I'm In Heat!

Okay, I said that wrong just to get your attention.  But in a few months, summer will be here in Los Angeles and this means HEAT... lotsa heat!!!  It's gonna get how outside, hot in the car and hot in the house!  And when you're like me (trying to cut back on electric bills) you're finding ways to cool your dwelling place without spending an arm and a leg.

So what's a guy like me to do?  Well, I've been searching online and have seen a bunch of lifehacks, including that DIY air conditioning system.  One thing's for sure... that would be too much work. 

Here is the final decision... get some screen door!  Yeah... that's what I'll do.  I'm gonna invest in screen doors.  The retractable fancy ones... because I'm in heat!  Yeah!

Correction... I'm gonna be in heat!  Okay, it still doesn't sound right.

In the summer, I'll be hot!

Okay, you get my point.

If You Can't Handle the Little Things...

Living in California is a privilege.  Prices are steep.  Sales Tax is a joke.  Renting is unreal.  Buying a house is the same thing.  Traffic is alright compared to Manila.  Nonetheless, everyone MUST work every week to be able to care for themselves and the their loved ones.

There are no maids for us, middle class, people here in the States.  This simply means that if I leave the house without fixing my bed, it will still be as it was when I get home in the evening.  So in order for my household to run smoothly every day, tasks and responsibilities are assigned to members of the household. 

Someone's in charge of throwing out the trash, washing the dishes, cleaning the house, etc...  but with regard to filling up the pitcher of water, whoever "kinda" finishes the water MUST fill it up. 

Anyway, I come home after a long day at work, thirsty and wanting a drink, only to find out that there is no more water in the pitcher!  This is a sad day in the Arespacochaga household.

You see, if you can't be consistent with the little things, how can you be entrusted with the bigger ones?

Teaching Your Children To Make Choices

I have 3 boys and a girl.  Well, let me rephrase that.  I have a man, two boys and a little girl.  As a father, my job is to raise these kids to be good men and women of society.  And just yesterday, my first born, Heaven, turned 19.  How time flies.

Heaven lives with me, here in Los Angeles.  Yesterday, I asked him what he wanted to do for his birthday.  He said he wanted to drive to his mom's house, which was about 45 miles/72 Kilometers away.  And since he now drives his own car, he politely asked me if it was okay to celebrate his birthday with his mom's side of the family.  I had no problems with that.  And what made me even proud was the fact that he had made the decision for himself.

And that's what everything boiled down to... decision making.  Was it good judgement on his part to spend his birthday with his mom?  Absolutely.  My son lives with me.  He doesn't get to see his mom as often as he wants.  Yesterday's plan was perfect.

I've read Tony Robbins say that "Good judgement comes from experience.  Experience comes from bad judgement."  And in order to come up with "judgement", one has to make a decision.  And decision making comes with maturity.  So get into the hang of it.

Make decisions on a regular basis.  The more you do, the better you will become.

If You Think It’s Good Enough, Give It Away!

I may have said this before but I’ll say it again, nevertheless. If what you have is good enough, and you’re confident other people will appreciate it, give it away and let them try it “risk free”.

I’m not talking about “free estimates” or “free consultations”. I’m talking about an actual product or service that you are willing to give away or let your potential clients try out, RISK FREE! Okay, this is the part where most of you, businesspeople, are going to go “what!?!”

But hear me out here. Unless, you’re the only one in the world carrying a certain “widget” or “service” that people are willing to die for, you’re going to have to stand out against your competition, bad boy! And if you’re the new kid on the block, why are customers going to risk trying you out?

The goal of giving “it” away is to take away the risk factor. The goal here is to create a non-defensive attitude. The goal is to get your potential clients in the door. People in business call this the “loss leader”. And it is. And yes, there is a great benefit for having a “loss leader” in whatever it is that you do. You want people to latch on to something without them losing anything, except time. If your product or service is good enough, they will stick and stay with you.

So what does this have to do with people who are not in business or who do not have anything to sell? A lot! As a matter of fact, as cliché as it sounds, this practice falls under the “it is better to give, than to receive” category. And rightly so, marketing consultants have seen its value during the recession.

And because this article comes out in time for Valentine’s day, don’t we all do this to our significant others? Don’t we give them something… risk free? Don’t we pay for this and don’t we spend for that? Yes we do! And always, we get something BETTER in return, whether we expect it or not.

It doesn’t matter if it’s business or personal, if you believe that what you have is good enough, give it away! Don’t hold back! It might look like a “loss leader” but the return on investment will always outperform the initial cost of providing that “loss leader”, hands down.

Think about it and have a great day.

To Fish or Not to Fish

I’ve been helped and have helped. I’ve helped other people and have been helped by other people as well. I’ve benefited from all of the help I’ve received and I’ve felt blessed being able to help others that are also in need.


However, the one thing I’ve found to have been really beneficial to both me and whomever it was that’s helped me was the time spent to have taught me how to fish. And I’ve had quite a handful of “life fishing” lessons from people who took the time to show me the ropes and have taught me the rudiments to fish for my own food and to be able to be good at it so that I can then teach other people how to “fish” till they get good at it.


However, like many of you who have loved ones, we can get crazy and passionate in helping them that we tend to “fish” on their behalf. Instead of showing and teaching them how to cast a net, we set out to sea ourselves and feed them with our own catch. And there's no problem with that... until you're taking away from your own family's catch. But that’s our "nurture" instinct, specially toward other people who also matter to us. But does it truly help them? And does it truly help you?


Most of the time, the people who've ask for help and support aren’t the most sensitive about issues their "fishermen" are having. For example, in the past, I’d go ask for help from any of my aunts without conscious regard if they were capable of helping me or not at that specific moment. And sometimes, I'd feel bad if they couldn't spare me a "fish" or two. (how selfish!)


I would remind whoever that was helping me that they “committed” to fish for me! (was I even entitled?) I didn’t even care if that person was even in good shape to “fish” for me. It was all for my benefit at the expense of other people. It was their fault if they disappointed me. (how absurd!)


Falling face flat on the ground a decade ago made me realize that I had to learn how to fish for myself. I had to be a fisherman and not a mere consumer of someone else’s catch. I realized that the more I “set out to sea” to acquire my own catch, the more other “fishermen” were willing to help me out.


It wasn’t long until I had “seasoned” fishermen teaching me better principles on HOW TO FISH and how to multiply my catch exponentially. I earned the respect of others and I felt good about myself. I counted my blessings and have shared them as well. And it has been better, both for me and the person that I've helped. The result always yields a different kind of pride.


Now stop for a moment and think about where you are in the sea of life. Are you by the shore, waiting for the fishing boat to set in so that you can ASK (not buy) for some catch. Or are you out there with the rest of the fishermen, casting your net and taking home your own catch no matter how little… no matter how great?


Enjoy the week!


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Photo by Andy Zapata Jr.

Don't Beat Your Goose to Death!

by Paco Arespacochaga

Remember the story of the goose that laid golden eggs? His master got greedy and impatient and wanted the goose to lay more eggs in one day, he thought that he would just go ahead and open up the goose to get ALL the eggs. He did just that and killed the goose and discovered NO EGG!

Instead of ending up with more, he ended up with NONE!

And this holds true in life as well, no matter who you are or where you are or what you are, you have a GOOSE in your life that lays GOLDEN EGGS for you. Think for a moment who this is or what this is? Once you've determined it, ask yourself how you've been treating this person or object or intangible possession that has been continuing to give you wealth.

We may not no it but we often beat the heck out of our "goose" in a rush to get more "golden eggs"! Why? Greed perhaps? Ignorance maybe? Why?

Some companies treat their employees this way. Management make them work to the point of breaking their morale. There are managers who are guilty of this as well, for lack of management ability perhaps? Or maybe from upper management pressure brought down on them, we'll never know. Sales people are also guilty of the same "sin". They take every last ounce of revenue they can take from their clients.

We do this to our loved ones too! We take... and take... and take some more! And take again! And when the "goose" is dead, we're lost.

Stop for a moment and appreciate the people that have been crucial to your success. Stop for a moment and give them a hug or a note that says "thank you". Stop for a moment and look at that masterpiece that is giving you residual revenue. Be thankful for your intellectual property. Be proud of it. How about that talent of yours that got you to the top of the charts? How are you valuing your talent? Are you abusing your body?

Relax for a moment. Be thankful and learn to appreciate what you have and be patient. Love the goose that lays your golden egg and you will be wealthy for the rest of your life. Beat it to death and you die with it.

Have a great day ahead. No one can make it miserable without your permission!

Thinking of Embarking on an Unknown Journey? Go!!!

by Paco Arespacochaga

But don't fool yourself. It won't be easy. Yet it will always be fulfilling.

The mere embrace of taking the first step toward the "unknown" is always admirable, most often envied. And the people who dare brand you as "foolish" should look at themselves in the mirror and admit to themselves that it is them who is foolish for not taking the first step... for not taking that leap of faith.

What to Expect When Embarking on an Unknown Journey...

Expect the unexpected. And it will be plentiful. Be ready. It will be a roller coster ride. Have fun. Smell the roses along the way. It will be long. There will be hills. There will be days where you wish you hadn't taken that first step. But there will be rewards as well. There will be trials and challenges along the way. There will be thoughts of discouragement but persevere.

Everyone who is successful had persevered, probably more than you and I. And that's why they are where they are. While you and I were contemplating, they were doing. While you and I were complacent, they where moving. While you and I were experiencing instant gratification, they were creating their long term satisfaction.

There Is No Fail-Safe Switch!

The methodology of embarking on an unknown journey is to disable the "fail-safe" switch in your mindset. You cannot go on a journey with the thought that if you ever fail, there will be something to fall back on. You cannot fail! It's should be a one way street. And the reason why failure will never exist on this path is because you will be better than you were the moment you take the first step. You have to move forward and win! You have to strive hard to succeed.

How can you fail when every step you take forward is a step ahead of whoever remains still? Ooh! I like what I just wrote!

Appreciate the Journey

Sometimes, what's at the end of the journey is not what we expect it to be. Don't feel let down. It was really the journey that we were meant to experience. The destination always becomes the point of origin of the next unknown journey!

Live life!

It's Not Always About You

by Paco Arespacochaga



Don't even think that life revolves around you. Don't even think that YOU ARE THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE. With or without you, life goes on. When something goes wrong and when you think life is unfair to you, think again? It may not be the case.

The fact that you're reading this blog means life has been good to you! You're breathing while someone is on his deathbed clinging to life. You're connected to the web while other people haven't even seen a computer. You've got reading skills while others are being taken advantaged of because they don't know any better.

In spite of all of these, the world is NOT you!

Yet you can make a difference by touching lives. And the even better news is, you've got your whole life to do it! Start with your family... wife, husband, son, daughter, and then move on to your "middle circle".

Let other people lift you up. Your job is to lift them up.

If you embrace the thought that it isn't always about you, then you'll be able to see life differently and appreciate it even more.

...but I can only speak for myself!

What If You Only Had Today?

What If You Only Had Today…

Would you forgive the people who have done you wrong?

Would you ask for forgiveness from those you’ve done wrong to?

Would you appreciate life more?

Would you spend time dwelling on the past or would you embrace what you have left?

What would you do if you only had today?

With friends dying every year since 2005, I am loudly reminded of my mortality. And as such, I have begun to reflect on my life’s current state and where it is headed if I am given the opportunity to live it longer than today.

First out my “character” door is the proverbial trait… the Mañana Habit. If something important needs to get done, it has to be done as soon as possible. And if I don’t think it’s that important, maybe I shouldn’t waste my energy and time stressing about it. But all of these are subjective and relative to ones own lifestyle. In this case, mine.

I’ve come to realize that what matters most to me is my family. With God being a given priority, my wife and two children come before anything else. This is immediately followed by my passion, which are the creative arts (music, film making and goofing around). I will stop here. It’s really irrelevant to add more to this because everything important really falls under God, Family and Passion.

With God being the center of my life, it should be a given for me to make sure I feed my spirit daily with His Word. Doing so equips me with renewed mental and spiritual strength needed to face the world every morning.

Why should I get up every morning? When I was younger and had parents, I could care less of what went on with the world or with anybody. As long as Mom & Dad provided, I was good! You see, back then, it was all about me… Me… ME! Of course that changed over time. Being orphaned and eventually having a family of my own had everything to do with the need of waking up early every morning. A man’s got to hunt to feed his family. In the 21st century, we call it… 9-5!

And because my family comes after God, and the need to be able to find ways and means to provide food and shelter for them are bare necessities. And because my wife and children mean everything to me, I want to give them more than the basics in life. And I want to secure their future in every aspect.

What father in his right mind wouldn’t want to be around to share insights with his kids and to have relaxing conversations with his wife? I want to be available for my kids when they need me and to be around for my wife when she needs me. I also have to find a way to sustain my provision for them financially, emotionally, spiritually and mentally. This means I need to be both aggressive and creative. And while I would rather be doing this my means of my passion, I must be able to be flexible and provide for my family any which way I can.

However, not sharpening my own saw can lead to a “dull” me. In order for me to cut through the ever tangling trials of life and succeed, I need to be sharp! I need to replenish my inner and outer self. I need to rejuvenate my inner soul!

And I do this by immersing my self in songwriting activities, film editing and scoring or simply reading a book or take on a project.

All these things make me who I am and what I can be.

Who knows? I might write the next hit song which will then give me the opportunity to earn good revenue to provide for my family and their family. And when people begin to ask me to whom I give all the credit to, I’ll humbly say “To God Be the Glory!”

The World is Watching!

Less than 10 years ago, you had to pay an arm and a leg to buy airtime on TV to share to the world what you have to offer. Well, you may still have to pay an arm and a leg to really get on free air and cable TV. But with the rise of YouTube and other video sites… the world has now become your audience.

Now, you can produce and star in your own show. You can create your own music video, infomercial, variety show and whatever you want! You can even embarrass yourself or make yourself matter to thousands up to millions of people all over the globe. And with this soiled economy, we all have to get ingenious to make residual income for ourselves and our family.

And one way to do this is through the Internet.

If you’ve been dreaming of a career like Jay Leno or David Letterman, fire away! Your 15 minutes of fame may be just around the corner. But how do break away from the pack of millions of people who all want to do the same thing online?

Here are some tips.

Be unique! Don’t copy someone else’s work online. For starters, that’s plagiarism and that’s illegal.

Get creative. If you can’t be unique, spin off someone else’s work. Make it yours by adding the “you” element to it.

Know who your audience is. Catering to an audience is better than creating an audience. Offering something informative, creative and entertaining to a certain market demographic is like cutting your workload in half! They’ve already come…now BUILD IT! Of course the opposite would be… if you build it, they will HOPEFULLY come.

Be prepared. You will never know if what you have to offer to the world will take off or not. If what you have to offer suddenly succeeds, will you be able to sustain it? Remember, the BIG THING means there is the NEXT big thing waiting in the sideline for you to fall. And if you fail, be prepared to try something else. Which is why…

NEVER QUIT! Keep trying and keep tweaking your ideas until they fly! Keep flapping those wings. My mentor and trainer, Scott Kaplan, told me that if I felt I’ve done everything I could, I should give it one more shot just to make sure “I’ve done everything I could” because that “last shot” may just be the BREAKTHROUGH you’ve been waiting for.

If you have any other suggestions, feel free to chime in by adding your comment.

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Paco Arespacochaga is an artist/songwriter who shares his passion in blogging. Read more of his blogs at www.zyncopado.com

STOP! Think Twice Before You Post That Pose.

Is it a 50D or a D50? Is it a Canon or a Nikon? It must be a camera phone! I must be a simple Sony Cyber shot camera. It could be any brand and it could be any model however one thing remains common among all mentioned. That is all these cameras are DIGITAL!

So what?

Because of the ability to render photos without going to processing store, a lot of people have become more daring to pose in front of the camera. I kid you not, I’ve seen photos of my “friends” on Facebook, Myspace, Multiply and other social networking site and would be surprise for the simple reason that I don’t see them that way in REAL LIFE!

I’ve seen posted photos of friends in SLUTTY photos! Some are tastefully done while others were simply amateur shots. Here is the NEWS girls and boys! Think a million times before you post your daring pose online. Again in caps… THINK A MILLION TIMES BEFORE YOU POST YOUR DARING POSE ONLINE!!!

If you throw a photo of yourself on cyberspace, other people can download that specific photo and scatter it wherever they please. If it is your intention for that to happen, then go ahead. But if you think that your photos are private and you want it to remain that way. Put it in a safe place and keep it unknown to people.

Point , Click and Shoot!
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Paco Arespacochaga is an artist/songwriter who shares his passion in blogging. Read more of his blogs at www.zyncopado.com

Don't Be Afraid to Ask WHY.

Most of us may have had an upbringing wherein our parents told us what to do and we weren’t allowed to ask any question. If you are one of people, we cruised on the same ship. However, after age 16, my parents suddenly had a change of heart and began encouraging me and my siblings to ask them why they were making us do what they wanted us to do.

It was the beginning of a healthy dialogue and communication within our family. All of a sudden, chores became responsibilities. We, their children, began to feel like “stock holders” of the corporation called FAMILY. We began to take ownership of the task that was… ENTRUSTED… to us.

Entrusted, as opposed to ordered, is a stronger word. The military special ops unit is required to carry orders without any questions asked. A military general is entrusted to ensure that the mission must succeed. He knows what the mission is because he is able to ask.

At work, at home, wherever you are, when you encounter someone giving you orders or when someone is reading out a memo to you… ask what it’s all about. Ask because understanding what is required of you will give you a better picture of WHY something needs to be done and accomplished.

People who know WHY and know HOW are more likely to succeed than people who only know HOW or only know WHY.

The next time someone tells you to do something. Ask why. For all you know, that person may not know why he/she is making you do that specific task. Then WHY the heck should you be doing that “something” anyway?

Have a great week ahead of you! WHY, because it leads to a more relaxing weekend. And because you deserve it.

365 Days of Prudence

Yes it is the season of the big R. This recession has led more that hundreds of thousands of people to lose their jobs. And those who still have their jobs are struggling. Yet there are those individuals who are thriving in spite of the recent economic downward spiral. How do they do it?

It takes a combination of a whole lot of effort, some sacrifice, calculated risk and restraint to survive tough economic times. But because of our “I want it now!” attitude, we unintentionally put ourselves in a harmful compromising financial situation, situation where the collateral damages are overwhelming. The good news is that it can be averted.

Whether you’re single, married or married with kids, what I will share to you will work. All you need is 365 days of prudence. Before I tell you why, do you remember the saying “don’t count your chicks until they hatch”? This is what we are going to follow. Again, it will take 365 days of prudence seasoned with whole lot of effort, some sacrifice, calculated risk and restraint to survive through tough economic times.

Let’s begin.

Whether you’re single or part of a family, an open communication is significantly important. The goal to succeed must be communicated as to why it is important. Maybe it’s because you don’t want to die of an anxiety attack. Or maybe you simply want to enjoy time alone or with your family without having to worry about your finances. It could be anything. But everything must be communicated openly to everyone involved otherwise, the “flight plan” will be confusing and you will never get to your “destination” or your goal.

Once everything has been communicated that you want to commit yourself being financially sound, you must make the first step. Credit card debts need to be paid off as soon as possible. The interest rates on those bad plastic cards are slowly killing you! High interest rates are like Trans Fat! They slowly take the life out of you!

Credit card debt must be paid ASAP however, they must be paid AFTER you’ve paid yourself first. By the way, why did you incur credit card debts in the first place? Was it because you began spending more than what you were making? That paradigm MUST shift! This is where we must make some sacrifices and apply restraint on our Wants. Take a look at your credit card bills, 80% of them were used for vacation expenses, a flat screen TV, a game console, clothes, dine-outs and other trivial things. For the next 365 days, you will spend on wants if you cannot immediately afford it in CASH!

Like what companies are doing these days, you too must “trim the fat” of your household budget. They have to be as lean as it can be for the next 365 days. Put yourself in recession mode before the economy does. So say you’re taking home pay is $2,000 a month after taxes, the goal is to try to live on $1,500/month! It can be done! Remember, you MUST TRIM THE FAT! See what has to go. If you’re living in too much house and paying too much rent, scale down. Again, find ways and means to “trim the fat.” I keep saying this, it should’ve been the title of article.

In 365 days, you would have set aside $6,000 if you were able to save $500/month from your take home pay of $2,000/month. And because you were able to bring your monthly expense down to $1,500, the $6,000 that you now were able to save has become your four months worth of savings! That doesn’t sound like a lot but guess what, 365 days of prudence has given you the opportunity to make $6,000 to buffer you through tough economic times.

If you’re one of those people that collect a decent tax return from the US government, what should you do with the money that they refund to you? Keep it! Don’t spend it on anything. Again, the more money you have, the better it is for you to be able to find a good investment opportunity if you have job security.

365 days of prudence should move you further away from living paycheck to paycheck. If you’re on a Salary + Commission pay plan, I would strongly recommend that you live of your salary during the first year of being at your current position. What you are going to do with your commission, you may be wondering. You are going to save it! Then add it to your base pay for year two and that will be your constant pay increase. Here is an example:

Say your base pay is $2,500/month. That equals to $30,000/year. And say you make a boat load of money in commission for the year 2009 which amounts to $120,000. When 2010 comes around, your base salary will still be $2,500/month right? The beauty however is that NOW (2010), you are going to be able to give yourself a pay increase of $10,000/month without any fear of being short because you know for a fact that you’ve already made this money the year before (which was 2009).

Again, save some money for a rainy day. Rainy days do come.

That’s a fact!

Be prepared.

Less Talk, Less Mistakes

How about “Talk and have the balls to back it up or else shut up!” the latter being pretty straight forward. Well some people can’t take straight talk. They take it personally. I can’t blame them. I used to feel that way. As a matter of fact, and laugh if you must, I lean more toward having a non confrontational attitude and approach. Until of course it back fired against me.

You see, to be on the safe side, applying the “less talk, less mistake” approach is king, especially if you aren’t comfortable with the topic of discussion. This is where it is best to just listen, stay agnostic and talk less.

However, this approach doesn’t apply when you know your principles are being compromised. You shouldn’t allow your fear of making mistakes hinder you from speaking what is on your mind or in your heart. Remember, if you feel a pang of conviction in you, speak up! Chances are you aren’t making a mistake.

So, in what situations can you apply the “less talk, less mistake” approach? Here are some, to name a few…

Caught in the middle of a husband/wife domestic dispute: This is one big NO! NO! Never should you involve yourself in a husband/wife affair even if you are close to both of them and know that one of them is trying to squeeze information from you. Chances are, you really don’t know the whole situation so shut up!

At your ex’s wedding: Be glad you got invited. Not everyone gets invited to their ex’s wedding. Now when you sit down together with people you don’t know… SHUT UP! Don’t go on a trip to memory lane and solicit sympathy from the people around you. Remember, they attended to share memories with the couple, not you.

On a sales call: The customer has agreed to your proposal and is ready to sign the contract. You let him sign the contract and shut up. Unless he asks you a question, your job should be to move forward with the close.

When you’re wrong: Most of the time, it’s better to admit one’s fault than to talk defensively. Women particularly hate this attitude in men.

On the other hand, there are times when we should trash the whole “less talk, less mistake” approach and allow ourselves to speak straight from the heart. Here are some situations…

At a rally: Hey, you signed up to voice your opinion. Go for it!

In a town hall meeting: If they open the floor to concerns and you have one that really affects a big chunk of you and/or your lifestyle, take to the floor! This isn’t the venue to apply for “martyrdom” or “sainthood”.

At a club: You see a lady or a gentleman you fancy. He/she doesn’t seem to be with company, go ahead and make your smooth and polished move! A simple “Hi” or a sweet smile may do magic. The goal is having a mindset to express yourself when the opportunity arises.

The whole idea here is for you to be able to determine when to keep your mouth shut and when to speak up. Yes you will make mistakes finding that sweet spot and yes practicing this application may take you to rough waters in the beginning. However, when everything comes to fruition, you’ll be amazed as to what you’ve become. People will learn to respect and trust you. They may also come to admire you for your steadfastness and diplomacy.

Remember, making mistakes are okay as long as a lesson is learned from it.

When You Think You Can... YOU CAN!

I once heard someone said that when you think you can, YOU CAN! And when you think you can’t, YOU’RE RIGHT! If you haven’t figured out what that statement meant, I’ll give you 5 more seconds to figure it out.

Time’s up!

Over the past couple of years, I’ve encountered acquaintances and friends who seemed to be carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders, going as far as saying that if they didn't have to carry all those burdens, they would've achieved their dreams. I will not deny that for quite a while in my life, I carried the same world on my shoulder too! Hence, I was always able to empathize with them and condone their state of mind. It always seemed that the problems they would unburden on me were similar to the problems I carried! In situations where friends would come to me to release their frustrations, I would simply listen. I became a temporary relief! I was glad to be of help. However, I realized that what I had to offer was merely a “fix” for me and them! It wasn’t a real solution to the burdens they had because after a day or two, they'd revert back to the state of mind they were in before we sat together.

Now, I’m no councilor so I don’t have the savant and formal degree those people have. However, being a student of the University of Life and of self improvement books, I can say that I’ve become savvier than a 5th grader to figure out how to come up with simple solutions to my own problems.

I’m not going to attempt to turn this article into a book chapter. However, I will commit to leave you with a thought that may get you to your own “A-ha” moment! Let’s begin.

Self-doubt, frustrations, lack of confidence, being too cautious, shyness, etc. are some of the reasons why you aren’t getting what you deserve. Or maybe you are getting what you deserve? Remember what I said in the beginning of this article? If you think you can’t, YOU’RE RIGHT!!! Give yourself a pat on the back for finally getting it!

Think about the previous paragraph thoroughly. You are who you are because of your attitude. And if you disagree with me, which you have every right to, chances are you’re blaming someone else for what has become of you! By the way, blaming other people is an attitude that keeps you in the rut you’re already in.

Tony Robbins said that “emotion comes from motion”. You don’t believe me? Try laughing from ear to ear! I bet you’re going to feel better. However, without the “right” attitude, you’ll throw this valuable thought nugget out the door. Again, it all boils down to your attitude!

Here is your little road map. After reading this blog, examine yourself and ask yourself honestly if you are where you want to be. If you are, how did you get there? Was it by chance, luck or the alignment of the planets or was it because you had the desire, goal and an action plan to get there?

Now if you’re one of those unhappy human beings in this world who is still chasing after his/her dream, ask yourself what is preventing you? Check your attitude! How is your desire level? What Action steps have you taken to kick off your dream? What’s going on?

You see, with a positive or a negative attitude, if you say you can, YOU CAN! And if you say YOU CAN’T? YOU’RE RIGHT!!!

7 Ways to Stay Remembered.

I have encountered different types of people in my life. From those who are full of themselves all the way to those who would rather forget who they are to the more normal “in betweens”. In spite of the kaleidoscope of personalities I have encountered on a day to day event, it is important to know that leaving an impression, a good impression, can go a long, long way.

Why? Because no man is an island! As cliché as it may sound, embrace it and engrave that proverb in your heart. A time will come when you will need some sort of inter-personal interaction in your life be it emotional, relational, financial and even trivial. Who will you turn to? It would be kind of embarrassing to simply “pop” into someone’s life or schedule without any relational foundation, would it? How do we avoid such a thing from happening? Here are 7 ways.

Keep In Touch. In this day and age, there is no excuse for not staying in touch with friends and loved ones. Yes, you may be too busy to meet for coffee. It doesn’t exempt you from not being able to call to say “hello”. Still too busy to give someone a call to make him/her feel important? Text ! Email! Open a facebook, myspace or twitter account. Like I said there is no excuse not to keep in touch.

Remember Special Dates. Nothing melts a person’s heart more than a thoughtful greeting. Send a birthday card or an e-card (if you’re on a budget). Call to congratulate if some good news reaches you about the person. It doesn’t matter if the news is a month old. Call as soon as you get the message.

Call For Nothing. For no apparent reason or better yet, for no reason at all. Simply call people to say “hello”. In this day and age of cell phones, we all have an electronic “rolodex” at our disposal. Write your own code. For instance, label names in your phone address list as 1, 2, 3 and 4. One means you will call that person at least once a year for nothing. Two means you will call that person twice a year or semi-annually for nothing. Three means you will call that person three times a year or every four months. Four means… you should know what it means by now.

Break Bread From Time to Time. If you’re not the type of person who loves to cook, invite a friend out to coffee, lunch, brunch, dinner, breakfast or midnight snack. Catch up. Talk about “stuff”. Update yourself on what the other person is up to. Listen. Listen. Listen. You want to know more about your friend.

Offer a Helping Hand. You’ll never know when your turn will come. Investing in your friends is one of the best investments you can ever make. Yes, just like some blue chips on Wall Street, there will still be friends that will let you down. But don’t let this prevent you from offering a helping hand.

Be the Garbage Man. Yes, I know it can be stressful to hear close friends and acquaintances rant at you about their issues. Handle enough. The bottom line is helping them unload their burden. Be there for them. Most of the time, you’re not required to find a solution. They just want someone to empathize with what they are going through at the moment.

Be Sincere. This is where I warn you that “faking it till you make it” will not work. You really have to sincerely want to care, remember and honor the people you want around you. In other words, you have to take care of them, of the relationship you’ve established with them.

My father wasn’t the richest man that walked the Earth. He wasn’t even the smartest. But he was one of the most sincere human being that walked the Earth. He taught me this when I was growing up. I witnessed its full potential when he died. People from all walks of life up to my country’s Vice-President paid their last respect to somebody who made them feel important because to him, they really were.

We, his children, are still reaping the benefits of his legacy.

Where Is the World's Wealth?

There's a whole lot of water on Earth! Something like 326,000,000,000,000,000,000 gallons (326 million trillion gallons) of the stuff (roughly 1,260,000,000,000,000,000,000 liters) can be found on our planet. This water is in a constant cycle -- it evaporates from the ocean, travels through the air, rains down on the land and then flows back to the ocean. – taken from howstuffworks.com

Now I would assume that if water simply goes into another state e.g. solid to liquid or liquid to gas and vice versa, it never leaves the Earth’s jurisdiction. In other words, it just gets allocated somewhere on the planet but it is still here, right?

What about wealth? I am assuming that, inflation aside, the world’s wealth is similar to what it was years ago, right? Except now, its allocation simply changed. Yesterday’s wealthy is today’s poor. If this is the premise, then yesterday’s poor could be today’s wealthy.

Think about it. As crazy as this may sound, there can never really be a global collapse! There can be a global power shift because he who has wealth… controls! Now the argument can be looked at in many different ways but the fact remains, there is financial wealth on this planet. It’s just a matter of who it belongs to right now.

Your thoughts?

How Would You Like to Be Compared With Someone Else?

I was at a Barnes & Noble bookstore sipping coffee while reading a literary piece when some jewish kid approached me and asked me if I could keep an eye on his back pack while he used the rest room. I obliged and continued reading. Of course, my peripheral vision kept a watchful eye on whoever might want to take a beat up back pack. But I digress.

A couple of minutes later, the guy arrived to thank me. I mentioned that it wasn’t a problem at all. Then he asked me what I was reading. I told him that I was reading some book on how to sell by Jeffrey Gitomer. Of course he asked if I was a sales person. I gave him a revelation. I said “Just like everyone else in this world, so am I!” Intrigued, he sat down across from where I sat and asked me to expound on what I had just said.

I told him that I got paid to be in front of people. I told him that in my line of work, I looked for solutions to problems concerning small to medium size businesses. In other words, I am a consultant… a media consultant. And yes, I encourage clients to buy my solutions. Throwing back the question at him, he said that he helped out in his parents business and had just graduated from collage. He shared that his parents ran a vending machine business. He also mentioned that his parents had been running the business for the last 15 years and it had paid them handsomely! They did live in Beverly Hills.

Casually, I asked him if he was going to take over the business. His facial expression fell and quickly he said NO. When asked why, he simply said that it wasn’t what he really wanted to do. I asked him then what he wanted to do and with that he revealed that he was inclined to pursue anything that dealt with Neuro-Science and History. I asked him what was stopping him. It was his parents. And surprisingly enough, his answer didn’t surprise me but I prodded on. I found out that he has been very discouraged because his parents always compared him to other people.

“Why can’t you be like _____ who is now a doctor?”

“Why can’t you be like _____ who is now running the family business?”

“Why can’t you be _____ who is now an architect?”

I was all ears while he was pouring out all his emotions. Then after listening to everything he had to say, not knowing if he wanted me to react or not, I said something that made both of us reflect.

I told him that he had every right to feel bad about the fact that he was being compared with other people. No child wants to feel “second best” in their parents’ eyes. Let me say that again…

NO CHILD WANTS TO FEEL “SECOND BEST” IN THEIR PARENTS’ EYES!

I hope that was loud enough.
I then went on to tell him what I noticed about the business owners that I’ve come to meet over the years as media consultant. I told him that most of the successful business owners I’ve shook hands with are in the industry their in because it was what they wanted to do! It was their passion that brought about their career which ended up paying them handsomely!

I told him that if he loved science and history, there are many things that he can do. I even challenged him. I told him that I would like to see his “name in lights”, that I would like to watch him on the Science Channel or the Discovery Channel or even on NatGeo one day!

His face lit. I told him I was serious about what I said. He smiled. We talked some more about his passion. He shared some of the things he read on Albert Einstein and Pasquale and the historic time line of significant discoveries in Science. Then he stopped and looked me in the eye and asked…

“How about you… are you doing what you really want to do?”

I looked down and forced a smile. I took a deep breath and excused myself from the conversation.

In my head, I knew he had struck a chord in me. If he only knew who I was and what I had accomplished in my past life. If he only knew.