What do these who achieve
extraordinary success have in common?
Richard Branson, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs, J.K. Rowling, Bette Midler, Mary Kay Ash, Angelina Jolie, Howard Stern, Danica Patrick, Ellen DeGeneres and Aunti Mame
Those who rise above mere success to create an extraordinary life have the guts, fortitude, the confident courage to achieve authentic greatness with unrelenting drive and passion.
“When you feel in your gut what you are and then dynamically pursue it, don’t back down and don’t give up - then you’re going to mystify a lot of folks.” - Bob Dylan
Follow your true self and you will “mystify a lot of folks.”
In order to do that you have to muster up your Moxie! As such you already have within you everything you need to astound, amaze and electrify your world.
You were given these gifts as your birthright:
M – Ability to Master your opportunities
O – Omnipotent; having unlimited power to create
X – the “X” factor – your Authenticity; who you really are; unique purpose
I – Intuition: inner wisdom
E – Energetic expression: boldly thinking, speaking & acting with intention
In a word, you’ve got MOXIE!
Moxie is your unique expression of the human spirit. Some people call it a Higher Self, Inner Being, Soul, Heart-centered God force, or any number of other names that describe the voice of authenticity, intuition and the source of inspiration within each and every one of us.
“We are all divine, but I was the only one who had the nerve to call myself that.” -- Bette Midler
To apply this formula you must first ask, acknowledge and honor what would make your heart sing. If you don’t know the answer to this question or are feeling miscast in the story that is your life you may be on a path that is not your own.
Unless you are tapped in to your Nature, your authenticity, instead of your Nurture, your conditioning, you cannot express your MOXIE. To achieve, maintain and enjoy extraordinary success you have to stand centered in the truth of who you really are. You must think, speak, act and renew your commitment to express your Moxie as you live and breathe each and every day.
“Laugh at yourself, but don’t ever aim your doubt at yourself. Be bold. When you embark for strange places, don’t leave any of yourself safely on shore. Have the nerve to go into unexplored territory.” - Alan Alda
By Valery Satterwhite
Valery is a Moxie Master, Mentor & Coach. She instructs people how to claim their truth, own their power & command their stage with a unique empowering Moxie Therapy process. Moxie Up! Muster the confident courage to achieve authentic greatness with unrelenting drive & passion!
Go to http://www.MoxieTherapy.com
14 June 2010
Risky Business: Running An Online Business Without Terms Of Use
No one really notices them while shopping online. However, mega sites such as Amazon.com and Toys “R” Us have them, so do smaller names such as SnuggleMe.com, an online pet products retailer. These are the all-important website terms and conditions, which should be on your website too.
Website provisions are not just legalese that attorneys insist on inserting onto your website.
When you set up an internet store, you are offering your customer products, services or deals. The rules that govern cyberspace shopping are the same as those for physical business transactions.
You want to ensure that (i) you are getting what you are paying for (ii) at the price you agreed to, and (iii) you have options if you are not happy with what you received. The basic principles of commerce hold true whether you are selling bookkeeping services to Greenway Law Firm in New Jersey, or jewelry to Alice in Arlington. It is necessary that your customers are clear in their minds.
Internet shopping also raises a number of legal issues that you don’t necessarily see to the same degree in the “bricks and mortar” world. Because Internet law is so new, it is unclear as to how it will be interpreted. Leaving matters open to chance could be a risky proposition indeed.
What can you expect to see? Terms and conditions don’t always go by the generic name “terms and conditions.” Sometimes, terms are divided into subject areas on separate web pages, like “privacy” or “returns” or “disclaimers.”
The breadth of terms you may need depends on the nature of your business. If your website is a brochure-type site that simply promotes your own services, you may not need as robust a list as a site like Home Shopping Network (hsn.com), which sells other people’s products.
Consider the following categories:
1. Privacy Policy/Privacy Notices. These largely cover how you will collect and use information. Will you rent, share, or sell the personal information you capture? Will you place cookies on your users’ sites? Given the concerns about identify theft and security, you’ll want to put your customers’ minds at ease with reassurances about confidentiality and how you’ll maintain the security of the information you collect.
2. Legal/Terms of Service. These cover a lot of the legal ground rules about acceptable behavior on the site. If your site has any kind of community forum, you’ll want to be sure that everyone “plays nicely in the sandbox”: no offensive language, no harassing, no infringement of other’s intellectual property, etc.
Terms of Service provide the meat of the contractual terms so that your customers can’t come back and say, “I didn’t know... I didn’t agree to this...” or find some other way to weasel out of the purchase they made. And, because lawyers like disclaimers, they also state that you have no responsibility for what people may find when they link through your site to 3rd party sites.
3. Payment and Returns. These terms focus on your financial arrangement. What will you charge? Under what circumstances will you change your pricing? Do you have a return policy?
What forms of payment will you accept? Credit cards? PayPal? Personal check? Cash? Each one of these has its costs and inconveniences so choose what makes sense for you.
4. Copyright and Intellectual Property Policies. Your site contains valuable intellectual property (yours, certainly, and possibly other people’s). These terms cover the procedure for handling intellectual property infringement claims, and what actions are permissible (or prohibited) on the site.
Wow -- what a list!! Now you see why website terms and conditions are an important part of your arsenal of protection - and why it’s not wise to put these together yourself. These provisions can vary depending on the nature of the product or service being offered, so make sure to review your terms with an attorney so that they are relevant for your business and provide you with the protection you’ll need!
______________________________
Nina Kaufman, Esq. demystifies legal mumbo-jumbo to save small businesses time, money, and aggravation. She’s an award-winning business attorney and columnist/blogger for Entrepreneur Magazine online.
Learn more about her user-friendly business law resources at http://www.GreatBusinessLawResources.com. For her free Contracts & Collections Info Kit, go to http://bit.ly/freecontractlaw
Website provisions are not just legalese that attorneys insist on inserting onto your website.
When you set up an internet store, you are offering your customer products, services or deals. The rules that govern cyberspace shopping are the same as those for physical business transactions.
You want to ensure that (i) you are getting what you are paying for (ii) at the price you agreed to, and (iii) you have options if you are not happy with what you received. The basic principles of commerce hold true whether you are selling bookkeeping services to Greenway Law Firm in New Jersey, or jewelry to Alice in Arlington. It is necessary that your customers are clear in their minds.
Internet shopping also raises a number of legal issues that you don’t necessarily see to the same degree in the “bricks and mortar” world. Because Internet law is so new, it is unclear as to how it will be interpreted. Leaving matters open to chance could be a risky proposition indeed.
What can you expect to see? Terms and conditions don’t always go by the generic name “terms and conditions.” Sometimes, terms are divided into subject areas on separate web pages, like “privacy” or “returns” or “disclaimers.”
The breadth of terms you may need depends on the nature of your business. If your website is a brochure-type site that simply promotes your own services, you may not need as robust a list as a site like Home Shopping Network (hsn.com), which sells other people’s products.
Consider the following categories:
1. Privacy Policy/Privacy Notices. These largely cover how you will collect and use information. Will you rent, share, or sell the personal information you capture? Will you place cookies on your users’ sites? Given the concerns about identify theft and security, you’ll want to put your customers’ minds at ease with reassurances about confidentiality and how you’ll maintain the security of the information you collect.
2. Legal/Terms of Service. These cover a lot of the legal ground rules about acceptable behavior on the site. If your site has any kind of community forum, you’ll want to be sure that everyone “plays nicely in the sandbox”: no offensive language, no harassing, no infringement of other’s intellectual property, etc.
Terms of Service provide the meat of the contractual terms so that your customers can’t come back and say, “I didn’t know... I didn’t agree to this...” or find some other way to weasel out of the purchase they made. And, because lawyers like disclaimers, they also state that you have no responsibility for what people may find when they link through your site to 3rd party sites.
3. Payment and Returns. These terms focus on your financial arrangement. What will you charge? Under what circumstances will you change your pricing? Do you have a return policy?
What forms of payment will you accept? Credit cards? PayPal? Personal check? Cash? Each one of these has its costs and inconveniences so choose what makes sense for you.
4. Copyright and Intellectual Property Policies. Your site contains valuable intellectual property (yours, certainly, and possibly other people’s). These terms cover the procedure for handling intellectual property infringement claims, and what actions are permissible (or prohibited) on the site.
Wow -- what a list!! Now you see why website terms and conditions are an important part of your arsenal of protection - and why it’s not wise to put these together yourself. These provisions can vary depending on the nature of the product or service being offered, so make sure to review your terms with an attorney so that they are relevant for your business and provide you with the protection you’ll need!
______________________________
Nina Kaufman, Esq. demystifies legal mumbo-jumbo to save small businesses time, money, and aggravation. She’s an award-winning business attorney and columnist/blogger for Entrepreneur Magazine online.
Learn more about her user-friendly business law resources at http://www.GreatBusinessLawResources.com. For her free Contracts & Collections Info Kit, go to http://bit.ly/freecontractlaw
The Amazing Story Of Lester Levenson
“I was born July 19, 1909 in Elizabeth, New Jersey into a middle class family as a very shy person. I tried to do things the way they were supposed to be done -- doing the right thing, getting a good education, and being the best in my field.
My natural inclination was towards science. Especially the science of the world, and of man himself. I graduated from Rutgers University in 1931 as a physicist, after which I worked 20 some years in physics and engineering.
“I also went into various businesses, including restaurants, lumber, building and oil, intertwined with engineering, wanting to make money-- wanting to make it in the world. At that time, I did not know what I now know -- that what I was seeking was actually the answers to life itself.
And nothing that I had worked at would give me that answer. As the years went by, I became heavy with depression and with sickness. By 1952, I had been through constant illness -- I even had jaundice three or so times a year. I had an enlarged liver, kidney stones, spleen trouble, hyper and hypos acidity, ulcers that perforated and formed lesions, and to top it off, I had at least 10 years of migraine headaches. “This all culminated in 1952 when I had my second coronary thrombosis.”
“After the second coronary, I was told I would not live much longer -- that I might die any day and shouldn’t make the effort to take so much as a step unless I necessarily had to.
I was extremely fearful of dying, but I said to myself, “You’re still breathing, Lester -- there is still a chance.” So I sat down and began thinking on an “around the clock” basis. I had been considered a very smart boy. I always made the honor roll. I had been the recipient of a four-year scholarship to Rutgers back in the days when not many scholarships were handed out.
But then being told after my second heart attack that I wouldn’t live, I said to myself,
“Lester, you are stupid, stupid, stupid.”
“Having lived 42 or so years, and having reached the end of the line without happiness, without health -- therefore all this knowledge you have accumulated is of no avail. I had studied Watson’s behavior in the 30’s and Freud’s in the late 30’s and early 40’s.
I had studied the philosophies. I had studied logic. I studied economics. I studied all the major fields of man, and with all that knowledge there; I was at the end of the line.
This made me realize that...
“The Accumulated Knowledge of Man Was of No Use.”
“So I decided to start from scratch. Forget all that knowledge. Begin from point 0 and see what you can pick up. So, I posed some pretty basic questions and asking myself what I really wanted out of life.
“I began to get some answers. Investigating further, I made some startling discoveries. And I started getting better.
“I began correcting all my thoughts and feelings in that direction. And in that process, I discovered I was getting happier, freer, lighter, and feeling better in general. I continued until all the ailments I had in my physical body corrected. All my miseries dropped away. And I ended up in a place in which I was happy all the time, without sorrow.
“Not that the world stopped pushing against me -- it continued -- but I was at a place where I could resolve things almost immediately. Having cleared out the negative fears, all the negative ‘I can not’s,’ I would focus right on the answer to every problem, and get it very quickly.
And so,
My whole life turned around from being depressed and sick, to being happy and in perfect health all the time!
“One of the things that happened in this process was my identification with others. I saw that we are all related we are all inter-connected -- each mind is like a radio broadcasting and receiving station. That we are all tuned into each other unconsciously -- that we are just not aware of it.
That life was meant to be beautiful... meant to be happy all the time with no sorrow. And to be with perfect health. And so after reaching that high point of understanding in 1952, I have wanted to help others to discover what I had discovered.”
“I Believe If I Can Do It, Anyone Can Do It.”
Over the remaining 42 years of Lester’s life, he attracted thousands of students to his work - not because he spent time and money marketing his discovery, but because he was a living example of the possibility you and I possess when we learn to set our ego aside.
The reason so many of us fail to reach our goals is not due to a lack of effort. It is because we produce in our outer world what we hold in our inner world. If I desire more money, I reaffirm in my mind that I don’t not “have enough”, and it is lack that I create.
Positive thinking alone does not change this. You must learn to release the associated feelings.
And when you do, you also learn to let go of the thousands of thoughts you have associated with the feeling.
This frees you to see more opportunity, to experience greater happiness regardless of outcomes and literally attract into your life what you want. It is our desires, our wants, that prevent not only happiness, but our producing the results we seek in our life.
The results include:
Happiness and success in life have nothing to do with hard work, education or what you “have” to begin with. Happiness and success are equally available to everyone when you learn how to “release” the blocks, the thoughts and feelings, of limitation you hold. It is literally as effortless as holding a pen and letting it fall to the floor!
My natural inclination was towards science. Especially the science of the world, and of man himself. I graduated from Rutgers University in 1931 as a physicist, after which I worked 20 some years in physics and engineering.
“I also went into various businesses, including restaurants, lumber, building and oil, intertwined with engineering, wanting to make money-- wanting to make it in the world. At that time, I did not know what I now know -- that what I was seeking was actually the answers to life itself.
And nothing that I had worked at would give me that answer. As the years went by, I became heavy with depression and with sickness. By 1952, I had been through constant illness -- I even had jaundice three or so times a year. I had an enlarged liver, kidney stones, spleen trouble, hyper and hypos acidity, ulcers that perforated and formed lesions, and to top it off, I had at least 10 years of migraine headaches. “This all culminated in 1952 when I had my second coronary thrombosis.”
“After the second coronary, I was told I would not live much longer -- that I might die any day and shouldn’t make the effort to take so much as a step unless I necessarily had to.
I was extremely fearful of dying, but I said to myself, “You’re still breathing, Lester -- there is still a chance.” So I sat down and began thinking on an “around the clock” basis. I had been considered a very smart boy. I always made the honor roll. I had been the recipient of a four-year scholarship to Rutgers back in the days when not many scholarships were handed out.
But then being told after my second heart attack that I wouldn’t live, I said to myself,
“Lester, you are stupid, stupid, stupid.”
“Having lived 42 or so years, and having reached the end of the line without happiness, without health -- therefore all this knowledge you have accumulated is of no avail. I had studied Watson’s behavior in the 30’s and Freud’s in the late 30’s and early 40’s.
I had studied the philosophies. I had studied logic. I studied economics. I studied all the major fields of man, and with all that knowledge there; I was at the end of the line.
This made me realize that...
“The Accumulated Knowledge of Man Was of No Use.”
“So I decided to start from scratch. Forget all that knowledge. Begin from point 0 and see what you can pick up. So, I posed some pretty basic questions and asking myself what I really wanted out of life.
“I began to get some answers. Investigating further, I made some startling discoveries. And I started getting better.
“I began correcting all my thoughts and feelings in that direction. And in that process, I discovered I was getting happier, freer, lighter, and feeling better in general. I continued until all the ailments I had in my physical body corrected. All my miseries dropped away. And I ended up in a place in which I was happy all the time, without sorrow.
“Not that the world stopped pushing against me -- it continued -- but I was at a place where I could resolve things almost immediately. Having cleared out the negative fears, all the negative ‘I can not’s,’ I would focus right on the answer to every problem, and get it very quickly.
And so,
My whole life turned around from being depressed and sick, to being happy and in perfect health all the time!
“One of the things that happened in this process was my identification with others. I saw that we are all related we are all inter-connected -- each mind is like a radio broadcasting and receiving station. That we are all tuned into each other unconsciously -- that we are just not aware of it.
That life was meant to be beautiful... meant to be happy all the time with no sorrow. And to be with perfect health. And so after reaching that high point of understanding in 1952, I have wanted to help others to discover what I had discovered.”
“I Believe If I Can Do It, Anyone Can Do It.”
Over the remaining 42 years of Lester’s life, he attracted thousands of students to his work - not because he spent time and money marketing his discovery, but because he was a living example of the possibility you and I possess when we learn to set our ego aside.
The reason so many of us fail to reach our goals is not due to a lack of effort. It is because we produce in our outer world what we hold in our inner world. If I desire more money, I reaffirm in my mind that I don’t not “have enough”, and it is lack that I create.
Positive thinking alone does not change this. You must learn to release the associated feelings.
And when you do, you also learn to let go of the thousands of thoughts you have associated with the feeling.
This frees you to see more opportunity, to experience greater happiness regardless of outcomes and literally attract into your life what you want. It is our desires, our wants, that prevent not only happiness, but our producing the results we seek in our life.
The results include:
- Less stress
- More financial abundance
- Deeper, more loving relationships
- Better health, wellness and vitality
- Career success
- Peace, happiness and more
Happiness and success in life have nothing to do with hard work, education or what you “have” to begin with. Happiness and success are equally available to everyone when you learn how to “release” the blocks, the thoughts and feelings, of limitation you hold. It is literally as effortless as holding a pen and letting it fall to the floor!
The Right Kind Of IMPACT - Ellipticals
Beginning of April in Ohio brings runners out of the wood works, but a month later there seems to be less and less people wanting to or able to run. Running is not easy and it is very tough on your body. Running is a wonderful exercise if you want to lose weight but only if a person can consistently do their running routine. If all running does is breakdown the body and does more harm than good then it isn’t being productive. This is where an elliptical machine comes in for a low impact alternative to running. Here we’ll discuss the advantages of using an elliptical cross trainer over a running regiment.
Advantage #1: Low Impact
Actually, there is practically no impact when using an elliptical machine. There are days where my body could not handle the pounding of the pavement that comes with running but I could still get in a challenging 30 minute routine on an elliptical cross trainer. The jarring that comes when running can lead to shin splints, stress fractures, blisters, ligament damage, back pain, and similar ailments. No matter how slow or fast a person goes running there will be strain on a person body. An elliptical takes all that away and forces on the working of the muscles the way they were meant to be worked. If you are trying to get into running shape or you are looking for an alternative to running then does exercise on an elliptical cross training machine is the way to go.
Advantage #2: Simulates Running
Elliptical machines are unique because they combine running and bicycling into one activity. It uses the motion of running with the lack of impact of bicycling. There are many days where my calves cannot take another day of running but I still want to get a run in. My elliptical allows me to simulate the running motion but without the strain of running on the street. In fact, I can sometimes get in a harder workout on the elliptical compared to the 5 or 10 minutes my body would have given me to run in these cases.
Advantage #3: Varying Resistance
When running the only way to get more resistance is run faster or have a good steady wind in your face. Those options are not ideal to say the least. With an elliptical you can do preset routines that will adjust the resistance to challenge you and give you that needed break when needed without actually going any faster. At a push of a button you can increase or decrease your resistance to the desired amount. This is perfect for a person that wants to challenge themselves by doing a little interval training. Running cannot match this type of ability to adapt to different situations.
Advantage #4: Possible Incline Feature
Not all elliptical machines offer an incline function, but what a great feature for the ones that do. Think about all the times that you had to walk up a hill to get to something and how different that felt to you than walking on flat ground. Now picture doing a simulated workout for a whole elliptical machine routine. If you are looking for A LOT of extra something in your cardio workout I’d definitely try using the incline function on some elliptical machines.
Advantage #5: Technology Perks
Different elliptical gym equipment come with different technology perks. Most nowadays offer a slot for an iPod with decent speakers for them played on. Most also have heart monitors as well but some are the clip on variety while others have the handles you can hold to get the reading. The real fancy machines are able to connect to the internet for online workouts, journaling, and easy download to a webpage. For instance, NordicTrack is starting to offer iFit workouts with Jillian Michaels of the Biggest Loser TV series. Technology is constantly changing so get educated and aware of what is out there.
Advantage #6: Convenient and Entertaining
I really have no excuse not to get a workout in because my elliptical is conveniently located by a TV so I can watch a TV show, movie, or even a music CD. It is amazing how long you can go on an elliptical when you are being entertained. If I am going to be watching TV, why not get a workout as well?
My elliptical has been one of the best pieces of home gym equipment that I have purchased; Bowflex SelectTech Dumbbells is the other. I know the machines can be pricey but if you are committed to getting in shape I highly recommend integrating an elliptical routine in your fitness plan.
_______________________
Keith writes reviews and articles on elliptical machines at his website
EllipticalMachineMan.com. Please check that site or his other site BellyDownsizing.com for other weight loss tips.
Advantage #1: Low Impact
Actually, there is practically no impact when using an elliptical machine. There are days where my body could not handle the pounding of the pavement that comes with running but I could still get in a challenging 30 minute routine on an elliptical cross trainer. The jarring that comes when running can lead to shin splints, stress fractures, blisters, ligament damage, back pain, and similar ailments. No matter how slow or fast a person goes running there will be strain on a person body. An elliptical takes all that away and forces on the working of the muscles the way they were meant to be worked. If you are trying to get into running shape or you are looking for an alternative to running then does exercise on an elliptical cross training machine is the way to go.
Advantage #2: Simulates Running
Elliptical machines are unique because they combine running and bicycling into one activity. It uses the motion of running with the lack of impact of bicycling. There are many days where my calves cannot take another day of running but I still want to get a run in. My elliptical allows me to simulate the running motion but without the strain of running on the street. In fact, I can sometimes get in a harder workout on the elliptical compared to the 5 or 10 minutes my body would have given me to run in these cases.
Advantage #3: Varying Resistance
When running the only way to get more resistance is run faster or have a good steady wind in your face. Those options are not ideal to say the least. With an elliptical you can do preset routines that will adjust the resistance to challenge you and give you that needed break when needed without actually going any faster. At a push of a button you can increase or decrease your resistance to the desired amount. This is perfect for a person that wants to challenge themselves by doing a little interval training. Running cannot match this type of ability to adapt to different situations.
Advantage #4: Possible Incline Feature
Not all elliptical machines offer an incline function, but what a great feature for the ones that do. Think about all the times that you had to walk up a hill to get to something and how different that felt to you than walking on flat ground. Now picture doing a simulated workout for a whole elliptical machine routine. If you are looking for A LOT of extra something in your cardio workout I’d definitely try using the incline function on some elliptical machines.
Advantage #5: Technology Perks
Different elliptical gym equipment come with different technology perks. Most nowadays offer a slot for an iPod with decent speakers for them played on. Most also have heart monitors as well but some are the clip on variety while others have the handles you can hold to get the reading. The real fancy machines are able to connect to the internet for online workouts, journaling, and easy download to a webpage. For instance, NordicTrack is starting to offer iFit workouts with Jillian Michaels of the Biggest Loser TV series. Technology is constantly changing so get educated and aware of what is out there.
Advantage #6: Convenient and Entertaining
I really have no excuse not to get a workout in because my elliptical is conveniently located by a TV so I can watch a TV show, movie, or even a music CD. It is amazing how long you can go on an elliptical when you are being entertained. If I am going to be watching TV, why not get a workout as well?
My elliptical has been one of the best pieces of home gym equipment that I have purchased; Bowflex SelectTech Dumbbells is the other. I know the machines can be pricey but if you are committed to getting in shape I highly recommend integrating an elliptical routine in your fitness plan.
_______________________
Keith writes reviews and articles on elliptical machines at his website
EllipticalMachineMan.com. Please check that site or his other site BellyDownsizing.com for other weight loss tips.
Joining The Gym
No question, obesity is reaching epidemic levels in the US. Some studies declare that at least 60% of Americans are obese. Weight gain is sneaky. Our bodies can slowly gain a pound here, a pound there, and suddenly, we see it. The stomach hides the belt, the jeans won’t make it over the hips, and denial is no longer an option.
Weight gain and loss is all about one thing: calorie intake. It’s all in the numbers. When our daily calorie intake exceeds the amount of calories burned, the excess is stored in our bodies in the form of fat. When the calorie intake is less then what our bodies burn, weight loss occurs.
If you have decided that it is time to cut the fat in your life, congratulations. As you know, there are many ways to approach losing weight and getting in shape. Many weight losers choose to go on a diet and couple this with an exercise program that includes joining a gym. This is a great approach because this method cuts calories in two ways. The calorie intake is reduced by the new diet, and the body burns more calories because physical activity is increased. But, here is the downside. When you are overweight, the challenge of increasing physical activity is compounded because your body’s infrastructure is stressed more so than those who are carrying
a more appropriate weight. At the heavier weight, increased beneficial physical activity is too much of a challenge for most people to sustain.
What’s Effective
To increase your likelihood of success at a weight loss program focus on diet first. The first step is to consult with your physician. Don’t wait until you have to see your doctor for another reason and mention weight loss as a side issue. Call your doctor’s office and set an appointment specifically for discussing and setting up a weight loss program. Obesity is a very serious medical condition and warrants a visit to the doctor’s office.
We recommend that you lose 5 to 10% of your weight prior to considering joining a gym. When you begin your increased physical activity, you will already feel better, have more energy, and will have less weight to carry around as you climb on to the machines at your gym. It can make a world of difference. Most quality gyms will provide you with a work out regime. If you start out slow and not try to lose all of your weight in the first visit, you will be more motivated to return. There are many great machines and exercise equipment available today.
Of particular benefit is the elliptical cross trainer. This machine is a high calorie burner, and provides a virtually no-impact workout.
When you first begin working with this machine, you may find that you can exercise no more than 5-10 minutes. This is fine. Set your goal, that no matter what your starting point is, that each workout, you exceed the previous workout by one minute. This is an easily achievable goal, and in no time, you will have worked your way up to 20-30 minutes.
There is no better time than now to begin your journey to weight loss and health. As your physical health improves, you will find a renewed energy to pursue and attain the other goals you have set for yourself in life. You cannot always control other aspects of life, but you, ultimately have control over what you eat and your exercise regime. Remember, there is no better time than now to start!
Weight gain and loss is all about one thing: calorie intake. It’s all in the numbers. When our daily calorie intake exceeds the amount of calories burned, the excess is stored in our bodies in the form of fat. When the calorie intake is less then what our bodies burn, weight loss occurs.
If you have decided that it is time to cut the fat in your life, congratulations. As you know, there are many ways to approach losing weight and getting in shape. Many weight losers choose to go on a diet and couple this with an exercise program that includes joining a gym. This is a great approach because this method cuts calories in two ways. The calorie intake is reduced by the new diet, and the body burns more calories because physical activity is increased. But, here is the downside. When you are overweight, the challenge of increasing physical activity is compounded because your body’s infrastructure is stressed more so than those who are carrying
a more appropriate weight. At the heavier weight, increased beneficial physical activity is too much of a challenge for most people to sustain.
What’s Effective
To increase your likelihood of success at a weight loss program focus on diet first. The first step is to consult with your physician. Don’t wait until you have to see your doctor for another reason and mention weight loss as a side issue. Call your doctor’s office and set an appointment specifically for discussing and setting up a weight loss program. Obesity is a very serious medical condition and warrants a visit to the doctor’s office.
We recommend that you lose 5 to 10% of your weight prior to considering joining a gym. When you begin your increased physical activity, you will already feel better, have more energy, and will have less weight to carry around as you climb on to the machines at your gym. It can make a world of difference. Most quality gyms will provide you with a work out regime. If you start out slow and not try to lose all of your weight in the first visit, you will be more motivated to return. There are many great machines and exercise equipment available today.
Of particular benefit is the elliptical cross trainer. This machine is a high calorie burner, and provides a virtually no-impact workout.
When you first begin working with this machine, you may find that you can exercise no more than 5-10 minutes. This is fine. Set your goal, that no matter what your starting point is, that each workout, you exceed the previous workout by one minute. This is an easily achievable goal, and in no time, you will have worked your way up to 20-30 minutes.
There is no better time than now to begin your journey to weight loss and health. As your physical health improves, you will find a renewed energy to pursue and attain the other goals you have set for yourself in life. You cannot always control other aspects of life, but you, ultimately have control over what you eat and your exercise regime. Remember, there is no better time than now to start!
Waiting?
Recently, I was taking in the news coverage of a large local event here in Cincinnati, The Flying Pig Marathon. This event has exploded in popularity over its twelve years and attracts thousands of participants from all over the US. This year, despite the rain, well over 18,000 runners showed up to compete.
Although, I have participated in 5K events, I have never participated in a marathon (26.2 miles, are you kidding…) as a result, my knowledge is very basic. As the time for the race to begin approached, the commentators were discussing the first challenge facing the runners; something that I had never considered: getting across the Start line. With so many participants, it takes some time, and patience, for everyone to just get across the Start line.
How similar this is to life and the pursuit of goals and a better life. So much of what we read and focus on, is getting ourselves across the finish line. I find, at times, I spend too much time and energy, looking ahead to see where the finish line is, how long it will take to get there, and questioning whether it is worth it. Meanwhile, I haven’t even made it across the Start line. There is no finish line, without the start line. In fact, some of the most important races we will run, never have a finish line, but they all have a start line. Further, the Start line is the most important, and the most difficult to conquer. What is holding you back from crossing over?
Over Planning
Analysis Paralysis is one of the most destructive forces in our lives. By nature, I am not an organized individual. I learned long ago, when working in the staffing industry, that if I did not learn organizational skills, that success was not an option. I had to learn to multitask while multitasking. As a part of the organizational process, plans and strategies must be developed to accomplish goals. The problem occurs when the planning falls victim to the expectations of perfectionism. No plan, idea, or strategy is perfect
and if that is your expectation, you will never start. So, if you are considering a new goal, or business opportunity, you must set a date to begin implementation. Once that date arrives, you must begin even if every detail is not in place. If you do not, you will find yourself, wondering where the time went, as life passes you by, with the start line still ahead of you.
Fear of Failure
Hundreds of books have been written about this insidious illness. I have fallen victim to this evil. Every great leader has faced failure in his or her past. I know that I have. As we have all heard, the only ones who never fail are those who have never attempted to accomplish great things. As we get older and more experienced, we rack up a history of successes and great life experiences, but, also, along the way, we have a list of endeavors that did not go the way we had wished. Before we realize, our mind begins to focus on our past failures instead of our past successes. This can be debilitating. The only true failure occurs when we do not pursue our dreams and goals.
Moving Past The Start Line
So many times, we give up just before we are in a position to enjoy wild success. In order to cross the Start line, we have to develop a belief in success. What would you do if Napoleon Hill came to you in an apparition and told you that success was assured? If you knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that if you just move past the Start line, that your goals would be attained. Would you hesitate to get going? Of course not. In fact, you would kick yourself for not getting started sooner. Well, this is exactly the case. If you currently find yourself stuck in a rut, fearful of what move to take next, it is time to do it NOW. If not now, when? Remember, you are not currently participating in a dress rehearsal, your life in currently in progress. How much more of it are you willing to waste, waiting to get started?
Throw Out The Wet Blanket
Examine what the voices surrounding you are saying. Are the people that you spend time with discouraging you from crossing your start line? Negative minded individuals love to group around the start line, eager to proclaim your failure in advance. They tend to carry extensive lists outlining why a new endeavor will fail. Observe Clark Kent’s relationship to Kryptonite and follow his example when relating to this breed. Thomas Edison was fond of silencing the naysayer and we should be, as well. Guard your dreams and goals; protect them from attack. When I am pursuing a goal, I rarely discuss it. A trusted sounding board is more valuable than gold. Develop a relationship with a trusted friend or colleague that will provide honest feedback without shooting down your dreams. Avoid discussion with anyone else. A constant drumbeat of negativity is difficult to overcome. Do not subject yourself to such torture.
The Enemy Within
In addition to outside voices, it is crucial to success to train your own voice. If you have developed a habit of “beating yourself up” over every mistake, or failure you have experienced, you are guilty of self-sabotage. This is a difficult habit to overcome, but must be done, not only for success, but also to experience an enjoyable life on a daily basis. Sure, we all have areas of our lives that require improvement, but this does not mean that we lay awake every night, taking an endless inventory of our past failures and shortcomings. Replace your negative self-talk with positive inner dialog.
This is a process that may seem uncomfortable in the beginning, you may have to “fake it ‘til you make it” but the power you will begin to feel as you proclaim your own self-value will open your path to quantum leaps toward accomplishing your goals and transform you into a happier individual. Ignore the reluctance that you will experience when you start this process. You must end your days as your own worst enemy.
Supplement this with daily doses of positive CDs and books from outside sources. Every success coach will proclaim this as a crucial component of success attainment. It always seems like such a simple recommendation but flooding your mind with positive messages via this method must be exercised daily. Among the most powerful material that you can consume are biographies. I am always amazed at the heartache, failure, and outright agony that some of the world’s most successful people have endured on their journey past the start line to the top of the mountain. Once we understand that failure and challenges are to be expected on the way to success, we can more easily deal with them and keep moving, with our eyes always fixed on the prize.
Although, I have participated in 5K events, I have never participated in a marathon (26.2 miles, are you kidding…) as a result, my knowledge is very basic. As the time for the race to begin approached, the commentators were discussing the first challenge facing the runners; something that I had never considered: getting across the Start line. With so many participants, it takes some time, and patience, for everyone to just get across the Start line.
How similar this is to life and the pursuit of goals and a better life. So much of what we read and focus on, is getting ourselves across the finish line. I find, at times, I spend too much time and energy, looking ahead to see where the finish line is, how long it will take to get there, and questioning whether it is worth it. Meanwhile, I haven’t even made it across the Start line. There is no finish line, without the start line. In fact, some of the most important races we will run, never have a finish line, but they all have a start line. Further, the Start line is the most important, and the most difficult to conquer. What is holding you back from crossing over?
Over Planning
Analysis Paralysis is one of the most destructive forces in our lives. By nature, I am not an organized individual. I learned long ago, when working in the staffing industry, that if I did not learn organizational skills, that success was not an option. I had to learn to multitask while multitasking. As a part of the organizational process, plans and strategies must be developed to accomplish goals. The problem occurs when the planning falls victim to the expectations of perfectionism. No plan, idea, or strategy is perfect
and if that is your expectation, you will never start. So, if you are considering a new goal, or business opportunity, you must set a date to begin implementation. Once that date arrives, you must begin even if every detail is not in place. If you do not, you will find yourself, wondering where the time went, as life passes you by, with the start line still ahead of you.
Fear of Failure
Hundreds of books have been written about this insidious illness. I have fallen victim to this evil. Every great leader has faced failure in his or her past. I know that I have. As we have all heard, the only ones who never fail are those who have never attempted to accomplish great things. As we get older and more experienced, we rack up a history of successes and great life experiences, but, also, along the way, we have a list of endeavors that did not go the way we had wished. Before we realize, our mind begins to focus on our past failures instead of our past successes. This can be debilitating. The only true failure occurs when we do not pursue our dreams and goals.
Moving Past The Start Line
So many times, we give up just before we are in a position to enjoy wild success. In order to cross the Start line, we have to develop a belief in success. What would you do if Napoleon Hill came to you in an apparition and told you that success was assured? If you knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that if you just move past the Start line, that your goals would be attained. Would you hesitate to get going? Of course not. In fact, you would kick yourself for not getting started sooner. Well, this is exactly the case. If you currently find yourself stuck in a rut, fearful of what move to take next, it is time to do it NOW. If not now, when? Remember, you are not currently participating in a dress rehearsal, your life in currently in progress. How much more of it are you willing to waste, waiting to get started?
Throw Out The Wet Blanket
Examine what the voices surrounding you are saying. Are the people that you spend time with discouraging you from crossing your start line? Negative minded individuals love to group around the start line, eager to proclaim your failure in advance. They tend to carry extensive lists outlining why a new endeavor will fail. Observe Clark Kent’s relationship to Kryptonite and follow his example when relating to this breed. Thomas Edison was fond of silencing the naysayer and we should be, as well. Guard your dreams and goals; protect them from attack. When I am pursuing a goal, I rarely discuss it. A trusted sounding board is more valuable than gold. Develop a relationship with a trusted friend or colleague that will provide honest feedback without shooting down your dreams. Avoid discussion with anyone else. A constant drumbeat of negativity is difficult to overcome. Do not subject yourself to such torture.
The Enemy Within
In addition to outside voices, it is crucial to success to train your own voice. If you have developed a habit of “beating yourself up” over every mistake, or failure you have experienced, you are guilty of self-sabotage. This is a difficult habit to overcome, but must be done, not only for success, but also to experience an enjoyable life on a daily basis. Sure, we all have areas of our lives that require improvement, but this does not mean that we lay awake every night, taking an endless inventory of our past failures and shortcomings. Replace your negative self-talk with positive inner dialog.
This is a process that may seem uncomfortable in the beginning, you may have to “fake it ‘til you make it” but the power you will begin to feel as you proclaim your own self-value will open your path to quantum leaps toward accomplishing your goals and transform you into a happier individual. Ignore the reluctance that you will experience when you start this process. You must end your days as your own worst enemy.
Supplement this with daily doses of positive CDs and books from outside sources. Every success coach will proclaim this as a crucial component of success attainment. It always seems like such a simple recommendation but flooding your mind with positive messages via this method must be exercised daily. Among the most powerful material that you can consume are biographies. I am always amazed at the heartache, failure, and outright agony that some of the world’s most successful people have endured on their journey past the start line to the top of the mountain. Once we understand that failure and challenges are to be expected on the way to success, we can more easily deal with them and keep moving, with our eyes always fixed on the prize.
Getting Rich, And Quicker Than Ever
I’m so excited! Yesterday, I received an email from a barrister (that means lawyer, thanks Wikipedia!) from Nigeria. His client is a lady (that means scammer) whose recently deceased husband bequeathed her $50,000,000USD. But, they have a problem and they desperately need my help! Seems that she needs to transfer her funds, all $50,000,000, to a bank account here in the States, but can’t make it happen without the assistance of a citizen of the USA. I gotta’ say, citizenship sure does pay!
So, all I need to do is locate a suitable bank, open up an account for them, and then, “to open up the wire transfer communication,” bank wire a measly $1,000 to them, and then, once the all the necessary paperwork and transfers are complete, for my benevolent assistance, they will pay me a fee of 10%. Folks, that’s $5,000,000. I’m so glad that I check my email every day. Yep, this may be the last article I ever write for Live Large Magazine, ‘cuz I will be living large thanks to my new Nigerian business partners! I do write for the thrill of writing, but c’mon, five million bones? I’m outta’ here!
Most of us can easily see through the ridiculous scams that flood the Internet and our Spam boxes. Unfortunately, those of us who are unnaturally ambitious and driven can still be seduced by the promises of the latest cutting edge business opportunity. We know we must keep our eyes and ears open for the next great opportunity. What saddens and angers me is when the desperate spend what little they have left in hopes of that last ditch effort to save the ship, only to find that they have been taken.
I will never forget a young man, barely 18 years of age who worked a local drive through window at a fast food joint close to my office. (We do not endorse consuming fast food. Living Large and successful includes conditioning our bodies to the highest possible level of health. Fast food results in the wrong type of living large. Been there, done that, and won’t repeat it.)
He always seemed to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. So I befriended him and quickly learned that, at 18, he had a wife, a child, and dropped out of high school to support his very young family.
One day, I stopped in for lunch and noticed, for the first time, the kid was actually smiling. He explained that he had picked up a new job to become a secret shopper. He explained that they were taking care of him and had already sent him the funds to use when he performed his secret shopping. The next time I saw him, he looked worse than ever. Apparently, the “company” sent him a $1400.00 check to cash. He was told to keep $400 and wire the remaining $1000 back to them, which he did.
The check was worthless and was returned by the bank, so he became responsible for repaying the entire amount within 30 days, or face prosecution. That was the last time I ever saw him. Scams hurt.
Starting next month, we will begin investigating the many money making opportunities that can be found on the Internet and on broadcast Infomercials, and we need your help. If you have ever purchased a business opportunity, either online, or especially via a televised infomercial, we desperately want to know your opinion of what you received. Simply email us your story and contact information so that we may follow up with you and ask any additional questions.
So, all I need to do is locate a suitable bank, open up an account for them, and then, “to open up the wire transfer communication,” bank wire a measly $1,000 to them, and then, once the all the necessary paperwork and transfers are complete, for my benevolent assistance, they will pay me a fee of 10%. Folks, that’s $5,000,000. I’m so glad that I check my email every day. Yep, this may be the last article I ever write for Live Large Magazine, ‘cuz I will be living large thanks to my new Nigerian business partners! I do write for the thrill of writing, but c’mon, five million bones? I’m outta’ here!
Most of us can easily see through the ridiculous scams that flood the Internet and our Spam boxes. Unfortunately, those of us who are unnaturally ambitious and driven can still be seduced by the promises of the latest cutting edge business opportunity. We know we must keep our eyes and ears open for the next great opportunity. What saddens and angers me is when the desperate spend what little they have left in hopes of that last ditch effort to save the ship, only to find that they have been taken.
I will never forget a young man, barely 18 years of age who worked a local drive through window at a fast food joint close to my office. (We do not endorse consuming fast food. Living Large and successful includes conditioning our bodies to the highest possible level of health. Fast food results in the wrong type of living large. Been there, done that, and won’t repeat it.)
He always seemed to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. So I befriended him and quickly learned that, at 18, he had a wife, a child, and dropped out of high school to support his very young family.
One day, I stopped in for lunch and noticed, for the first time, the kid was actually smiling. He explained that he had picked up a new job to become a secret shopper. He explained that they were taking care of him and had already sent him the funds to use when he performed his secret shopping. The next time I saw him, he looked worse than ever. Apparently, the “company” sent him a $1400.00 check to cash. He was told to keep $400 and wire the remaining $1000 back to them, which he did.
The check was worthless and was returned by the bank, so he became responsible for repaying the entire amount within 30 days, or face prosecution. That was the last time I ever saw him. Scams hurt.
Starting next month, we will begin investigating the many money making opportunities that can be found on the Internet and on broadcast Infomercials, and we need your help. If you have ever purchased a business opportunity, either online, or especially via a televised infomercial, we desperately want to know your opinion of what you received. Simply email us your story and contact information so that we may follow up with you and ask any additional questions.
The Major Obstacle To Financial Success - Brian Tracy
The major mental obstacle to financial success is that some people believe that they don’t really deserve to be rich.
The Biggest Demotivator of All
They have been raised with a steady drumbeat of destructive criticism, as I was, that has led them to conclude, at an unconscious level, that they don’t really deserve to be successful and happy. The worst effect of negative experiences in childhood, which are all too common, is that when people actually do succeed as the result of hard work, they feel guilty. These guilt feelings then cause them to do things to get rid of the money, to throw it away. They spend it or invest it foolishly. They lend it, lose it or give it away. They engage in self-sabotage, in the form of overeating, excessive drinking, drug usage, marital infidelity and often dramatic personality changes. To change your results with money, you have to change your attitude toward it.
Treat Money With Care and Attention
The fact is that money is very much like a lover. It must be courted and coaxed and flattered and treated with care and attention. It gravitates toward people who respect it and value it and are capable of doing worthwhile things with it. It flows through the fingers and flees from people who do not understand it, or who do not take proper care of it.
Become Skilled With Money
Sometimes people say that they are not very good with money. But being good with money is a skill that anyone can learn through practice. Usually, saying that one is not very good with money is merely an excuse or a rationalization for the fact that the person is not very successful or disciplined with money. The person has not learned how to acquire it or to hold on to it.
Be A No-Limit Thinker
The starting point of accumulating money is for you to believe that you have an unlimited capacity to obtain all the money that you will ever need. Look upon yourself as a financial success just waiting for a place to happen. And see yourself as deserving all you can honestly acquire.
Open Any Door
Money is good. Money gives you choices and enables you to live your life the way you want to live it. Money opens doors for you that would have been closed in its absence. But just like anything, an obsession can be hurtful. If a person becomes so preoccupied with money that he loses sight of the fact that money is merely a tool that is to be used to acquire happiness, then money becomes a harmful thing.
Money is Neutral
The Bible says, “The love of money is the root of all evil.” It doesn’t say, “money is the root of all evil.” It says, “the love of money is the root of all evil.” It is the preoccupation with money, to the exclusion of the really important things in life that is the problem, not the money itself. Money is essential to our lives in society. It is also neutral. It is neither good nor bad. It is only the way that it is acquired and the uses to which it is put that determines whether it is helpful or hurtful.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action:
First, recognize and accept that virtually everyone who has money today at one time was broke and probably broke for a long time. Then they learned the skills of accumulating money and they are now financially independent. Whatever they have done, you can probably do as well.
Second, become a student of money from this day forward. Study it, learn about it and apply the lessons you discover toward your own financial life until you begin to attract more and more money in your direction.
_______________________________
Brian Tracy is Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International, a company specializing in the training and development of individuals and organizations.
He has consulted for more than 1,000 companies and addressed more than 4,000,000 people in 4,000 talks and seminars throughout the US, Canada and 40 other countries worldwide. As a Keynote speaker and seminar leader, he addresses more than 250,000 people each year.
Live Large Magazine encourages you to visit his website, where many of Brian Tracy’s world renowned products are available, including his free monthly newsletter. www.briantracy.com
The Biggest Demotivator of All
They have been raised with a steady drumbeat of destructive criticism, as I was, that has led them to conclude, at an unconscious level, that they don’t really deserve to be successful and happy. The worst effect of negative experiences in childhood, which are all too common, is that when people actually do succeed as the result of hard work, they feel guilty. These guilt feelings then cause them to do things to get rid of the money, to throw it away. They spend it or invest it foolishly. They lend it, lose it or give it away. They engage in self-sabotage, in the form of overeating, excessive drinking, drug usage, marital infidelity and often dramatic personality changes. To change your results with money, you have to change your attitude toward it.
Treat Money With Care and Attention
The fact is that money is very much like a lover. It must be courted and coaxed and flattered and treated with care and attention. It gravitates toward people who respect it and value it and are capable of doing worthwhile things with it. It flows through the fingers and flees from people who do not understand it, or who do not take proper care of it.
Become Skilled With Money
Sometimes people say that they are not very good with money. But being good with money is a skill that anyone can learn through practice. Usually, saying that one is not very good with money is merely an excuse or a rationalization for the fact that the person is not very successful or disciplined with money. The person has not learned how to acquire it or to hold on to it.
Be A No-Limit Thinker
The starting point of accumulating money is for you to believe that you have an unlimited capacity to obtain all the money that you will ever need. Look upon yourself as a financial success just waiting for a place to happen. And see yourself as deserving all you can honestly acquire.
Open Any Door
Money is good. Money gives you choices and enables you to live your life the way you want to live it. Money opens doors for you that would have been closed in its absence. But just like anything, an obsession can be hurtful. If a person becomes so preoccupied with money that he loses sight of the fact that money is merely a tool that is to be used to acquire happiness, then money becomes a harmful thing.
Money is Neutral
The Bible says, “The love of money is the root of all evil.” It doesn’t say, “money is the root of all evil.” It says, “the love of money is the root of all evil.” It is the preoccupation with money, to the exclusion of the really important things in life that is the problem, not the money itself. Money is essential to our lives in society. It is also neutral. It is neither good nor bad. It is only the way that it is acquired and the uses to which it is put that determines whether it is helpful or hurtful.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action:
First, recognize and accept that virtually everyone who has money today at one time was broke and probably broke for a long time. Then they learned the skills of accumulating money and they are now financially independent. Whatever they have done, you can probably do as well.
Second, become a student of money from this day forward. Study it, learn about it and apply the lessons you discover toward your own financial life until you begin to attract more and more money in your direction.
_______________________________
Brian Tracy is Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International, a company specializing in the training and development of individuals and organizations.
He has consulted for more than 1,000 companies and addressed more than 4,000,000 people in 4,000 talks and seminars throughout the US, Canada and 40 other countries worldwide. As a Keynote speaker and seminar leader, he addresses more than 250,000 people each year.
Live Large Magazine encourages you to visit his website, where many of Brian Tracy’s world renowned products are available, including his free monthly newsletter. www.briantracy.com
Take The Challenge
We are glad that you have chosen to subscribe.
Live Large is a challenge, a challenge to us all to embrace the courage to ignore the status quo, and pursue a better life. This is truly the American Way, the American Tradition that is deeply woven into the fabric of our history, literally, dating back exactly four centuries to Jamestown, VA, where the first true entrepreneurs hit the continent’s shore.
A study of our nation’s history from Jamestown to the Revolutionaries, from the Gold Rush Opportunists to the builders of the Transcontinental Railroad, the Erie Canal, and the Internet – all reveal one common thread; A fierce, no-holds barred pursuit of a better life. Sacrifice, hard work, and true grit, coupled with a never-say-die determination is the American Legacy. So, if sometimes you wonder, where does this itch, this thirst, this desire for something better originate, it is your legacy and mine. It is being American, regardless of when the roots of your family tree first tasted American soil.
So the question is, where will you stand amongst those who have come before us, and those who will come after? Will you be one who courageously took a risk to pursue what you wanted out of life, or will you be one of those who quietly gave up and accepted what life has chosen to hand you?
If you are reading this magazine, you are probably cut from the same cloth that we are; not prepared to accept a life of mediocrity. Today, we ask you to join with us, and other LLM readers, to take action toward your goals. Live bravely and take what is yours.
Expect a wide range of topics:
- New Business Ideas and Opportunities
- Money Saving Strategies and Deals
- Credit Repair and Building
- Travel Ideas and Deals
- Emerging Technologies
- Self Improvement/Motivation
- Arts and Entertainment
Advertisers
Be sure to check out our advertisers each issue. We will bring you the best deals and ideas on the net. Every ad links directly to the advertiser, and will open in a new window so you won’t lose your place in the magazine.
Forums
At the end of each article, you will see a link to comment. There is a forum for each article for comments and discussion.
Facebook
Gift your friends! For a limited time, forward us to your friends on Facebook or Twitter us, and we will give them a free, one year subscription, as well.
Become a Contributor!
We WELCOME unsolicited articles. Do you have a product or service to promote that would help other readers, or have something to say that would benefit us all? We want to hear it.
We are glad that you have chosen to subscribe.
Live Large is a challenge, a challenge to us all to embrace the courage to ignore the status quo, and pursue a better life. This is truly the American Way, the American Tradition that is deeply woven into the fabric of our history, literally, dating back exactly four centuries to Jamestown, VA, where the first true entrepreneurs hit the continent’s shore.
A study of our nation’s history from Jamestown to the Revolutionaries, from the Gold Rush Opportunists to the builders of the Transcontinental Railroad, the Erie Canal, and the Internet – all reveal one common thread; A fierce, no-holds barred pursuit of a better life. Sacrifice, hard work, and true grit, coupled with a never-say-die determination is the American Legacy. So, if sometimes you wonder, where does this itch, this thirst, this desire for something better originate, it is your legacy and mine. It is being American, regardless of when the roots of your family tree first tasted American soil.
So the question is, where will you stand amongst those who have come before us, and those who will come after? Will you be one who courageously took a risk to pursue what you wanted out of life, or will you be one of those who quietly gave up and accepted what life has chosen to hand you?
If you are reading this magazine, you are probably cut from the same cloth that we are; not prepared to accept a life of mediocrity. Today, we ask you to join with us, and other LLM readers, to take action toward your goals. Live bravely and take what is yours.
Expect a wide range of topics:
- New Business Ideas and Opportunities
- Money Saving Strategies and Deals
- Credit Repair and Building
- Travel Ideas and Deals
- Emerging Technologies
- Self Improvement/Motivation
- Arts and Entertainment
Advertisers
Be sure to check out our advertisers each issue. We will bring you the best deals and ideas on the net. Every ad links directly to the advertiser, and will open in a new window so you won’t lose your place in the magazine.
Forums
At the end of each article, you will see a link to comment. There is a forum for each article for comments and discussion.
Gift your friends! For a limited time, forward us to your friends on Facebook or Twitter us, and we will give them a free, one year subscription, as well.
Become a Contributor!
We WELCOME unsolicited articles. Do you have a product or service to promote that would help other readers, or have something to say that would benefit us all? We want to hear it.
10 June 2010
Credit Score Victims
Section #1: Good Intentions
CREDIT SCORING is a terrible practice.
First, credit scores are not the objective beacons they pretend to be, and consumers pay mightily as a result. To help fully understand why, Lexington should bring in an applied social scientist. Oops, right here! I'll say more about the statistical fallacies surrounding credit scoring shortly.
Second, some lawyers contend that the practice of providing credit scores to potential creditors, insurers, and employers may well violate the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), an interesting civic issue with profound implications for the entire industry.
Third, certain government-overseen housing programs like FreddieMac rely upon the predominant credit scoring system whose underlying mathematics are still kept secret by a single for-profit corporate monopoly. Such secrecy (untested and unaccountable secrecy at that) is quite the conundrum in a country where citizens demand to know how tax dollars are spent.
Finally, and perhaps most outrageously, consumers are offered precious little information which might help them to optimize their credit scores. Sure, there are plenty of web sites which detail the basic outlines of what comprises a score, and we'll review all of that here too. Unfortunately, though, such dazzlingly hypnotic and overly general information doesn't really help real-life consumers with street questions like, "What will help my credit score most today: Paying off a charged-off account from five years ago, or closing two or three of my fifteen credit card accounts? Paying off a student loan, or paying off a credit card? Paying down one account entirely, or paying down all my accounts a little bit?" (Toward that end, Lexington's Concord Premier level of service constitutes a rare lighthouse of individualized guidance.)
So as a result of the rampant unfairness, institutional secrecy, rotten science, and a virtual dearth of truly helpful information, Americans are roundly and routinely victimized.
Good intentions. Nobody ever sat down and decided to make things worse for consumers. In fact, the intention was quite the opposite. Credit scoring was an attempt to remove issues like RACE, GENDER, SOCIO-ECONOMIC CLASS, and INCOME from an overall assessment of every consumer's credit report.
Back in the Good Old Days before 1970, a credit report would very often include such things as whether you were black or white, whether you embraced a particular religion or were atheist, rich or middle-class, whether somebody thought you were an alcoholic, courtroom quotes from ex-spouses, and whatever else they could find. Likewise, bankers once withheld credit to those whose appearance just didn't fit their idea of what defined a good human being. You could even be denied because the loan officer simply thought you looked strange. Sadly, sometimes the actual reasons were based upon racial preconceptions or similar prejudices.
Strange as all of that may sound today, the FCRA still draws a distinction between "investigative consumer reports" (like subjective statements by ex-spouses regarding moral character), an activity which was practically legislated away, and the kinds of consumer disclosures we now accept as the norm. The basic idea, then, for credit scores was a good one. It was an attempt to inject science into the process.
Section #2: What Happened?
So what happened? What happened was that a wacky group of Minnesota statisticians at Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO®) in the late 1950s decided to have a look at how historical variables (what a consumer did in the past) correlated with future behavior (what happened later). Not surprisingly, these brainiacs quickly found that the best way to predict whether a consumer is going to become seriously delinquent is to look at how he previously handled his accounts. So the "FICO® score" was born.
Now, all of that may sound fine, or even ingenious, but there are several serious problems afoot, and the first is scientific in nature. In statistics, results are measured by what us eggheads call the "R-value" -- whether a particular result just occurred because of dumb luck or whether it was real life stuff ("beyond chance" to use the parlance). The kicker is that you can get a VERY significant "R" when just a minority in your studied population tests positive. So, with credit scoring, if say 15% of people with scores in the 650-700 range are later found to be seriously late with their bills, then Fair Isaac will scream "Eureka!" and proclaim wild success with amazingly significant "R" but only at the expense of the other EIGHTY-FIVE PERCENT of the consumers in that group who would never even think of paying their bills late. Even worse, using this same example, if only a fifth of the delinquent 15% subset of this group actually defaults and never pays back the borrowed money (and the actual number is probably far less), then guess who in this 650-700 range gets blamed for that? Yep, the other 97%.
Next, consider what happens to the rest of the innocents in the 650-700 range. They simply bleed higher interest payments for mortgages and car loans and credit cards. They provide a terrific excuse for Citibank and Chase and Capital One to advertise wonderful interest rates but then actually offer much less favorable (and much more profitable) terms later on. Such consumers literally pay and pay and pay, all because of a cockamamie number that can predict statistically "significant" trends for large groups but so often tragically fails at the level of the individual person.
Another issue is strictly psychological. Numbers are seductive, and people love to be seduced. They want to know their height, their weight, their IQ, how high they can jump measured in centimeters, how many paint-balls can be hurled at an opponent, you-name-it. If a single number can provide the "right" answer, then we clamor for it. And of course, when it comes to considering applications for credit cards, just imagine how much easier it is now to simply use FICO® scores! Human beings are no longer required to read through credit reports to forge intelligent decisions. Instead, computers can electronically procure the FICO® scores and render instant judgments. Sadly, the problem of false positives (all those innocent folks in the 650-700 range mentioned above who are automatically judged by the worst behavior of their group's bad apples) is ignored.
Basically, with credit scoring, our society has traded the human problem of rampant subjectivity, where anything is ripe for discussion, for the mechanistic problem of impersonal automation, where nothing about a consumer's individual situation is considered. Clearly the first problem needed addressing, but couldn't smart people devise a better solution than this?
Section #3: Shoddy Math
Shoddy math. Making things even worse is just how FICO® scores are constructed. Here's practically everything Fair Isaac reveals about the scores, a bit of happy pap you've no doubt seen repeated on dozens of web sites: 35% of your score is influenced by account history (how timely you've paid), 30% to current account usage (how much of your credit is being used, with greater amounts being negative), 15% to length of credit history (the longer the better), 10% to new credit inquiries and accounts (with fewer being better), and 10% to the "credit mix" or variety of credit types present. Scores range from 350 to 850, with the mean value score being right at 725. In real life, favorable credit rates are typically extended to those with scores of 720 or above.
Now here's what they don't tell you:
Your credit score isn't just about you. If it was, providing it along with the rest of your credit report might not violate federal law, which stipulates that your consumer file must only (and obviously) be about you. Rather, it's about you and others. More specifically, Fair Isaac makes use of what they call "Score Cards," which groups consumers according to whatever criteria they choose. Then, they run what we statisticians call Pearson correlations between credit report items and subsequent late-pays for each consumer grouping. Through that continuous process, Fair Isaac stays on top of the variables du jour which may diagnose bad future news. The final step happens when your credit report is pulled and is analyzed through the use of those comparative algorithms, and a credit score is then reported which purports to predict the possibility that you are the type of person who may one day become seriously delinquent. Wowzah!
So does this sound kosher? Are prediction and speculation and comparisons with other consumers fair items to include in a credit report alongside the stuff that otherwise really is about a single consumer? Undoubtedly, the judiciary will eventually decide. Suffice to say, if I had a diagnostic FICO®-like score for corporate performance, I'd have to give Fair Isaac a 640, because I predict that the courts will one day kick their collective butts and force serious changes in the way consumers are manhandled.
Section #4: Secret Decoder Ring Needed
Secret decoder ring needed. Needless to say, the underlying arithmetic upon which FICO® scores are based is kept top secret by the Fair Isaac Corporation. Put simply, if they gave away their for-profit secret sauce, somebody's business plan would likely be threatened.
Moreover, there are problems with the secrecy.
First, with so much at stake (mortgages, insurance policies, certain employment categories, car loans, and more), consumers rightfully want to know specifics regarding how to improve their scores. Fair Isaac's pat answers, stuff like "just pay everything on time, and pay down your debt," just doesn't satisfy. In fact, disappointingly, sometimes paying down debt simply has no scoring impact at all. For example, paying off an installment loan almost never helps a score, while paying down revolving credit card debt almost always will. Similarly, paying off a debt that was previously charged-off will also likely have no positive impact. (That said, doing the right thing merits other worthwhile life rewards.) For these reasons, Fair Isaac's summary statements which masquerade as score-enhancing advice often accomplish nothing.
Second, with certain government jobs and federally overseen home mortgages riding on the proprietary for-profit FICO® product, one would think that Congress would demand more transparency regarding a credit score's actual construction. And, of course, when citizens make enough noise about the matter, that will surely come to pass. Government dependence upon Fair Isaac provides another compelling reason for eventual systemic change.
Section #5: Improve Your Score
Improve your score. Toward this end, you need to know where you stand. The Fair Isaac Corporation now sells the scores, one for each of the three major bureaus (and you need to buy all three, an unfortunate circumstance that keeps that company happy), at their otherwise excellent consumer web site, MyFico.com.
Once purchased, you'll have your credit reports as well as your FICO® scores in hand. At that point, consider hiring an inexpensive credit score coaching service like PerfectYourScore.com. Otherwise, very generally, here are the steps you need to take to elevate your scores:
1) Eliminate any negative items. Whichever way you choose to handle the matter, whether you elect to take matters into your own hands or hire an attorney (anyone care to guess why I heartily recommend Lexington Law in this context?), the deed must be done. Negative items are score killers.
2) Pay down any credit card with a balance of more than 50% of its overall line of credit. If you have no cards at 50% utilization, then pay down any outstanding revolving credit balances at all.
3) If you have a limited payoff budget, don't bother allocating resources to any accounts which have charged-off at this point, unless you can negotiate what credit pros call "payment for deletion," where the creditor agrees to mark your credit report positive after receiving the money. It isn't the outstanding balance on a charged-off account that lowers your credit score. Rather, it's simply the fact that the account EVER charged-off which depresses your score. Keep in mind, though, that some action on your part must eventually be taken with these accounts, whether you eventually pay them or challenge them in some way, in order to prevent further collection activity or possible legal consequences.
4) No matter what some well-meaning friend or relative advises, don't start closing accounts willy-nilly. If you need expert consultation on this or any other point, go get it.
Throughout the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, consumers couldn't even buy their credit scores. By 2001 the State of California had fixed all of that for everybody, ruling that California residents were entitled to know everything the credit bureaus were reporting about them. Very quickly, Fair Isaac and the big three credit bureaus realized that it wouldn't make sense to allow only people who lived in California to view their scores, so they reluctantly opened it up to all of us.
Ironically, Fair Isaac and the bureaus now celebrate their newfound openness, because selling the scores is apparently quite a sizeable revenue source. The last laugh, however, may well belong to the consumer as professional scrutiny like that found in this article begins to undo the monopolistic, secretive, and ultimately consumer-unfriendly practices engaged by the prevailing credit score purveyor.
SUMMARY: Credit scores...
- provide speculative "best guesses" rather than factual descriptions about consumers.
- may violate federal law when included with a credit report.
- introduce an element of secrecy into government-overseen mortgage programs.
- are difficult to understand since their underlying mathematics are constructed for-profit.
| Randy Padawer (PsychDoc) is a Ph.D. in clinical psychology whose research interests range from personality testing to consumer credit. He has been featured in publications as diverse as the Journal of Personality Assessment, the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, and Smart Money Magazine. Dr. Padawer co-wrote the best-selling "FICO® 850" seminar for The Motley Fool, and he has consulted for Lexington Law and others regarding consumer behavior and credit reporting. |
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