, but I only know what I read. I am curious what the collective opinion is on this major Historical event, and how it will be looked at in hindsight later on. So here are the two viewpoints…

The Yin

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Barack Obama is a great man, dedicated to helping our country. In a crisis of this magnitude it is critical for the government to take control. The package that Congress has passed is going to stimulate the economy short term, create jobs, and help save money by investing in technological upgrades for the government and Healthcare. This will be the defining moment for Barack Obama’s presidency because of the triumph it is destined to be.

The Yang

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Barack Obama has a good heart, but is way too inexperienced to handle this monumental task. This stimulus package is really a spending package that will not only fail to have the desired effect short term, it will actually have a negative impact long term. If the government wants to get involved, they should force the banks that gambled on Sub prime mortgages to go under and be bought up by the stronger banks that did not take that risk. The same should go for other struggling industries. Where one business fails, another will rise. The only way a market corrects itself is by being allowed to run its course.

Now it’s Your Turn

I am extremely interested in getting a collective take from everyone on this monumental event in history. All opinions are welcomed and encouraged. We could all learn something from everyone’s unique perspective.

There are two questions:

1. What industry are you in?
2. Are you leaning toward the Yin, toward the Yang, or somewhere in the middle, and why?

For more info on the possible effects of the recession check out this article.

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Article by Peter J. Normandia. Follow me on Twitter.

Every Wednesday is Personal Development in Business…

It took us a year to figure out what I am about to share with you. I may be a bit of a slow learner, but at least it definitely all makes sense now. For any entrepreneurs out there, here is some advice that may save you the same trouble my partner and I experienced while building our company.

I am partners in a media production agency called Reimagine. We are a two man team. My partner specializes in design and creative direction. I handle the video side, client relations, project management, with a smidgen of content writing thrown in.

Making Our Mark

Our main issue has been in branding Reimagine over the last year. When we first opened, we were lucky enough to get a couple of major jobs right off the bat. However, this caused us to put off building our own image for the time being. It was only recently, this became a top priority for us.

For some reason, it always seems easier to help brand other people’s companies then your own. We tend to do design driven, edgy work, and wanted  to attract medium to large clients who had no problem paying for our talents. Usually that means attracting Agencies. To do so, we wanted to provide a very professional image. We wanted to be like the million dollar companies racking up the clients in our industry. We wanted to convey the impression that we were just like them.

The Reality

The problem is, we were not just like them. In fact, nothing could be further than the truth. Two men in a start-up business is no comparison to a seasoned slew of veterans in a million dollar company, no matter what image we projected. Our website and print media may look like a million dollar company, but after working with us for a a few months, it is apparent we are simply a small talented team.

That’s when my partner and a colleague figured out a better way. The solution they discovered seemed so simple, it was like, why didn’t I think of that? All of a sudden, it all made sense, and we had a concept for our branding. What was the concept?

We are a two man team that is hungry, talented, unique, off the wall, and easily accessible.

In other words, we would just be ourselves. We didn’t need to pretend to be something we were not. Actually, we realized it was quite beneficial for us to relish in the fact we were a small company with less overhead.

We even took it a step further. My partner and I are polar opposites. Whatever he can do well, I can’t, and vice versa. He’s way to the left, and I grew up conservative. It’s what makes us such a well rounded pair. We decided that this would be our identity. We didn’t have to be like the big companies to succeed. We had to just be ourselves and play to our advantages. 

Suddenly the longing for an identity dissipated into thin air. It seems the concept we were searching for was right in front of our eyes all along.

Playing to Your Advantage

I think the original problem we had when looking at our company was we were too focused on where we wanted to be, and not where we were. Building your dream company happens one step at a time, and there are advantages and disadvantages for every step along the way. One of the advantages we were ignoring was the fact that we were a small personable team. We were too concerned with the giant shadow of some of the major players to just simply be ourselves. However, unlike the big wigs, we are extremely adaptable, easily accessible, and also, a bit less expensive. That was our advantage, and that’s the best way to brand ourselves.

For anyone else building their business image, try answering these questions:

• Who are you?
• What do you do best?
• What are the positives for a client that chooses your product or services?

Take the answers to these questions and start from there. No matter who you are, or where you are starting from, I guarantee there is some advantage to your position. You just have to find it. It is amazing, but if you think about it, there are always advantages to every position, from high to low. Just like Poker, it all depends on what your hand is, and how you play it.

Remember, you can not please everyone. However, rest assure that there is a deep pleasure derived from the relief of no longer pretending to be something you are not. Trust me on that.

Feedback

Have any of you had a similar experience with your business? Ever try to project yourself to be something you are not, when in reality, the best option was simply to be yourself? Leave your answeres in the comments below….

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Article by Peter J. Normandia. Follow me on Twitter.

Every Friday is Video Day…

What if I told you you could Pay Off your Mortgage in as little as 8 to 11 years or less, just by doing what you are currently doing, and without any change to your current lifestyle or current cash flow?

This video will show you how. It is not an advertisement. In fact, it is a news report about how a regular person used the bank’s own systems to accelerate his mortgage payment. If you own a home, and have a mortgage, than this is a must see video. I could not believe it when I first saw it, but after a bunch of research I have found that everything in this video is true. Actually, proving it is quite easy, as all you need is know about APRs and how to calculate them.

This video will explain the rest. I could not resist sharing this with you after I saw it. Be warned, this is not magic. You have to have some equity in your how, and make more money than you spend. However, if you meet that criteria, you will be shocked at what you see. This method was discovered in Australia, and has worked for years. It is just the last few years that they started selling software to help figure out the exact amount of time left on your mortgage.

Enjoy. Let me know what you think below! If you have any questions, feel free to ask, and I will do my best to answer them.

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