The Hero Within You
Archives: Daily Issues
Issue #2307
- WEALTHY: One way to capitalize on the agriculture frenzy (Rick Pendergraft)
- HEALTHY: Foam-roll away your aches and pains (Yarixa Ferrao)
- WISE: Benjamin Disraeli on heroes
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
- 4 ways to be a true American hero (Robert Ringer)
- How to find a marketing superstar (Michael Masterson)
- It’s Good to Know… about fishing quotas
- Add "concupiscence" to your vocabulary
The Billionaire Way
I just wanted to say thank you for putting The Billionaire Way together for others to learn from as well as myself. I have made it a mission in my life to learn from the greatest minds in history and business.
I came from a humble beginning… searching. I found what I needed to know in The Billionaire Way. My most important lesson was they are all human just like you and me. They had special skills which anyone can develop to attract that bit of luck we all need in life… that extra edge.
These lessons can be learned in The Billionaire Way and you don’t have to spend your whole life as a mission, as I have, to find what I found here in The Billionaire Way.
I enjoyed our call. It put the final touches together that I have needed. If I do happen to get stuck on something thanks for saying I can contact you again. People look to me for advice. It is reassuring to ask and receive advice and have an enriching conversation… I find it is rare.
Thank you
- Aaron Kaggie
President. of Kaggie Holdings, Inc.
Kearns, Utah
Please click here for all the details on this unique program.
Get in on the Agriculture Bull Market
If you have been to the grocery store lately, you have noticed that almost everything – from milk to eggs to meat – costs more. You have probably heard that this is due to an increase in corn prices, which affects what you pay for many other products.
Agriculture is booming and shows no sign of slowing down. So anything agriculture-related should do well in your portfolio for the foreseeable future. But one company is perfectly positioned to capitalize on the agriculture frenzy.
Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) operates in three agricultural segments: oilseed processing, corn processing, and agriculture services. Adding ADM to your portfolio can expose you to this bull market without limiting you to one commodity. Look to pick it up if it can break through the $47/share level. That would mark a new high, and eliminate any pre-existing resistance levels.
For more on the bull market in agriculture, be sure to read Jon Herring ’s article in Investor’s Daily Edge Unplugged.
[Ed. Note: Rick Pendergraft is a professional trader and market analyst. In Rick's new investment service, he reveals how you can make hundreds - even thousands - of dollars just for playing a simple game of "guess the pattern." Learn more here.]
"The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example."
Benjamin Disraeli
The Hero Within You
I rarely watch a football game on TV from start to finish anymore, but this year’s Super Bowl was an exception. I really got caught up in the excitement of the miracle that unfolded before my eyes. Make that, Giant miracle.
But as I watched the multimillionaire Giant players celebrating their Super Bowl victory after the game, for some reason my thoughts drifted to how far removed we Americans are from the day-to-day realities of most of the world’s six billion+ people. With few exceptions, they will never experience the lifestyle of even the poorest Americans, let alone the fame and fortune enjoyed by professional athletes. For a majority of them, in fact, pain, suffering, and fear are a way of life.
A few days after those drifting thoughts of mine, my wife succeeded in dragging me to the movies for the first time in years. It was such an exhilarating experience that I plan on doing it again sometime in the next 10 years or so – provided I can save up enough money to afford both the tickets and the popcorn.
The movie was none other than the latest Rambo (starring, of course, the aging Sylvester Stallone), a grim reminder of the never-ending genocide in Burma (a.k.a. the Union of Myanmar). Part of the movie’s weak plot is based on Rambo’s warnings to a group of well-meaning but naive missionaries to go home… because their efforts in Burma were a waste of time.
Burma ’s brutal, repressive military regime continues to systematically rape, pillage, torture, and murder the country’s minorities, particularly the Karen and Shan people. These military thugs have been in power since 1962, and I’d have to agree with Old Man Rambo that things aren’t about to change anytime soon.
Burma is also a reminder that when most of us think of the word holocaust, we mistakenly associate it only with the Jews who were exterminated by Germany ’s Nazi regime during World War II. And when we think of the word slavery, our myopic American view focuses only on pre-Civil War African slaves in the U.S.
Unfortunately, both genocide and slavery are, and always have been, widespread. They have, in fact, been staples of human existence since at least the days of the ancient Greeks, and probably much earlier. Whether it’s Rwanda, Darfur, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, or any one of the nameless towns and villages throughout black Africa that are terrorized by thugs brandishing weapons made in Iran, North Korea, and China, genocide and slavery are alive and well.
I’m not suggesting that the U.S., or any other Western country, should intervene in any of these ongoing human tragedies. Thousands of years of recorded history have clearly demonstrated that well-meaning people don’t have the power to permanently end Third World suffering. We can’t even afford to repair our own infrastructure, let alone save victims of terror and oppression in other countries.
While pondering the continued existence of slavery and genocide throughout the world, I also thought about the current batch of scoundrels running for the highest office in the land. They all have at least one thing in common: They employ their favorite euphemisms (e.g., "change") to hide their intent to further increase government power over ordinary citizens.
Amazingly, these masters of deceit are revered by millions. Especially by those politically sedated humanoids who cheer wildly and pump signs into the air as their political heroes work them into a frenzy with the same tired platitudes that have been used by politicians throughout recorded history.
The airlines warn us to put on our own oxygen masks first so we will be in a better position to help our children. Good analogy, because as I watch those ecstatic sign holders on TV dutifully playing out their roles as political sheep, it occurs to me that folks who are interested in lessening pain and suffering in the world might do well to first concentrate on what is happening right here in America. Most Americans are so lost that they have come to actually love their servitude.
The war against tyranny is never-ending. We may never become another Burma or Bosnia, but, aside from the varying degrees of violence, slavery by any other name is still slavery. Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World painted a pretty stark picture of that reality.
New York Giants Eli Manning, David Tyree (who made the now-famous "helmet catch" on the winning Super Bowl drive), and Michael Strahan are great athletes who excel at playing a great game. And for that, they deserve the applause they receive. But they are not heroes. And no matter how great the game of football is, it is still only a game.
You, on the other hand, can be a hero. How? By learning all you can about the concept of liberty. By educating yourself about the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the true intent of our founding fathers. And by sharing your knowledge with as many people as possible.
Gradualism and lethargy have worked in tandem over the past hundred years to make the odds against steering America back to its original foundation almost impossible to overcome. Almost - but not completely. To the extent you work at spreading the gospel of liberty to others – explaining to as many people as possible why liberty must be given a higher priority than all other objectives – you are a hero.
By all means, enjoy sports and other forms of entertainment as a respite from the daily cares of life. But, for the sake of your children and grandchildren, keep those things in perspective and don’t allow them to distract you from what is happening in the real world. Allocating a portion of your time and energy resources to help prevent a further slide toward totalitarianism in the U.S. is a good investment.
And the nice thing is that it doesn’t even require a license to become a bona fide hero… yet.
[Ed. Note: If you're ready for a treasure chest of proven ideas, strategies, and techniques that are guaranteed to dramatically improve your dealmaking skills - and, in the process, increase your income many times over - you won't want to miss out on Robert Ringer's best-selling dealmaking audio series, A Dealmaker's Dream.
And sign up for his Voice of Sanity e-letter here.]
Exact Real Estate Methods for Becoming Financially Independent in Today’s Market
Dave Lindahl controls over 4,100 real estate units, sells out his 4-day seminars at up to $4,000 a pop, and is one of the world’s most sought after real estate instructors.
Now, you will learn the exact methods he used to go from broke to financially independent in 14 short months – and how you can do the same with passive income every month from properties – if you attend the Profits in Paradise conference, hosted by Early to Rise.
And that’s just ONE of the things you will learn at our Profits in Paradise conference this April. For more details, click here.
Dear ETR: "I need to find a superstar marketer."
"Michael, just as you predicted in Ready, Fire, Aim, as soon as my business passed the $10 million mark, things began to get a little crazy here. We couldn’t keep up with the growth. And everybody was expecting me to handle all the problems and still come up with new marketing ideas.
"I need to find a superstar marketer. Someone who can run my marketing program. But I don’t know how to go about it."
- Randy Watts
Miami, FL
Dear Randy,
Finding a person to head up your marketing is tough in any industry. The good ones are usually working for your competitors. But although it’s a tough job, it’s the most important hiring job you have. Hire the right person – a MaryEllen Tribby or a MaryEllen Tribby-to-Be – and the marketing side of your business will be 80 percent easier. She/he will do the heavy lifting in terms of scheduling, negotiating, testing, tracking, mailing, etc. You will be free to do the strategic planning and product development.
"How do I find a marketing superstar?" is the most commonly asked question posed by CEOs and business owners. Because after their businesses get going (like yours has), they realize how much work is involved in keeping things together and how little time they have to spend on growth. At some point, they recognize that if they could just find "the right person," growth would be much easier to accomplish. So you are not alone.
Most entrepreneurs will struggle for years before "getting lucky" by finding their superstar marketer. Why? Because hiring good people takes time. Hiring superstars takes more time.
It won’t be easy to find the many hours it will take to interview and select the right person – and a fall-back person (just in case). But you have to do it.
Here are some tips:
In screening applicants, look for intelligence and experience but also enthusiasm and a strong work ethic. And when interviewing candidates, be positive but don’t diminish the challenge of the job. Be frank about how much responsibility they will have. Emphasize that you intend to be a fast-growth business and that will result in a certain amount of chaos. Tell the candidates that their job will be to create that chaos… but also to make order out of it.
Be honest about your expectations. You want to weed out anyone who wants an easy ride.
Ask the candidate to tell you about previous jobs and/or bosses that he/she didn’t like. And listen well to the answers. That will help you detect chemistry problems.
Don’t hire on the spot. I’m guilty of doing this, and, at best, it’s a 50/50 proposition. Better to have the candidate return and be interviewed by someone else too – someone you trust.
When you find the right person, make them an offer that incentivizes them heavily for profitable growth. If possible, structure a three-month release clause if things don’t work out.
For more recommendations on how to hire superstars, read MaryEllen’s article "You Have to Kiss a Lot of Frogs."
- Michael Masterson
[Ed. Note: Send your questions to AskETR@ETRFeedback.com. Include your full name, your hometown and state, and the ETR team may answer you in an upcoming issue.]
The Dangers of Sitting
You might be surprised to learn that sitting – at your desk, in your car, and on your couch – could be causing major muscle imbalances. It can…
- give you faulty posture – which can lead to orthopedic problems
- weaken your core
- make you more sedentary than you should be
- create lower-back pain
- make you less flexible
- cause weight gain
- create cellulite
- result in headaches and fatigue
- and even make you constipated!
Foam rolling, also called self myofascial release, is one way to help combat all these awful side effects. It’s like getting a very good massage. But you do it on your own, with a simple foam roller, a medicine ball, or a tennis ball.
Foam rolling can:
- help alleviate tightness in your muscles
- increase your range of motion in joints (such as the shoulder)
- decrease your muscle soreness
- keep your muscles at their optimal lengths
- help relieve joint stress
In other words, it can help you rid yourself of existing aches and pains and prevent injuries.
I have almost the entire staff of ETR – including Michael Masterson – doing it! Here’s how:
Put your bodyweight on the foam roller, medicine ball, or tennis ball. Move around until you find your tender spots or "knots." Make sure to "massage" the sides of your legs, your butt, under your armpits and sides of the ribs, chest, calves, and your middle and upper back. When you find a tender spot, hold your position until 75 percent of the tenderness subsides. Then continue to slowly roll until you find the next tender spot.
Click here to view some good foam-rolling exercises.
To purchase a foam roller ($15-$20), go to performbetter.com, powersystems.com, or stop by Target.
[Ed. Note: Yarixa Ferrao is the certified personal trainer and founder of "Get Fit in 6" who has been whipping some Early to Rise staffers into shape. Coach Yari's e-course newsletter series explains the exercise and nutrition secrets that can help you burn fat. Click here to sign up.]
It’s Good to Know: Fishing Quotas
Efforts to boost fish populations by allowing fisherman to catch only larger fish could be doing more harm than good, according to a recent study. Australian researchers say that, as a result of fishing bans and quotas, the slower-growing, more timid fish tend to be left behind to breed and pass on their genes. And they believe this explains why fish populations do not recover as expected after bans or quotas are put in place.
(Source: Associated Press)
What Does Your Mother In-Law Really Think About You?
AHH, In-Laws… Can’t Live With ‘em… Can’t Kill ‘em! Is There Anything You Can Do to Salvage This “Wonderful” Relationship?
Tired of Your Mother In-Law Thinking You’re Not Good Enough for Her Boy?
I bet when you got married you thought it was just the two of you… right? Never thought for a moment you’d get the whole family, did you? My grandmother used to have a saying that is perfect for this occasion. Here goes…
“If you’re given lemons, make lemonade.”
Let’s face it, your mother in-law (has she driven you COMPLTETLY crazy yet?) isn’t suddenly going to fall off the face of the earth, no matter how much you pray for it at night. But what else, short of hiring kidnappers, can you do? No need to fear, we’ve got you covered. We’ll show you how to control your in-laws without giving in to them. Click here for more info.
- Patrick Coffey
Word to the Wise: Concupiscence
"Concupiscence" (kon-KYOO-puh-sunts) – from the Latin for "to desire eagerly" – is lust. The name of the Roman god of love – Cupid – is derived from the same root.
Example (as used by John Updike in Gertrude and Claudius): "Within three years Rorik’s queen was dead, taking with her into silence her midnight cries of release from that captivity of concupiscence which Eve’s curious sin has laid upon mankind."
[Ed. Note: Become a more persuasive writer and speaker ... build your self-confidence and intellect ... increase your attractiveness to others ... just by spending 10 VERY enjoyable minutes a day with ETR's new Words to the Wise CD Library.]
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2008
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