What Is Success To You?
So, what is success to you? Many people go through life thinking that they are successful or at least happier than rich people. Now, I always have to ask myself a certain question, how is it that everyday people can claim that they’re happier than the rich? Now, surely both sides have their pitfalls? If you missed my last article on The Key to Success, just click on the link provided after reading this one.
When it comes to success, you can’t look at one thing such as, money or time. You have to examine everything when looking at the big picture. Let’s look at an example: person A over here has lot’s of Money, while person B has lots of time but no money, yet again, person C has time and money. Again, what is success to you?
Let’s get back to person A shall we? These are the people who have a considerable amount of Money, yet have no time to enjoy it. There are many pitfalls to this and I’m sure you’ll be able to point some out that I don’t. These people have no life, they work many hours throughout the week with no time for family, and they may or may not have very many possessions. See the problem?
Now person B on the other hand, these people work full or part time, yet have no Money to do the things they want to do. Instead, they’ll have mounds of debt, nothing to show for, and always worried about living paycheck to paycheck. These people generally have more time, but they’re usually spending that time working on projects at home that need to get done. Sound familiar? This is the average person we’re talking about.
Last, but certainly not the least, we have person C. These are the people who are fed up with the daily grind of going to work and have set out own their own. They are the ones who have: managed to find a balance between time and business, learned to manage their money so they don’t have to live paycheck to paycheck, don’t always have to have the next new thing, and they certainly don’t by things they don’t need.
The working class Average Joe generally finds himself/herself wanting something they can’t afford yet. When you’ve got money, it’s generally a whole different attitude. It’s more or less, “do I really need a 3rd generation iPad when I have the 2nd?”
Yet at the same time, the Average Joe, tends to be poor, worried about where their next Paycheck is going to come from, worried whether or not the lights are going to get shut off or if they’ll have enough food, struggling to pay the taxes on the property that they “own,” not to mention, scrambling to fix their work vehicle when it breaks down on one of their work days, thus costing them more money and time. I don’t know, sounds pretty stressful to me, just to be an Average Joe?
Again, success is numerous factors, how much time you have, do you have worry about paying the next bill, are you loved by your family, and what about your overall health? There maybe one or two things missing here, but you get the idea. Let’s close this out by asking you to leave a comment….
What is success to you?
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The Pounding – Poem – by Roger Hoyt
The Pounding
There is a disturbance in the force.
My mind isn’t running the normal course.
The head is pounding away.
I think my body is about to sway.
How can I even think?
When it hurts to just blink.
Is there no remedy for this?
Can I not find my peaceful bliss?
Perhaps a pill will suffice?
Day after day, I roll the dice.
Playing the game, but I’m alone.
I had it coming, should have known.
You can’t win every time.
The clock tics and the head does chime.
Written by:
Roger Hoyt
Click the image to visit it’s source.
Dance In The Rain
Dance In The Rain
I dance in the rain with thee.
For your mind and soul set me free.
Laughter and love on this night.
Together, we will not be fright.
Standing against the storm.
This is how love does form.
I cherish this moment for all time.
And hope I never turn into a lime.
For when that happens, all is lost.
Love is always the last to be tossed.
I will always remember you.
Even if it means, that I’ll turn blue.
Despite the fact, we’re worlds apart.
Only you can have my heart.
Written by:
Roger Hoyt
Rain
Changing Winds Prevail – Poem – by Roger Hoyt
Changing Winds Prevail
The world around me is narrow and thin.
This is not something, I can easily win.
Chaos and the hectic abound in this wood.
Though I look around and see much good.
People are skeptic and thus they can’t see.
The world around them is already free.
From the lies and turmoil of their lives.
The passion and love, that’s what drives.
For they know the secret, from within.
That the thoughts have always been.
They strive for all they’ve done.
All you can think of is a pun.
Open your eyes, so you can see.
Change always starts within thee.
Written by:
Roger Hoyt
Change Your Life In 7 Days
Why You Shouldn’t Get Life Insurance!
In Short, Life Insurance is a rip off. If you absolutely can’t hang onto your money, but you can pay a bill, then insurance policies may be the right thing for you. Otherwise, you’re better off saving your own money. Let’s do the math.
Today I received in the mail an letter for life insurance policies, yet at the same time, it’s for anyone between the ages of 45-85 and those are broken into different categories. There are in fact, eight different age groups, but I’m 30, why are they sending me this crap to begin?
Prices of the product vary as well. The prices range from $32.50 at the 45-49 age range to $166 at the 80-85 age range. That’s per month of course. Even then if we broke down the math even further…..
45 years of age onward to 85 is a difference of 40 years. With me so far? Good, this is all simple math, don’t worry. Let’s take that 40 years and multiply it by 12 months. If you got 480 months, we’re good to go.
Multiply that 480 months by the cost of $32.50 which is the lowest age bracket. That comes to $15,600. Where’s the problem? It’s a $10,000 life insurance policy. Now do you see my point?
Those of us who are disciplined enough to save our own money, can come out way ahead. Again, I’m 30 years old, let’s add another 15 years to that 40 for a total of 55 years. You should now have a total of 660 months. Multiply that again by $32.50 and you come up with $21,450. Not a bad life insurance policy is it? At least not compared to that $10,000 one.
All of this is done of course without adding interest to the pot. If you put your money in the bank, it would be even higher. However, nowadays, the bank isn’t exactly the best bet for your money. Another thing to look at is if you’re just a little bit smarter with your money and invest it into something that will give you higher gains, you could easily double that into the $40,000 – $50,000 range.
What does all this mean? For the price of a $10,000 insurance policy, you could have a $50,000 or better policy. It all depends on several factors: your discipline, how much you put back, and how wisely you invest. Seriously though? Do owe want our death to be more of a burden on our families than it already is? It’s time for us to start thinking ahead and doing things our way instead of their way.
Death is Coming. Are You Prepared?
Making A Gratitude Checklist!
Some people might think it’s hard to come up with enough things to be grateful for. However, if you think enough, you’ll come up with plenty of ideas. It’s easier than you think. I’ll show you why.
In life, there are many things to be grateful for and we can break those down into several things as well. When I first started making a Grateful list, it was short, but it steadily grew. Success can be broken down into multiple things to be Grateful for. As much, so can Happiness, for example, what makes you happy, that’s something you’re Grateful for.
Here is a list of 20 things that I’m Grateful for and why:
I am Grateful for the Internet – it’s a medium for me to escape reality.
I am Grateful for knowledge – knowledge is power and truth.
I am Grateful for the Earth – without it, I wouldn’t be here.
I am Grateful for Life – it’s better to be living than to be dead.
I am Grateful for Error – no one is perfect and if I make a mistake, I learn from it.
I am Grateful for Food – much of it taste good and it’s my energy.
I am Grateful for Culture – with so much variety, there is a lot to do.
I am Grateful for Music – it lifts my spirits and I’m happiest when I sing.
I am Grateful for Children – can’t help but smile when they’re around.
I am Grateful for Family – having a family that stands by you is important.
I am Grateful for Time – without it I wouldn’t be able to do what I want to do.
I am Grateful for Money – some things are just worth having.
I am Grateful for Friends – true friends are hard to come by.
I am Grateful for Happiness – without it, the world would be boring.
I am Grateful for a Creative Mind – creativity gives life to the world.
I am Grateful for Energy – without the energy I do have, couldn’t do the things I want.
I am Grateful for Science – learning new discoveries is a great feeling.
I am Grateful for Success – we all have some for of success, it’s not always about money.
I am Grateful for The Secret – that movie changed my life, the way I think, and the direction I’m heading.
I am Grateful to be an INTJ – a rare personality type is something to treasure.
There you have it, 20 things that I’m Grateful for and reasons why. You can see how many of them actually overlap. Your list doesn’t have to be as big either, it can be a small list of 5-10 things you’re Grateful for.
Gratitude list are great because you can look at them everyday and be reminded of the things that you are Grateful for. Perhaps over time, you’ll find a few more.
Be Grateful
What Can We Learn From Justin Bieber?
I know what you’re going to say right off the bat, there isn’t a thing that we can learn from him, he can’t even sing. Yep, I knew you were going to say that. Some people argue that it’s the marketing that makes someone big, or a failure. Personally, I think that marketing is only a small part of the equation.
If you don’t have a quality product to sell, then the world’s greatest marketing team will be useless. People make the argument that crap sells all the time. True, it does, but what kind of reputation does that crap have? If I went and made an e-book, then put it up for sale for 99 cent on Amazon, would it sell? Sure, it would sell, but it would keep selling if it was a quality e-book.
If I took that same e-book and put a title on it, “The Biggest Secret to Losing Weight.” When people bought the book and found out that there was only one sentence in the book and that sentence read, “Get off your butt and stop eating so much.” Do you honestly think that people would continue to buy it? Do you think that I would have a very good reputation after that? Probably not.
What’s my point? People often argue, “Justin Bieber is only a fab and will fade away soon enough.” Again, they also argue that he can’t sing. Seriously? Tell me something, why is it that all the people who can’t sing, or aren’t singing, are the ones giving critic to musical artist? That’s like trying to tell me where to put my money and you have a mound of debt that you have to pay off. My point is, Bieber can sing and is a quality product. I’m also willing to wager that Justin will be around for a very long time.
Why is he a quality product? He’s genuine for one and started on Youtube from nothing. His followers will always be there for him. I think his song, “Never Say Never” says it all. When people tell him that he can’t do this, or can’t do that, that’s where Never Say Never comes in. That’s what he tells them, in other words, he will succeed. That’s the difference and Justin Bieber and those of you reading this article.
If you’re not on top, you can certainly learn a lot from this kid from Canada. Once you’re on top, you don’t have to work as hard to be there and who cares if you’re not number one? Just being up there with the big boys/girls, isn’t that enough?
In less than 2 years of hard work, Justin sold out Madison Square Gardens in less than 22 minutes. In fact, the majority of his tours sold out completely. But, it wasn’t easy getting there. At first, no Radio Station would play his music. Not until he started going out and playing at smaller places, getting known among the people, did things start to flow. Every time he played, the crowds grew and grew until eventually they were sold out. When he started growing and making appearances on Radio Stations across the country, that’s when they started playing his music.
The fact is, he worked hard to get where he’s at right now. Where is he at? He’s one of the most popular artist of his time. He has several Youtube videos in the top 10 most watched of all time. That’s right, in just a couple of years. Can it be reproduced? Of course, anything that has succeeded in the past can be reproduced.
In this case, Perseverance is the key. If you don’t have the drive and the desire to back it up, you won’t succeed. If you’ve got the drive and the will, you’ll go far. Never Say Never, never say that you can’t do it and don’t ever let anyone else tell you the same. Everyone is going to have haters, you just have to learn to shut them out. After all, they don’t have a clue about what you’ve been through and who you are.
Again, I say to all the haters out there, why can’t he sing? Evidently, he can, if not, he wouldn’t have gotten as far as he is. Don’t try to give me that it’s because he has a pretty face crap either. If you think you can do better, then why aren’t you out there singing? In fact, I dare you to sing. If you think your lack of success is because you don’t have a pretty face like that, there’s make up for that. Seriously, even famous men wear make up. If you’ve got the talent, you can adopt the look, a look that suits you.
So, right now, you have no excuses. In fact, that’s what’s holding you back, your own given excuses. If that’s not enough, then why are you letting others regulate your life, when you should be out there being successful? That’s what I’m doing right now. I’m working on my future, my goal is to write and travel. What’s your excuse? Go out and be successful.
What Have I Been Up To?
There are a lot of changes happening in 2012. It is the year of the Water Dragon after all. According to the Chinese, this is the year of prosperity and good fortune. Is this the time for change?
Many would argue yes and I couldn’t agree more. If we’re to survive the coming decades, we have to change. That’s what I’m been doing, changing my thought processes and a daily basis.
This is a good thing though, my thoughts are changing for the better me, a more positive me. Right now, I feel like I could take on the world. Which I plan on doing here this year.
Right now, I’m posting on Facebook as I write this and it’s going rather quickly, often like a chat would in a chat room. On top of that, I’ve got “One Direction – What Makes You Beautiful” on Youtube repeat. Yes, Youtube has a repeat.
This song that is playing right now seems to be giving me a lot of energy. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s a catchy song and has a good beat. That catchy tune allows me to move around a bit. You know what I mean. haven’t you ever tried to dance in your chair while you were typing a blog post? No??? Maybe it’s just me then.
What else have I been doing? A lot of Social Media. I’ve been Networking and increasing my contacts. Empire Avenue is a great way to do just that. Social Media is where it’s at. So many good things have came out of Social Media. Justin Bieber got big because of Social Media. People have traveled the world because of Social Media. People have become successful Entrepreneurs because of it. Authors are finding it easier to make sales because of Social Media.
I’ve also been planning a project. A few people already know about it. My biggest dream is to travel the world and see different places. I’m going to be capturing the moments. Filming what I can and making documentaries, uploading pictures and special moments, etc.
I’ve made it a goal to read at least one book a week. I’m a bit of a slow reader and to increase my reading speed would be a plus. I can do that if I read more often. Most of my reading is done on Blogs or Social Media sites nowadays. So, it’s nice to get away from the PC and pick up a Book. Yes, I’m “Old Fashion.” Ever heard the saying, “The old becomes the new.” That will be books in the next 10 years or so.
I’m still planning my novel and I’m working on a Short Story. I find that by working on multiple projects, it allows you to be more productive. At least it feels more productive. If you can’t work on one story, you can work on the other. No excuses right? If you’re wondering what the Short Story is about, it’s going to be sort of Super Hero based. Keep an eye out for that.
When you’re an Entrepreneur/Author, live takes a new path. It’s not difficult though to integrate that new path in your already existing life. You have to stay positive and look on the bright side of things and not let others bring you down to your level. 2012 is the year to soar. I plan on soaring high. Just like Justin Bieber and J. K. Rowling climbing to the top, it’s my time to soar. I’m not looking back either.
To our success.
Making A Budget
When you travel, or do anything for that matter, you’ve got to have a budget. Why are budgets important? What consist of a proper budget? All these questions will be answered below.
If you don’t budget your money, you’ll be spending way more than you have before your trip is even done with. You just might end up having to go home early. That’s something we want to avoid. Rather than blow half your money at a Casino, why not actually go out and see something?
There are many reasons why budgets are important. The above example is just one of them. Knowing how much money you’ll actually need is another reason to budget. You can’t exactly go to Europe on $500. That might get you there, and that’s a big might, but what about the rest of the trip?
When it comes to budget planning, there are a lot of things we need to include. The list can be simple or larger, depending on what you’ll need. Here is a list of what I’ll need to budget when I take my trip.
Equipment – What will I need to record the journey? Camera(s), Laptop, Editing Software, etc.
Food – How much will it cost me to survive over there? Counting cheap and the occasional not so cheap meal.
Stays – What will staying in a Motel cost me vs say a rental house, or a friend?
Flight and Transportation - Flight and Airport cost? What about Bus or Train cost?
Clothing Cost – When you want Immerse yourself into a culture. Gotta buy their clothes.
Entertainment Cost – What about Museums? Art Galleries? Music? Theater?
This is just what I’ll be including in my budget. Many people won’t need the Equipment or the Clothing budgets, but the rest are generalized budget categories. Trips can be costly, but not as costly as most think. You can cut corners here and there.
Transportation passes can be purchased to make getting around easier and cheaper. Especially if you’re going to be in one area a lot, like I am. If you’re looking to cut the cost, make sure it’s in Transportation and Food. Many European Countries have Open Air markets where you can buy good quality food for reasonable prices.
Next time that you do something. Make sure that you budget well. If you don’t budget, it can spell disaster. Something that is wise to avoid if you want to have a great time.
Budgeting Money
Getting That Idea Off The Ground
You’ve got that idea and you want to make happen. How do you go about it? Well, sitting on your butt all day won’t help.
It helps to get out of the house once in a while. Give yourself some time away from the computer or what ever you happen to be doing. Go for a walk, bike ride, or run. It’ll help you cool off and relieve stress. This tactic works for me quite often. I feel exhausted but refreshed at the same time. If you know what I mean.
After a short break to rest up, I’m ready to go back at my planning.
Now that you’ve had a chance to relax and do something different for a change, it’s time to start putting things all together. You need a plan to help you get that plan going. In other words, you have to create a plan to get yourself off the ground. This is the second step and very important.
Without a strategy to get off the ground, you may as well hang it up. This is where a lot of people fail. Trust me, I know a thing or two about failing. Idea after idea, excuse after excuse, and what do I have to show for? Nothing. This is my attempt at actually making something work for a change. Now I need a strategy.
Where do you want to go?
First off, we have to figure out where we want to go. I’ve decided on England. I want to see various parts of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. The UK is a great place to start. Lots to do, lots to see. When I’m done with the UK, I’ll head off to Scandinavia. Very beautiful country lies in Scandinavia. Much untouched beauty there.
Not only do we have to know where we want to go, but we have to know what we want to do. The basics I know. I want to immerse myself into the cultures, taste the food, experience the life of the people, learn their language, etc. It will be a whole new take on a journey that will be filmed and photographed for the world to see.
How are you going to fund this project?
I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but traveling is expensive. Filming and Photographing foreign lands, takes a lot of money. I think a great place to start would be Kickstarter. Many shows and films have got off the ground via pledges through Kickstarter, not just films though, art projects and many other things as well. Just about anything you can think of.
The problem for me at the moment is going to be coming up with a Business Plan. That’s basically what I need to succeed. I need to figure out what kind of equipment I’m going to have to take with me, the associate cost with traveling, how much I’ll need to spend on food, any clothing expenses I’ll incur, sleeping quarters, and even how I’m going to put all of that together.
Where to go from here?
From here on out, there’s no looking back. I’ve got to make myself get up each day and do some research. Find out as much as I can about what I want to accomplish out of this journey. So, I’m committing myself to at least two hours of research every day to gather the information I need. I’ll come up with an estimated cost of this trip and I’m sure it’ll add up. Documentaries aren’t cheap. Once I’ve gathered all the information I need, I can head off to Kickstarter.
It’s all uphill from here. Strap yourself in for the ride.
Blast Off
