Month: August 2020

Success starts with mindset. Different mindsets give different outcomes. A poor mindset leads to poor results. A positive mindset leads to success. While your experience, education, and skills can matter a lot, your mindset can make all the difference.

Luckily, anyone can develop a mindset primed for success. It’s certainly easier and less time consuming than mastering a complex skill!

Create a mindset that creates success! Include these components in your mindset:

1. Gratitude. Be grateful of what you have and have already accomplished. Be happy for the success of others. If you can’t feel happy for others when they are successful, your own success will be limited.
   
   
2. Evaluation of risk and reward. Successful people are masters at evaluating risk and reward. Unsuccessful people either refuse to take any risks or take on far too much risk for the potential reward. Neither is a successful way to approach life.
   
   
3. Focus on emotional and physical health. Sacrificing your health for success isn’t true success. What do you really gain if you achieve your goals but sacrifice your physical or emotional health in the process? Know your priorities before chasing success.
   
   
4. Abundance. Believe that there is enough to go around. Then, you won’t be in competition with others. You’ll only need to compete with yourself. You’ll maintain a more positive attitude if you believe your dreams are possible. What do you believe is possible for you to achieve?
   
   
5. Keeping mistakes and failure in the proper context. Failure is guaranteed to happen more often than not. Learn from your mistakes and failures and try again.
   
   
6. Growth. Placing a priority on growth is a necessary part of success. You can’t achieve anything new without growing in some way. It might be your skills, attitude, discipline, or courage that need to grow. Rest assured, something needs to grow if you’re currently stuck.
   
   
7. A willingness to be uncomfortable. Growth isn’t pleasant. There will be discomfort as you develop yourself, fail, and make mistakes. Even success can be uncomfortable. How uncomfortable are you willing to be to become successful?
   • The willingness to be uncomfortable is the limiting success factor for most people.
     
     
8. A positive attitude. How much are you willing to do if you’re certain you’ll be successful? A lot. How much are you willing to do if you don’t have high expectations? A lot less. Give yourself and your abilities the benefit of the doubt.
   • Notice how you think and how you talk to yourself. Is it positive or negative? What impact do you think that has on you?
     
     
9. Planning. Success for each person is a precise goal. You’re not going to hit it on accident. Without a destination in mind and a plan for getting there, you’re relying too much on luck to reasonably expect success.
   
   
10. A great mentor. A mentor that has achieved the success you desire knows where your head needs to be. He knows what’s important and what’s just noise. Your mindset will be more accurate and effective if guided by a qualified mentor.

Think about your current mindset and compare that to the results you’re currently experiencing in your life. Can you see the connection?

If you feel that you have the skills you need to be successful, but still come up short, it might be time to take a look at your mindset. Anyone can choose their mindset. There are no prerequisites for having a great mindset. You can just choose. Put your mind into a positive state that aids in your success.

Are you looking for a side hustle to make a little extra cash?

What would you do with a little extra money each week? Pay bills? Buy groceries? Perhaps save it for a vacation or a deposit for a house?

Luckily, it’s never been easier to make extra money from the comfort of your own home!

Consider these ideas:

1. Become a virtual assistant. If you can copy and paste data, then you can easily become a virtual assistant. While some of the tasks involved may be more complicated than copying and pasting, most tasks will not need much skill or experience, yet can earn you a healthy amount if you find the right client.
   • There are dedicated sites online, such as Upwork, where you can bid for virtual assistant jobs. You can also find work on social media if you keep your eyes open.
2. Sell on eBay, Craigslist, or Facebook Marketplace. We all have things around our homes that we no longer want or need. Rather than leaving them to gather dust, you could list them for sale online.
   • You could even buy from other sellers cheaply before relisting the items for a small profit yourself.
     
3. Trade cryptocurrency. While cryptocurrency is still relatively new, there are still plenty of people online making money by trading Bitcoin or digital currency. As with anything else you want to sell, the way to profit is to sell at a higher price than you bought it.
   
   
4. Sell services on Fiverr. If you have any skill, such as writing, design, or many others, you can offer your services on Fiverr or one of the many marketplaces online.
   • Work may be slow when you first start selling on these sites, but once you start making sales and your reputation grows, you can start to make more money.
5. Start a blog. Do you have a particular passion or subject that you know a lot about? If you do, consider writing a blog. Whether your passion is dogs or fashion, if you can write about the subject, then your audience will grow.
   • Before long you’ll be able to earn money from commissions from products you recommend or from accepting advertising, like Google Ads, on your site.
     
6. Social media management. Nowadays, most people and businesses have a social media presence. If a company wishes to reach their target audience, it’s important to keep posting content to their social media accounts. This is where you can come in and offer your social media management services.
   • If you have any experience at growing a social media following, you can charge these companies to grow their channels for them.
7. Affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing involves creating content to promote various product offers and services. You receive a commission from any product bought from your affiliate link. You can promote these products on your blog or social media accounts.
   • There are thousands of niches to choose from, with plenty of money to be made from selling in-demand products.
   • You can find products to promote from marketplaces like Clickbank, Amazon, or JVZoo. You can also find many websites that offer affiliate programs for their products.
8. Create online courses. This can also be a great way to make money at home by teaching others how to do any skill that you know. There are many ways to do this.
   • You can create a digital product that you could sell, like an eBook.
   • You could create a YouTube channel where you teach your skills to others. With YouTube, you may not make much money to start, but if you stick with it, creating new videos on a regular basis, then you could grow a following and create a passive income stream that could last for years.
   • Create courses to upload to course marketplaces like Udemy, Teachable, Kajabi, or many more. You make money by selling access to your courses

Basically, if you know how to do anything online or know more about a topic than the average person, you can monetize that skill or knowledge online.

So which side hustle do you fancy? Making money at home is certainly possible, and for some of the ideas you need very little skill or expertise, making them suitable for just about anyone.

Most financial challenges aren’t solely due to unfortunate events. They usually have a foundation of poor financial habits.

With effective habits, most financial challenges can be handled. With improper financial habits, even a modest unexpected expense can be devastating.

While there are many negative financial habits one could be guilty of committing, there are a few that are especially damaging.

Beware of acquiring these poor financial habits:

1. A failure to consistently save money. People that are consistently free of financial challenges have a consistent saving habit. There’s always money available to handle the inevitable financial emergencies if you save part of your paycheck each time you get paid.
   • Make a promise to yourself that you’ll save a certain percentage of each paycheck.
     
     
2. Excessive spending. The more you spend, the less you have to save. It’s that simple. Spending too much money makes you vulnerable and more likely to have financial challenges. Very excessive spending leads to accumulating debt, which is the ultimate financial curse.
   • Look for other ways to amuse yourself other than spending money you don’t really need to spend.
   • Put a hard limit on how much you can spend each month.
     
     
3. Excessive use of credit cards and other forms of debt. Debt is a significant obstacle to financial health and stability. Debt can be cumbersome to eliminate, and most debt comes with expensive terms that make debt an especially costly way to spend money.
   • Beware of debt. If you have to use debt to purchase something, especially something non-essential, it’s a good bet that you can’t afford it.
     
     
4. Ignoring bills. No one likes to pay bills. Period. However, bills have a way of piling up and eventually have to be paid. During that time, you’re still spending money that should be going toward your bills. This is a huge mistake.
   • Spend a few minutes each week paying your bills. Make it a ritual you perform one day a week.
     
     
5. Regularly paying penalties, fees, and excess interest. Did you know that credit card companies earn more money from late fees than they do from interest? ATM penalties are steep. Those interest-free loans have huge interest penalties if you don’t pay them off on time.
   • Pay your bills on time. Use ATMs that don’t require a fee.
     
     
6. Raiding your savings, investment, and retirement accounts. There may be times that dipping into your savings or other accounts might be justified, just be sure it’s for a good reason.
   • Cashing out part of your 401(k) for a trip to Disney World doesn’t qualify as a good reason. Wiping out your savings for a classic car probably isn’t a great idea either.
   • Savings accounts are for saving. Investment and retirement accounts are for saving and building wealth. They don’t work well when you take money out of them.
     
     
7. No budget. Everyone needs a budget. Even a billionaire should have a budget. Budgets set financial limits, and financial limits help to prevent financial challenges.
   
   
8. Eating out excessively. Eating out is expensive. Even fast food is more expensive than a decent meal at home. Meals at home tend to be healthier, too.

Are you guilty of any of these habits?

Think about someone you know that has a decent job but seems to struggle financially. Count how many of the above negative habits that person is guilty of committing. Now, consider someone you know that never seems to struggle financially. How many of these poor habits do they have?

The results won’t be surprising!

Positive habits lead to positive results. Ensure that your financial habits are leading you to a place you want to be in.

In most fields, whether medicine, law, business, consulting, or accounting, there are a select few that make far more money than the rest. There are steps you can take to become a top earner in your field of employment. Is it luck? Do you need to be extremely charismatic? Do you require some special talent? No, no, and no.

Consistently being a little bit better than your peers and focusing on success is all that’s required.

Separate yourself from the rest in these ways:

1. Have a goal. Achieving exceptional results requires a goal or luck. Luck is uncontrollable, so focus on creating a goal instead. Have a specific goal in mind that includes a specific dollar amount and deadline. Wanting “a lot of money” isn’t an effective goal.
   
   
2. Keep money in mind when making decisions. When choosing a career, consider the earning potential. A personal trainer could choose to focus on bodybuilders or high school athletes. One that works with famous actors, executives, or professional athletes has far more opportunities to earn a large income.
   
   
3. Find a mentor. A suitable mentor is someone that has accomplished what you wish to accomplish. It would also be advantageous if they had a genuine interest in providing guidance and advice.
   • Following in the footsteps of someone that’s already successful can save a lot of time.
     
     
4. Spend time with those with similar goals. There are others with the same goals and aspirations as you. Seek them out and become friends. Find those that are already successful at the level you hope to attain. You’ll learn things you’re unlikely to learn from your current crowd.
   
   
5. Seek to enhance your performance each day. There are a few fields where the participants regularly attempt to enhance their performance. Musicians, artists, and athletes regularly spend time getting better at their craft.
   • How often have you seen a lawyer or a manager set aside time to boost their skills? Rarely, if ever.
   • If no one else is striving to become more skillful, how much competition do you have?
     
     
6. Increase your knowledge each day. Gaining more knowledge will allow you to apply your skills more effectively.
   • Thirty minutes each day is enough to get ahead. Spend this time reading books or researching your field online to seek a higher level of understanding.
     
     
7. Get used to being uncomfortable. As you stretch yourself to think and do new things, you’re going to feel that uncomfortable twinge we’ve all felt. It’s just a physical sensation, like a sore toe or a hand that’s fallen asleep. There’s no reason to let it control your thoughts and actions.
   • Why would you quit because of a slight queasy feeling in your stomach? Your subconscious knows which buttons to push to encourage you to quit. Avoid giving in.
     
     
8. If there’s one trait found in all top earners, it’s perseverance. It’s not difficult to be incredibly successful if you’ll keep getting better and refuse to quit. In fact, it’s just about impossible to fail. Some days are more promising than others, but great days are on the way.

Becoming a top earner is well within your reach. Have a goal and keep it in the front of your mind. Find a successful mentor. Continue to learn and increase your skills and knowledge. Persevere until your goal of becoming a top earner has been reached.

All of us want to save more money, right?

You’ve probably tried all the fancy tricks but can’t seem to save more than a couple of bills each week.

Many of us are taught the traditional methods — things like looking for inexpensive gas or buying clothes that are built to last ‒ but for some reason none of these seem to make a change that is enough for us.

Have you ever thought about changing your diet to save more money?

Think about it – besides your home and car, your diet is probably the most expensive item on your monthly bills.

Even if you were to save an extra 20-30% off your grocery bill every week, you would notice a huge difference in your savings account by the end of the year.

Here are the most effective ways you can save more money by changing your diet.

Limiting Meat Consumption

Meat is the most expensive item on your shopping list. The truth is, if you limit your meat consumption to one item a day, you could save a bunch of money.

By switching to a vegetarian diet, you could save several thousand dollars each year!

It might not be your first option when it comes to saving money, but it’s pretty clear that switching your protein intake to vegetarian sources could save you plenty of money in the long run.

No More Fast Food

Even if your local pizza joint and your favorite burger palace are just around the corner, you don’t have to spend every other night giving them business.

Fast food is expensive. Remember, they are there to make money, so it’s not like you’re getting a good deal on the pizza or burger.

It will be much more inexpensive to shop at the store and cook your own food. Plus, it will be much healthier for you that way too.

Shop At Discount Stores

You know the store – big yellow signs – way more inexpensive than your local grocery.

It’s always nice to support local businesses, and there are many ways you can still support them, but if you’re trying to save money, it might make more sense to purchase most of your groceries at the big discount stores.

It’s just business and you’ll thank yourself when your savings account is looking much nicer at the end of the year.

The End Game Is Simple

Whenever we look at saving money, it’s always important to be as objective as possible. Maybe you love to eat meat, get fast food, and shop local, but a balanced diet that limits these sources can save you plenty of money.

With that said, a vegetarian diet is not lacking in any nutrients, and in most cases is much richer in vitamins and minerals than the standard American diet.

When you combine the increased health benefits of eating more nutritious food and the annual savings of switching or limiting your consumption of expensive meat and fast food, the option to eat healthier has never looked better!

If you’ve ever known anyone ultra-successful, you know that they can appear to be a different breed. We’re not talking about someone that’s a straight-A student and goes on to make $250,000 per year. We’re talking about people that win gold medals, become billionaires, or impact the entire world in some way.

These ultra-successful people are all unique, but they share many of the same habits.

Mimic these habits of successful people and become more successful yourself:

1. Get up early. The vast majority of the most successful people in the world get up very early. They make great use of this time, too. They have a morning routine that often includes exercise and meditation or prayer.
   • Try getting up an hour earlier and have a plan for using this time effectively. Do this for 30 days and evaluate the results.
     
     
2. Practice self-discipline. Success requires work. High levels of success require doing work that most people aren’t willing to do. It takes self-discipline to do difficult things day after day.
   • Work on your self-discipline each day. You have countless opportunities to do this. If you need to lose weight, throw out 25% of your lunch each day. When you feel like taking a break, force yourself to work for another 15 minutes.
     
     
3. Become action oriented. People with mediocre levels of success often like to plan, but they struggle to actually take any sort of action. Successful people take intelligent action. They are the masters of getting things done. They’re also great at getting started on new projects.
   
   
4. Read daily. Reading saves years. Without reading, you’re forced to figure out a lot by yourself. A book written by a competent author is like a mentor. The world is full of experts. Why try to do it all yourself? Stand on the shoulders of the world’s all-time greats.
   • Buy a good book and use the information in it. Life is too short not to take advantage of the expertise of others. Remember that it’s not enough to read and understand the information. You must apply it.
     
     
5. Get clear on your goals. Ultra-successful people know exactly what they want. The average person does not. You can’t make progress toward a goal if you’re not aware of your goal.
   • Decide what you want. Make a list and be precise.
     
     
6. Say, “No” to practically everything. Highly successful people avoid distractions much better than the average person. Many of us say “Yes” to almost every opportunity. Successful people say “No” almost all the time.
   • Decline offers that don’t assist you in the pursuit of your goals. Everything you do either brings you closer to, or takes you further from, your goals. Before agreeing to something, ask yourself, “How does this impact the pursuit of my goals?”.
     
     
7. Persevere. The most successful people have a tenacity that most of us fail to demonstrate. We give up far too easily.
   • Set goals that truly excite you. That will encourage you to continue when the going gets tough. Practice persevering when you want to quit. Learn how to grind and get things done. Perseverance is a combination of faith and pushing through discomfort.

Your habits largely influence how successful you’ll become. Effective habits result in great results. Poor habits lead to undesirable results. One of the most effective ways to take your life to the next level is to create habits that support your goals.

The most successful people in the world have the best habits for success. Pick up a couple of these habits and integrate them into your life. You’ll be glad you did!

Without a wealth mindset, it’s unlikely that you’ll do the things necessary to build and preserve wealth. A wealth mindset is necessary, but insufficient on its own.

However, a wealth mindset creates the potential to change your financial life in a big way. Your mindset is a starting point.

Most people have a mindset of short-term enjoyment. They spend money to make themselves feel better in the moment with little regard for the long-term ramifications. How many times have you been excited to purchase something that turned out to be less than exciting after you owned it for a week?

Would you like to create a wealth mindset?

1. Take your spending seriously. A wealth mindset requires taking your money and your spending seriously. Each dollar you spend has the potential to decrease your wealth by more than just a dollar. Consider this example of how this works:
   • If you purchase a $50,000 boat, the impact isn’t just the price of the boat. It’s also gas, insurance, maintenance, and so on. There’s also the opportunity cost. You could’ve invested that money in something that would actually build your wealth.
   • You also lose the time you spend enjoying and dealing with your boat. That time could’ve been spent on creating more wealth. Is the enjoyment worth more to you than the money? Only you can decide what’s right for you in the long-term.
   • A wealth mindset takes spending seriously and considers the short and long-term impact of each dollar spent.
     
     
2. Focus on creating value. A job can be lucrative, but it can take years to reach the point in your career that you’re making a very large salary. The wealthiest people create the most value and charge others for it.
   • Consider how you can contribute the greatest amount of value to the world and get paid for it.
     
     
3. Spend your time wisely. One of your greatest powers is your ability to choose how you spend your time. A person with a wealth mindset uses their time effectively. How do you spend your free time? Are you building wealth, learning about wealth, or spending your time on something else?
   
   
4. Learn about wealth creation. The more you know, the more you can do. Unless you are very fortunate, no one pulled you aside and taught you about wealth. You might not even know anyone who is wealthy. It’s up to you to learn everything there is to know about wealth.
   
   
5. Think big. It’s important to have big goals, ideas, and plans. Conservative goals are for average people. Wealth and average don’t go together.
   • Imagine that you could make steady progress for 25 years. Where would you end up? Now, create a plan to accomplish that in five years. That’s thinking big.
     
     
6. Consider how your behaviors, thinking, and decisions relate to your wealth goals. Before you do anything, consider how it will impact the achievement of your goals. Each dollar you spend can take you further away from or closer to your goal. Each person you date will either be a help or an obstacle.
   • In a nutshell, ask yourself, “Is what I am about to do going to make me more likely or less likely to achieve my goals?”
     
     
7. Hang around wealthy people. You become more like the people you hang around with. Wealthy people have a different way of viewing the world and making decisions. You can gain a lot of ground just by hanging out with wealthy people on a regular basis.

If you want to turn your financial life around, your mindset is a great place to start. If you do some research, you’ll find that wealthy people don’t view money in the same way that financially challenged people do.

Many mobile phones are capable of helping you save money through the use of third party applications. Both iPhones and Android-capable phones make it possible to track your income and bills, while also allowing you to set financial goals. If you want to control spending, save money, track bills, and start a savings fund, there’s an app for that.

Try these phone apps to help you achieve your financial goals:

1. Finance apps. Quicken and BillMinder are two examples of finance apps worth taking advantage of.
   • The Quicken app allows you to monitor and track your financial accounts no matter where you are, including financial goals, account activity, and even where to go to find an ATM.
   • BillMinder is another popular app and focuses on bill tracking. BillMinder offers a simple and intuitive interface allowing you to keep track of your bills, due dates and payment status. You can export your data through email for easy access and set up push notifications to send reminders of due dates before they occur.
     
     
2. Shopping apps. Grocery Gadget Shopping List and Coupon Sherpa are two examples of shopping apps that can help to save you money.
   • Grocery Gadget is a $4.99 app that allows you to upload and share your shopping list and offers additional capabilities including price comparisons among your favorite local grocers and coupons on the products that you’re actually looking for.
   • Coupon Sherpa is a free app that offers in-store coupons and exclusive user-only deals. You can search either by store name or category, look for local and nearby merchants and can even share coupons with your friends by way of e-mail.
     
     
3. Food and drink apps. All Recipes and Mixology make cooking and drinking easy and inexpensive. All Recipes is a free app that offers mobile access to thousands of different recipes offering user reviews, directions and photos. The “spinner” feature helps you choose a recipe based on main ingredient, prep time and other details.
   • Mixology saves you the exorbitant costs of a drink on the town by helping you entertain your friends at home. The Mixology app, which is free, features nearly 8000 drink recipes and a “liquor cabinet” feature that allows you to manage your own alcohol inventory.
     
     
4. Travel apps. Gas buddy is an indispensible app that can, for $2.99, show you where the cheapest gas stations are across the nation. Because prices can vary by as much as 20% within a single city, this can translate into very large savings at the pump.
   
   
5. Communication apps. Cutting down on communication costs is possible through apps like Skype and TextFree Unlimited. The Skype app is free and the TextFree Unlimited app is priced at $5.99.
   • Skype allows you to communicate with other Skype users for free and to communicate with other cell phones and land lines for very low fees. Skype is gaining popularity as an inexpensive source for international phone calls.
   • TextFree Unlimited allows people to send and receive text messages for free as long as the application is running. This app is ideal for light text message users, though not necessarily for someone who texts a lot.

If you have an iPhone or Android-based phone, taking advantage of apps like these is a wise choice. Many of these applications are free or inexpensive to use, but they can simplify your life in a variety of ways.

When you have a phone that works with apps like these, you can improve your productivity tenfold with money saving and tracking applications. These software applications can be a real lifesaver when you want to get a handle on your finances and more out of your cell phone.

Working from home instead of the office means trading in one set of distractions for another. Plus, you need to supervise yourself. How can you stay focused when your kids are bored, and Netflix just added your favorite show?

Remote work has lots of advantages, like greater flexibility and zero commuting time. However, in order to get your work done, it’s important to create a system that keeps you focused and productive.

You can succeed at remote work by providing your own structure and motivation. Use these ideas for dealing with internal and external distractions.

Dealing with Internal Distractions:

1. Think positive. Build your own morale. Think about the things you like about your job. Appreciate the opportunity to do meaningful work that stretches your skills and helps others.
   
   
2. Set goals. Give yourself specific targets to strive for. Know what you want to accomplish each day and over the long term.
   
   
3. Write a list. Use paper and pen or a free app to make a to do list. Block out realistic time for each task.
   
   
4. Schedule your day. Figure out your priorities and the hours when you’re most effective. Devote most of your resources to the activities that create real value.
   
   
5. Designate a workspace. Carving out an area exclusively for work will help you keep your mind on your job. It can be a spare room or one corner in your studio apartment.
   
   
6. Reduce discomfort. Pay attention to ergonomics, especially if you’re working at home full-time. Arrange your workspace for maximum efficiency. Ask your employer if they’ll help cover the costs for equipment like headphones to reduce straining your neck during phone calls.
   
   
7. Take breaks. You’ll accomplish more if you allow yourself generous helpings of downtime. Try to pause and relax before you feel fatigued.
   
   
8. Move around. Exercise reduces stress and restores your energy. Use some of your break time to stretch and jump rope. Go for a walk or do yoga during your lunch hour.

Dealing with External Distractions:

1. Ask for support. Let your boss, coworkers, family, and friends know when you need help. Be willing to return the favor when you see them struggling.
   
   
2. Arrange childcare. Finding someone to watch your kids has become more difficult for many parents. Keep in touch with other families to learn about options near you or ask your employer about taking leave if necessary.
   
   
3. Set boundaries. Let others know the hours when you’re available for collaboration and when you need to work without interruptions. Shut your door and turn the volume down on your phone for tasks that require concentration.
   
   
4. Interact with others. On the other hand, socializing is a valuable part of your workday too. Participate in virtual happy hours and stick around to chat before and after video meetings.
   
   
5. Play music. This is your chance to control the soundtrack at work. Create a variety of playlists to mask background noise or stimulate creative thinking.
   
   
6. Eat healthy. Your kitchen can be a distraction too. Plan your daily menu in advance around nutritious meals and snacks. It’s easier to turn down junk food when you feel full.
   
   
7. Limit media. Facebook and streaming videos may consume much of your day unless you eliminate such temptations. Find methods that work for you such as turning off notifications or setting time limits on sites where you tend to linger too long.

Develop the communication and organizational skills you’ll need to excel at working from home. You can be a high performer whether you’re sitting in a cubicle or on your patio.