Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Randy Stuppard - Anthony Robbins. "Unleash The Power Within"

The weekend of October 17 to October 20 was a weekend like no other.

How many seminars have you attended? How many motivational speakers have you listened to? Too many for me to count hoping to find “that which is needed” to make a difference. Not even knowing what 'that' was presents a bit of a problem.

This event was a little different. This is the first time I've attended a 'live' Anthony Robbins event, thanks to Earl Flormata of iPoint Strategies. I've listened to his tapes (yes, I am that old), read his books, and spoke with many people about his ideas and programs. Some say he's a jerk, an a**hole, but many more say he has changed their lives. I don't much listen to the lemmings and choose to make up my own mind matters of importance.

To say I was unprepared is an understatement. The man is a human dynamo. From 8am to midnight on two of the four days with very small breaks, he was go go go. The energy in the stadium thundered throughout the building. It shook the floor and you could feel the tingly sensation of energy course throughout your body. The last time I felt even close to that was at a rock concert.

There was flashing lights and great music, but this was not just entertainment. Anthony delivered. He delivered BIG. He gave us tools to make changes in our lives. He had us use those tools right there so we could use them now to make real and more importantly, lasting changes. I replaced a few of my limiting beliefs with beliefs that push and support who I want to become.

I drank the koolaid and am now a believer. No, it's not a cult but you may think that by what reading this. Unless you've been there 'live', you can't know.

I have a “bucket list” of what I want to do and become. Firewalking was not on the list, but it's there now with a big check mark. Yes, I walked on red hot coals without being hurt. I would never have believed it, nor would I have done it normally. I am telling you it can be done. I have done some crazy things like jumping out of a perfectly good airplane or rafting the Nile, but this is in the top 10 of crazy.

It has been a few days since the weekend. The energy remains. I have been using the tools and experiencing the new empowering beliefs I have. I work with new vigor and increasing energy on the things that matter.

My bucket list has changed. I have changed and continue to change.

The tradegy of it all is the people who need to go to events like this don't. Their beliefs hold them back from experiencing what life could actually be like. A life where you can have that job, that spouse, that house or vacation. You can have it all.

I suggest suspending those beliefs for just a weekend. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Here's to seeing you at the next one!

Randy Stuppard

Friday, October 17, 2008

Earl Flormata - What I've learned from Yoda - Part V

Alright - enough mooching off of Yoda, this is gonna be the last of the "what I learned from Yoda" series for the time being. Let's end it with one last interesting quote:

Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is.
- Yoda

It's a great lesson in simply watching a child breathe. It is only in babies that we see a true full breath. Watch closely as you'll notice that they actually breathe deeply each and every time (unless they're too excited). Sometimes I swear that I actually see Erik (my son) breathe all the way down to his toes. Watch an adult breathe and you'll note that they breathe just enough to live. The focus of calmness of breathing is a simple wisdom unto itself.

Looking back at the lessons we've learned from Yoda thus far:
- Control
- Let Go
- Do or do not
- Name your fear

Children do all of the above inherently. Just imagine a child learning to take their first steps, or remember the first time you learned to ride a bike. How many times did you fall before making the forward motion work? That was a true Do or Do not moment. Their fears of falling, not being let go, even the barking dog down the block were all voiced without hesitation or concern as to what people would think. Their control in their focus of thought is absolute when they choose it to be. Try getting a hungry child to think about something other than the bottle or breast that they're looking forward to. In fact children have longer attention spans than adults on average. 

I've heard of certain arguments that the Chinese symbol for wisdom and child are remarkably alike. Perhaps it's just that the clarity and innocence of a child's mind is just what we need to really see the truth. So open up to the idea that all things complicated might not truly be so if people just take a look at it from a different perspective. It's not as hard as you think, it's only as hard as you make it. Get out there and reach your own Infiniti Point - it's not as tough as you think. In actuality... it's almost child's play.

Thanks for Reading,
Earl Flormata

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Earl Flormata - What I've learned from Yoda - Part IV (Control)


Another day, another Yoda teaching. I'm liking these quotes from our little green friend. They're so inspiring! Alright - good ol' IMDB has given me yet another fantastic quote:

Control, control, you must learn control!
- Yoda



Balance and moderation as in all things give you the ability to keep control of your life, and in essence define your own destiny. I'm starting to see and understand this invisible force that we have power over called "credit". Like the force, there's a light side and a dark side. You can use it to purchase real estate instead of paying taxes, you can use it to make your first million dollars. There is such a thing as good debt. However you can also use it to buy all sorts of doodads that steal your time, future money, and even peace of mind. 

Something that I'd love to get a deeper understanding and access to would be what the creditors and banks see when they pull our credit reports. What makes them good, what makes them bad, and what makes them tick? I'll definitely have some of the folks at Infiniti Point take a deeper look into credit repair and upgrading services to better serve our clients and ourselves in the fight for control.

As I look back at last week's meetings - I'm thankful for the stuff that Mark Hui has brought to the table with the addition of interesting methods to making investments free and mitigating the risk via little known credit movements. I'm looking forward to seeing the development of our group and our financial houses with this newly added information. Check out our Wednesday night meetings to see what Mark has brought to the table.

Thanks for Reading,
Earl Flormata

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Earl Flormata - What I've learned from Yoda - Part III

My Kung Fu Teacher: Adam Chan had me read: Sword of no sword, and The Book of 5 rings to better my understanding of the true nature of martial arts. Learning to attack and learning to apply forward pressure were pivotal points in my life.

Today's reflection on Yoda's wisdom is as follows:

Train yourself to let go... of everything you fear to lose
- Yoda
In the books from Adam - I was taught that the only way to not be cut by the blade is to not fear the blade. The only way to not fear the blade is to welcome to blade. It is only through running towards the battle expecting to be cut that you can avoid being cut. The application of this practice enhances your awareness to the point where you can feel your opponent's blade's position in order to better attack and defend against it.

In terms of running a business, or reaching your dreams, it is only when you let go of the fears that you are able to focus on what it will take to realize your success. Eben Pagan was a guest speaker on Frank Kern's Mass Control series and he talks about committing to a 50 minute session, followed by a 10 minute break, then another 50/10 session, followed by a 30 minute break where you get to eat. This focusing of time and effort allows people to let the fears and the fires go so that you are able to focus on the things that grow your business to be successful instead of just being busy (plus you get to eat!). This practice is also covered in Covey's 7 habits of highly effective people in the quadrant that fits into important but not urgent.





Until your mind is focused on where you want to go, you are living in the past when you worry about the things you are afraid of losing. Only in letting go are you able to save them in the end. So get focused and get moving!

Thanks for Reading,
Earl Flormata

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Lois Holmlund - It's Never Too Late



Life is funny. It’s almost like one minute you’re out partying, going to university, starting out in a career, getting married, and the next you find you are over 50 and alone. My husband died suddenly ten years ago, leaving me nothing but thousands of dollars of debt, and I worked hard to pay it all off. So now I’m 52, debt free, with a small pension waiting for me when I turn 65, but that’s it. No savings, no real estate or investments, and a big question mark as to what’s ahead.

I’ve always been very careful with my money. “Cash Flow” for me meant going on-line to make sure my paycheque went in, then anxiously watch the balance dwindle all month as I struggled to keep enough there to pay my rent. One unexpected bill would knock over my carefully stacked house of cards. “Investing” was making the decision whether or not to get a good winter coat, or try to get the current one to last another year. “Stocks” were what you put in soup.

When you’re alone in the world, as are 47% of women over fifty, and you have no husband or children to “take care of you”, you also have no one to share expenses with, and no one to help tide you over if that pension isn’t going to be there for you. You watch your rent go up and up each month, while your paycheque stays much the same, and you wonder what you’re going to do in ten years when you retire and your income is cut in half.

I read on the Internet that “the average female born between 1948 and 1964 may likely remain in the work force until at least 74 years of age due to inadequate financial savings and pension coverage.” And that 58% of female baby boomers have less than $10,000 in retirement. With my sum total of $1,500 in RRSPs, I fit right in.

But I don’t want to work until I’m 74! I don’t even want to work until I’m 64. Or 55.

Sound bleak?

I thought so. That is, until I went to a group called Infiniti Point, whose mandate it is “To Educate, To Serve, To Profit Together.” With their encouragement, I tackled my first financial book: “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki. While I expected to be overwhelmed with a lot of words I didn’t know and concepts I didn’t understand, instead everything was clearly laid out and I found myself for the first time in a long time thinking . . . hey, maybe I can do this.

EDUCATE YOURSELF
Going with the idea that it is fundamentally untrue that you can’t teach old dogs new tricks, I began to show up at weekly meetings in an attempt to teach this old dog something about investing, stocks, taxes, and lots of words I had never heard before. Even words that I thought I already knew, suddenly had different meanings, giving me a whole new set of ABC’s : Assets and Liabilities. Break Even Point. Cash Flow. Due diligence. Evaluation. Fundamentals. What at first was mind boggling, though, gradually began to sort itself out as I came to understand each individual concept. Maybe not baby steps, but one arthritic step after the other still gets you there!

SATURDAY MORNING GAMER
And I get to play games! Whodda thought? I’m not talking about bridge, either. There’s an amazing game played at Infiniti Point once a month called “Cash Flow 101” that teaches you financial literacy and freedom. Cost to play? Nothing. Value? Priceless. It challenges you to think outside the box, to balance your income and your expenses, and then create a cash flow out of passive income that you build to get yourself out of the Rat Race. I’ve always hated accounting and working with numbers, but this was different. It was exciting. Motivating! And best of all – I could do it!

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE
I admit, I think I’m the oldest one there at the meetings. I was expecting to feel like the odd one out – after all, instead of expensive hair highlights, I have grey-haired roots – but instead I’ve felt included, encouraged, and challenged. I’ve even started bringing my friends—women, like me, who are ready to take those first steps in bringing about financial freedom. To be honest, we’re not looking to become billionaires or start multi-national business franchises. We have no one to pass on our potential vast fortunes.

We are at the end of working careers and all we want is to be able to retire and not worry about our finances. And the good news is: It’s not too late!

~~

written by Lois Holmlund

Earl Flormata - What I've learned from Yoda - Part II




The classic quote that basically says it all around Yoda's main teachings:





I'm sure you've heard of it. I think this is THE number #1 quote from our favourite little green master. The one that separates the "Do'ers" from the "Try'ers". The line between success and failure is drawn here.

Although all things start with trying - it's the continuance of the effort that makes all the difference. Thomas Edison and his staff took 50,000 "Do's" before getting the alkaline battery.

Thomas Edison and his staff sweated through 50,000 experiments to perfect the alkaline battery! Can you possibly imagine that kind of tenacity? It's born of vision and the commitment to that vision. When you have an idea that you know is a good one, that you know will enhance other people's lives as well as your own, you are going to walk through fire to get it out there.
wilywalnut.com

Many people can't fathom the idea of running a home based business after the first few failures let alone even consider tens of thousands of repetitions. Sometimes it takes a different view of things to understand what the purpose of the business is. What will you learn, who will you meet, and how much tax do you get to save, and how much money will you make through the efforts of your actions?

I choose to Do instead of Try.  What shape will your destiny take?

Thanks for reading,
Earl Flormata


Monday, October 13, 2008

Cathy Conley - The Art of Financial War for Women

I witnessed an event the other day that brought home to me how appearances in business and financial settings can be deceiving. A group of us were discussing a financial meeting that we had just been to. One of the women, a good friend of mine, who had asked several questions during the meeting, commented, “If I don’t ask questions and clarify what is being said at the time, I would get completely lost.” Later in the parking lot, I overheard one of her male colleagues chiding her for appearing weak in front of the group. He said, “You are a strong intelligent woman, but I see you downplaying your abilities all the time, and you should never do that.”

Ah. . .I thought. . .he hasn’t read ‘The Art of War’.

‘The Art of War’ is a volume of work written in the 6th Century BC by Chinese military tactician, Sun Tzu. It is the standard that all modern military strategy is based on, and it has been used to good effect on the business and financial battlefields.

One of the main points that Sun Tzu discussed is that all war is based on deception. If your enemy thinks your army is strong – then appear weak; bait him, trap him, and conquer him. If, on the other hand, the enemy thinks you are weak, then appear strong, confident – confuse him and overcome him.

Women seem to instinctually understand this. Strong women often dissemble during important business conversations. It is the classic female “crouch”. It is how we become accepted into what has been a traditionally male-dominated arena. And, once accepted, we can then display our power and overcome any obstacles placed in our way.

Weak women often adopt the opposite. They, of the power suit, wage war by feigning strength. Constantly battle-ready, there can be no chinks in the armour. This, however, can be a much more draining and inefficient strategy.

So, what other tenets can we, as women on the road to financial independence, utilize from Sun Tzu’s work?

Firstly, the laying out of plans. If you don’t have a target in mind, you will have no idea how to achieve it. By laying out a plan you reveal the distance to your target, the route to travel, the supplies necessary, and you can identify danger zones. Recognize, however, that plans can – and do—change, and adapt to those changes as necessary.

Next, get in there and fight! Your financial battle starts with your first step. Educate yourself by reading good books. Attend seminars. Start a budget. Plunder the information of people who have gone before you. Don’t wait for reinforcements (i.e., the mythical Prince Charming) to come and rescue you. Winners act, losers react.

Then, tap into your strengths and weaknesses. Know yourself first and you will learn to understand others, then use that understanding to effect winning strategies by attacking their weak points. Learn to make the best possible decisions with the information that you have at the time. Even if these decisions turn out not to have been optimal, you won’t have regrets later if you’ve chosen your battles carefully.

And, finally, surround yourself with strong, like-minded, supportive people. These troops will enrich your journey to financial freedom and cover your back as you wage your war. Good luck with your battle, and I’ll meet you on higher ground!

Regards,
Cathy Conley

Earl Flormata - What I've learned from Yoda - Part I

There's an ongoing joke within my group of agents that I've got some crazy Yoda like powers... I do of course... obviously (what, you mean you can't do crazy backflips while wielding a lightsabre?) but seriously - the only difference that sets me apart from others is that I read a ridiculous amount, and apply as much as I can remember immediately.  Stop fighting over the slice of pie, and just work together to make the pie bigger. Then everyone's slice is that much more satisfying.














If you like this Yoda translator - just check out the link here.

So on the note about Yoda, I figured what the hell - let's take a look at what he's got to teach us from the quotes in the movies. Here's part I of what I've learned from Yoda.

Named must your fear be before banish it you can
-Yoda

So let's take a look at this in deeper detail. First we split it up into the two major ideas:
1) Naming and Labeling your fears or setting your goals
2) Banishing your fears

Lately in my presentations I've been getting people to write down their specific goals, the feeling they would get when they've accomplished them, and what the moment would look like when it happened. I'm starting to share the fact that if you don't get connected to the emotional side of the decision making process, the logic side tends to come up with more excuses than ways to make it work.

After all, we have to watch our fears lest they take over and prevent people from reaching their potential and realizing their dreams.

Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering
-Yoda


What are your fears? Name and label them so that you may overcome them. It's always a good first step to the goal setting process. Write down a goal you wan tot reach, then follow it up with the top 3 reasons why you wouldn't be able to get it done. (fears) Next, write down what you'd have to do to overcome these obstacles if you suddenly became the most expert person in this field. 

Eg: I want to make 100k this year in my business

3 Fears and Obstacles: 
1) I don't have any money to expand, 
2) I don't have any rich friends to borrow or learn from, 
3) I don't even know where to start.

3 solutions: 
1) I will borrow money using credit, or I will joint venture with someone who has money, but no time to commit to a project. 
2) I will network with the rich and famous until I found a mentor
3) I will read anything and everything alongside attend every seminar to learn all that I can about expanding my business alongside finding real examples of business that have succeeded to keep my spirits up.

Thanks for reading,
Earl Flormata

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Earl Flormata - Chasing the Dream

One of the very first things that is spoken about in the book: Think and Grow Rich, is the need to create a burning desire for that which you want most. When chasing our dreams, it is a commitment first to ourselves that solidifies the assuredness that things will come to fruition in the end. 

I want to highlight the story of my sister: Eileen Flormata in this case - and her dream of dancing. She was featured in a 4 minute piece on the show So You Think You Can Dance - Canada.

When she didn't make it in her first audition, she created a plan to travel across Canada to have multiple shots at trying again in order to reach her goal. In the end, well... I'll just leave that to the video to explain:



Good work Leen, your big bro is proud of you for keeping the hope and dream alive.
I'm looking forward to working with Eileen and her audio and DJ'ing skills in the near future.
(which I'm sure you'll see lots of in our Internet marketing campaigns)

Thanks for reading,
Earl Flormata