11 Obsessions of Remarkable Entrepreneurs by Robin Sharma

1. REs understand that quality of the practice determines the caliber of the performance.
+ Pro Athlete protocol : Mental / Physical / Emotional preparation.
+ 5 a.m: time for yourself.
+ Learning is the anti-dote to disruption and change.
+ To double your success , triple your learning and practice.

2. Bureaucrats talk about people and problems, REs talk about possibilities and solutions.
+ Focus on results and get things done.
+ use any situation for betterment.
+ No excuses.

3. REs understand they are paid not just to work but they are paid to be scared !
+ Paid to play on the edge; to challenge the convention; to disrupt what you did y'day.
+ Move out of comfort zone.
+ Nothing fails like success.
+ Take calculated risks and Intelligently frighten yourself. Do the things that you fear!
+ Persist during adversity. Adversity is the door to possibilities.

4. To have what only 1% of entrepreneurial population have; you must be willing to do what only 1% of what entrepreneurial population are willing to do.
+ Luck should be earned.
+ Be willing to do what is difficult/stretching/requires commitment.
+ Develop people and leaders around you.
+ Spend time in silence : best of your ideas pop.
+ Build relationship with your customers and people.
+ Building trust.

5. Bureaucrats are threatened by change; REs are inspired by change.
+ Growth is messiest in the middle.
+ Go through alternating cycles of confusion and clarity.

6. Bureaucrats have jobs; REs have crafts.
+ Work as an opportunity to develop your talents, so to stand in your full self-expression.
+ Not just money but for pride and world class product / genius level work.
+ Live life to the fullest : secret of happiness.

7. REs understand an addiction to distraction is the death of creative production.
+ Clean distractions from life.
+ The best entrepreneurs understand the key in business is to shift out of complexity + busy-ness to simplicity + focus.
+ Focus on things that add value.

8. Bureaucrats wait until they get the energy, REs understand that to get the energy you must first do the work.
+ Just do it.
+ 3 Entrepreneurial gifts will be given:
=> Release of more motivation.
=> Release of confidence.
=> Release of energy.

9. REs understand the bigger the dream more important the team.
+ Select "A" class team.
+ Leadership is about influence : moving people to action. Lead by example.
+ Leadership is about impact: Execution!
+ Leadership is about inspiration.

10. REs populate their lives with people whose lives they want to be living.
+ Watch people and environment you spend time with.

11. REs are obsessed fundamentally with giving.
+ Ask yourself not what can I get; Ask yourself who may I help.
+ Focus on giving.

60 TIPS FOR A STUNNINGLY GREAT LIFE by Robin Sharma

I want to shift gears from leadership to a pure focus on crafting an exceptional life for this blog post. Ultimately, life goes by in a blink. And too many people live the same year 80 times. To avoid getting to the end and feeling flooded regret over a live half-lived, read (and then apply) these tips:

1. Exercise daily.

2. Get serious about gratitude.

3. See your work as a craft.

4. Expect the best and prepare for the worst.

5. Keep a journal.

6. Read “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin”.

7. Plan a schedule for your week.

8. Know the 5 highest priorities of your life.

9. Say no to distractions.

10. Drink a lot of water.

11. Improve your work every single day.

12. Get a mentor.

13. Hire a coach.

14. Get up at 5 am each day.

15. Eat less food.

16. Find more heroes.

17. Be a hero to someone.

18. Smile at strangers.

19. Be the most ethical person you know.

20. Don’t settle for anything less than excellence.

21. Savor life’s simplest pleasures.

22. Save 10% of your income each month.

23. Spend time at art galleries.

24. Walk in the woods.

25. Write thank you letters to those who’ve helped you.

26. Forgive those who’ve wronged you.

27. Remember that leadership is about influence and impact, not title and accolades.

28. Create unforgettable moments with those you love.

29. Have 5 great friends.

30. Become stunningly polite.

31. Unplug your TV.

32. Sell your TV.

33. Read daily.

34. Avoid the news.

35. Be content with what you have.

36. Pursue your dreams.

37. Be authentic.

38. Be passionate.

39. Say sorry when you know you should.

40. Never miss a moment to celebrate another.

41. Have a vision for your life.

42. Know your strengths.

43. Focus your mind on the good versus the lack.

44. Be patient.

45. Don’t give up.

46. Clean up your messes.

47. Use impeccable words.

48. Travel more.

49. Read “As You Think”.

50. Honor your parents.

51. Tip taxi drivers well.

52. Be a great teammate.

53. Give no energy to critics.

54. Spent time in the mountains.

55. Know your top 5 values.

56. Shift from being busy to achieving results.

57. Innovate and iterate.

58. Speak less. Listen more.

59. Be the best person you know.

60. Make your life matter.

Beautiful letter written by a father to his son and daughter. Use this in your teachings to your children.

Following is a letter to his son and daughter from a renowned Hong Kong TV broadcaster cum Child Psychologist. The words are actually applicable to all of us, young or old, children or parents!

I am writing this to you because of 3 reasons

1. Life, fortune and mishaps are unpredictable, nobody knows how long he lives. Some words are better said early.

2. I am your father, and if I don't tell you these, no one else will.

3. What is written is my own personal bitter experiences that perhaps could save you a lot of unnecessary heartaches.

Remember the following as you go through life

1. Do not bear grudge towards those who are not good to you. No one has the responsibility of treating you well, except your mother and I. To those who are good to you, you have to treasure it and be thankful, and ALSO you have to be cautious, because, everyone has a motive for every move. When a person is good to you, it does not mean he really likes you. You have to be careful, don't hastily regard him as a real friend.

2. No one is indispensable, nothing in the world that you must possess. Once you understand this idea, it would be easier for you to go through life when people around you don't want you anymore, or when you lose what/who you love most.

3. Life is short. When you waste your life today, tomorrow you would find that life is leaving you. The earlier you treasure your life, the better you enjoy life.

4. Love is but a transient feeling, and this feeling would fade with time and with one's mood. If your so called loved one leaves you, be patient, time will wash away your aches and sadness. Don't over exaggerate the beauty and sweetness of love, and don't over exaggerate the sadness of falling out of love.

5. A lot of successful people did not receive a good education, that does not mean that you can be successful by not studying hard! Whatever knowledge you gain is your weapon in life. One can go from rags to riches, but one has to start from some rags!

6. I do not expect you to financially support me when I am old, either would I financially support your whole life. My responsibility as a supporter ends when you are grown up. After that, you decide whether you want to travel in a public transport or in your limousine, whether rich or poor.

7. You honor your words, but don't expect others to be so. You can be good to people, but don't expect people to be good to you. If you don't understand this, you would end up with unnecessary troubles.

8. I have bought lotteries for umpteen years, but I never strike any prize. That shows if you want to be rich, you have to work hard! There is no free lunch!

9. No matter how much time I have with you, let's treasure the time we have together. We do not know if we would meet again in our next life.

Your Dad and Mum

Thank God For The TATA's - By L. N. Mittal

Subject: Thank God For The TATA's - By L. N. Mittal ......
a wonderful article
________________________________
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2010 23:18:10 -0700
A TRIBUTE - Thank God For The TATA’s.

By Lakshmi Mittal

As Lakshmi Mittal says ......... we have more to be proud off than
what the Infosys and Wipro's of India provide ...........

I visited Jamshedpur over the weekend to see for myself an India that
is fast disappearing despite all the wolf-cries of people like
Narayanamurthy and his ilk.

It is one thing to talk and quite another to do and I am delighted to
tell you that Ratan Tata has kept alive the legacy of perhaps India's
finest industrialist J.N. Tata.

Something that some people doubted when Ratan took over the House of
the Tata's but in hindsight, the best thing to have happened to the
Tata's is unquestionably Ratan.

I was amazed to see the extent of corporate philanthropy and this is
no exaggeration.

For the breed that talks about corporate social responsibility and
talks about the role of corporate India, a visit to Jamshedpur is a
must.

Go there and see the amount of money they pump into keeping the town
going; see the smiling faces of workers in a region known for
industrial unrest; see the standard of living in a city that is almost
isolated from the mess in the rest of the country. This is not meant
to be a puff piece. I have nothing to do with Tata
Steel, but I strongly believe the message of hope and the message of
goodness that they are spreading is worth sharing. The fact that you
do have companies in India which look at workers as human beings and
who do not blow their software trumpet of having changed lives. In
fact, I asked Mr. Muthurman, the managing director, as to why he was
so quiet about all they had done and all he could offer in return was
a smile wrapped in humility, which said it all.

They have done so much more since I last visited Jamshedpur, which was
in 1992. The town has obviously got busier but the values thankfully
haven't changed. The food is still as amazing as it always was and I
gorged, as I would normally do. I visited the plant and the last time
I did that was with Russi Mody. But the plant this time was gleaming
and far from what it used to be. Greener and cleaner and a tribute to
environment management.

You could have been in the mountains. Such was the quality of air I
inhaled! There was no belching smoke, no tired faces and so many more
women
workers, even on the shop floor. This is true gender equality and not
the kind that is often espoused at seminars organised by angry
activists. I met so many old friends. Most of them have aged but not
grown old. There was a spring in the air which came from a certain
calmness which has always been the hallmark of Jamshedpur and
something I savoured for a full two days in between receiving messages
of how boring and decrepit the lack luster Fashion Week was.
Jamshedji Nusserwanji Tata had created an edifice that is today a
robust company and it is not about profits and about valuation. It is
not about who becomes a millionaire and who doesn't'. It is about
getting the job done with dignity and respect keeping the age-old
values intact and this is what I learnt.

I jokingly asked someone as to whether they ever thought of joining an
Infosys or a Wipro and pat came the reply: "We are not interested in
becoming crorepatis but in making others crorepatis." Which is exactly
what the Tata's have done for years in and around Jamshedpur. Very few
people know that Jamshedpur has been selected as a UN Global Compact
City, edging out the other nominee from India, Bangalore. Selected
because of the quality of life, because of the conditions of
sanitation and roads and welfare. If this is not a tribute to
industrial India, then what is?

Today, Indian needs several Jamshedpur’s but it also needs this
Jamshedpur to be given its fair due, its recognition. I am tired of
campus visits being publicises to the Infosys and the Wipro's of the
world. Modern India is being built in Jamshedpur as we speak. An India
built on the strength of core convictions and nothing was more
apparent about that than the experiment with truth and reality that
Tata Steel is conducting at Pipla.

Forty-eight tribal girls (yes, tribal girls who these corrupt and evil
politicians only talk about but do nothing for) are being educated
through a residential program over nine months. I went to visit them
and I spoke to them in a language that they have just learnt :
Bengali. Eight weeks ago, they could only speak in Sainthali, their
local dialect. But today, they are brimming with a confidence that
will bring tears to your eyes. It did to mine. One of them has just
been selected to represent Jharkand in the state archery competition.
They have their own women's football team and what's more they are now
fond of education. It is a passion and not a burden.

This was possible because I guess people like Ratan Tata and Muthurman
haven't sold their souls to some business management drivel, which
tells us that we must only do business and nothing else. The fact that
not one Tata executive has been touched by the Naxalites in that area
talks about the social respect that the Tata's have earned.



The Tata's do not need this piece to be praised and lauded. My intent
is to share the larger picture that we so often miss in the haze of
the slime and sleaze that politics imparts. My submissions to those
who use phrases such as "feel-good" and "India Shining" must first
visit Jamshedpur to understand what it all means.
See Tata Steel in action to know what companies can do if they wish
to. And what corporate India needs to do. Murli Manohar Joshi would be
better off seeing what Tata Steel has done by creating the Xavier
Institute of Tribal Education rather than by proffering excuses for
the imbroglio in the IIMs.

This is where the Advani's and Vajpayee’s need to pay homage. Not to
all the Sai Babas and the Hugging saints that they are so busy with.
India is changing inspite of them and they need to realise that. I
couldn't have spent a more humane and wonderful weekend. Jamshedpur is
an eye-opener and a role model, which should be made mandatory for
replication. I saw corporate India actually participate in basic
nation-building, for when these tribal girls go back to their
villages, they will return with knowledge that will truly be
life-altering.

Corporate India can do it but most of the time is willing to shy away.
For those corporate leaders who are happier winning awards and being
interviewed on their choice of clothes, my advice is visit Tata Steel,
spend some days at Jamshedpur and see a nation's transformation. That
is true service.

Tata Steel celebrated 100 years of existence in 2007. It won't be just
a milestone in this company's history. It will be a milestone, to my
mind of corporate transparency and generosity in this country. It is
indeed fitting that Ratan Tata today heads a group that has people who
are committed to nation building than just building influence and
power.

JRD must be smiling wherever he is. And so must Jamshedji Nusserwanji.
These people today have literally climbed every last blue mountain.
And continue to do so with vigour and passion.

Thank God For The Tatas!

Robin's 73 Best Business and Success Lessons

Robin Sharma is the bestselling author of "The Leader Who Had No Title:

# You can really Lead Without a Title.

# Knowing what to do and not doing it is the same as not knowing what to do.

# Give away what you most wish to receive.

# The antidote to stagnation is innovation.

# The conversations you are most resisting are the conversations you most need to be having.

# Leadership is no longer about position - but passion. It's no longer about image but impact. This is Leadership 2.0.

# The bigger the dream, the more important to the team.

# Visionaries see the "impossible" as the inevitable.

# All great thinkers are initially ridiculed - and eventually revered.

# The more you worry about being applauded by others and making money, the less you'll focus on doing the great work that will generate applause. And make you money.

# To double your net worth, double your self-worth. Because you will never exceed the height of your self-image.

# The more messes you allow into your life, the more messes will become a normal (and acceptable) part of your life.

# The secret to genius is not genetics but daily practice married with relentless perseverance.

# The best leaders lift people up versus tear people down.

# The most precious resource for businesspeople is not their time. It's their energy. Manage it well.

# The fears you run from run to you.

# The most dangerous place is in your safety zone.

# The more you go to your limits, the more your limits will expand.

# Every moment in front of a customer is a gorgeous opportunity to live your values.

# Be so good at what you do that no one else in the world can do what you do.

# You'll never go wrong in doing what is right.

# It generally takes about 10 years to become an overnight sensation.

# Never leave the site of a strong idea without doing something to execute around it.

# A strong foundation at home sets you up for a strong foundation at work.

# Never miss a moment to encourage someone you work with.

# Saying "I'll try" really means "I'm not really committed."

# The secret of passion is purpose.

# Do a few things at mastery versus many things at mediocrity.

# To have the rewards that very few have, do the things that very few people are willing to do.

# Go where no one's gone and leave a trail of excellence behind you.

# Who you are becoming is more important than what you are accumulating.

# Accept your teammates for what they are and inspire them to become all they can be.

# To triple the growth of your organization, triple the growth of your people.

# The best leaders are the most dedicated learners. Read great books daily. Investing in your self-development is the best investment you will ever make.

# Other people's opinions of you are none of your business.

# Change is hardest at the beginning, messiest in the middle and best at the end.

# Measure your success by your inner scorecard versus an outer one.

# Understand the acute difference between the cost of something and the value of something.

# Nothing fails like success. Because when you are at the top, it's so easy to stop doing the very things that brought you to the top.

# The best leaders blend courage with compassion.

# The less you are like others, the less others will like you.

# You'll never go wrong in doing what's right.

# Excellence in one area is the beginning of excellence in every area.

# The real reward for doing your best work is not the money you make but the leader you become.

# Passion + production = performance.

# The value of getting to your goals lives not in reaching the goal but what the talents/strengths/capabilities the journey reveals to you.

# Stand for something. Or else you'll fall for anything.

# Say "thank you" when you're grateful and "sorry" when you're wrong.

# Make the work you are doing today better than the work you did yesterday.

# Small daily - seemingly insignificant - improvements and innovations lead to staggering achievements over time.

# Peak performers replace depletion with inspiration on a daily basis.

# Take care of your relationships and the sales/money will take care of itself.

# You can't be great if you don't feel great. Make exceptional health your #1 priority.

# Doing the difficult things that you've never done awakens the talents you never knew you had.

# As we each express our natural genius, we all elevate our world.

# Your daily schedule reflects your deepest values.

# People do business with people who make them feel special.

# All things being equal, the primary competitive advantage of your business will be your ability to grow Leaders Without Titles faster than your industry peers.

# Treat people well on your way up and they'll treat you well on your way down.

# Success lies in a masterful consistency around a few fundamentals. It really is simple. Not easy. But simple.

# The business (and person) who tries to be everything to everyone ends up being nothing to anyone.

# One of the primary tactics for enduring winning is daily learning.

# To have everything you want, help as many people as you can possibly find get everything they want.

# Understand that a problem is only a problem if you choose to view it as a problem (vs. an opportunity).

# Clarity precedes mastery. Craft clear and precise plans/goals/deliverables. And then block out all else.

# The best in business spend far more time on learning than in leisure.

# Lucky is where skill meets persistence.

# The best Leaders Without a Title use their heads and listen to their hearts.

# The things that are hardest to do are often the things that are the best to do.

# Every single person in the world could be a genius at something, if they practiced it daily for at least ten years (as confirmed by the research of Anders Ericsson and others).

# Daily exercise is an insurance policy against future illness. The best Leaders Without Titles are the fittest.

# Education is the beginning of transformation. Dedicate yourself to daily learning via books/audios/seminars and coaching.

# The quickest way to grow the sales of your business is to grow your people.

Stop Living for the Approval of Women by Wayne M. Levine, M.A.

No one wants to admit they’re not funny. Have you ever met a man who willingly confesses to it? Now, you know he’s not terribly funny, and everyone else can clearly see that he’s not funny. But he still cracks his bad jokes as you all groan. In the end, though, there’s usually little harm done as a result of his state of denial.

Now, how many men will admit to needing the approval of women? Have you met many? As men get older, and they’ve suffered long enough, they’ll start to admit it and work toward change. But what about your buddies? Have you seen them shackled by this need for approval? What about you? Have you had the courage to honestly take stock and see where your need for approval is preventing you from being the man you want to be? Ready to stop denying and start growing up?

First, let’s define approval as it relates to our relationships with women. Approval is her permission for you to take an action. Approval is her acknowledgment that she won’t take you to task for your choice…maybe. Approval is giving away your power to do as you see fit. In other words, needing the approval of women makes you a pleaser.

Stick around for a moment and you’ll learn how curing yourself of this tendency to please will actually allow you to be happier in your own skin, be more respectful, be more respected, be a better partner, more compassionate, more present, a better example to your kids, and be more of the man she actually wants you to be.

Where Did It Start?

Where does this need for the approval of women come from? As with most of our emotional, psychological, and relationship challenges, the seeds were planted a long time ago in a galaxy, seemingly far, far away…your childhood.

In your home, with your parent(s), you learned more than you might have realized. You learned what a man is and how one behaves. You learned what a woman is. You learned what a marriage or relationship between the two looks like. It looks just like mom and dad, or mom and boyfriend, or dad with girlfriends, or either…alone, unhappy.

You learned how to treat women. You learned how to get what you feel you needed. You learned how to cause chaos, how to avoid crisis, how to calm the waters, how to medicate your pain. In a nutshell, you learned how to be the man you are today primarily from what you saw in those early days.

What, precisely, did you see and you learn? How did your father, or lack of dad, mold you? What did you learn about how a man behaves with a woman? If you’re a man who currently seeks the approval of women, you probably learned it from dad. Either he demonstrated the same behaviors, or he was just the opposite (neglectful, abusive, etc.) In this case, perhaps you learned how to behave differently with your mom so that she wouldn’t take her anger and unhappiness out on the other man in the house, you. You learned how to survive, to avoid pain. It was a good thing. You coped. But now you’re stuck in that behavior while your circumstances have probably changed considerably.

Now you’re a man. You fear confrontation. It’s intolerable for her to be upset with you. You’ll go to almost any length—and you have—to please her, to make your discomfort disappear…for the moment. Sound familiar?

The ugly truth.

What exactly is it that you do to protect yourself from her displeasure? You send up trial balloons to see if you can get a tentative approval by tentatively suggesting a tentative idea you had. You edit yourself and avoid saying or doing what you know will provoke her. You spend an inordinate amount of time and energy concerned about how she feels and how she’ll react. You’ve been rationalizing, compromising, second-guessing, playing it safe, and avoiding confrontation. As a result, you’ve slowly forgotten what really matters to you, what you were once passionate about, how you truly feel about issues, yourself, and others. Meanwhile, if you’re a dad, you’re passing this all onto the next generation—your legacy.

Now, let’s take a step back in time. When you first met her, none of this was seemingly a problem. You were “in love.” It was easy to dismiss little issues. After all, you’re a master of denial. And, you were, hopefully getting laid all the time. Life was good.

But then things began to change, or was it her? You found yourself less happy, more irritable, frustrated. You agreed to see your buddies less often back in the day. Why? To please her. But now your buddies are calling you “whipped.” They’ve lost respect for you, while you’ve lost respect for yourself. In addition you’re probably a bit lonely, angry, and now blaming her.

What to do next.

Now what are you supposed to do? How do you change course after all these years? You’ve thought about these things many times. But you can’t, for the life of you, imagine how anything you do could lead to a better relationship with her. After all, you know her and you know how she is. Things won’t change. Not true. When YOU change, it all changes. Will she still want to be around when you’ve made the change? Too soon to tell. But really, if you want to be happy, confident, proud, successful, if you want to be a great man, father and husband, do you really have a choice but to change?

Let me suggest a few action items. There’s a level of awareness you need to achieve, while you take steps to change your behavior. Although the process can feel overwhelming, all I can tell you is that many men have succeeded in becoming better men starting at the same spot you find yourself in today.

Take risks.

Pleasers are not known for their risk-taking. For some, a risk might include jumping out of an airplane. Skydiving may seem like a cakewalk to a pleaser compared to, let’s say, letting your wife know exactly how you’d like to handle the discipline the next time your son is disrespectful. Or, making reservations for a restaurant you’d really like to go to and then taking care of your woman without worrying whether she’ll approve of your choice.

Create a new context.

Ever been in the presence of an extremely confident man? You know almost immediately when he’s entered the room. Everyone does. The energy he’s putting out is palpable, and it’s affecting those around him. People respond subconsciously to that energy.

As a pleaser, you emit your own kind energy. Again, those around you respond to it. That’s why you often don’t have a voice—you’re too busy accommodating those who have pegged you as someone who will satisfy their needs. That’s why it’s critical for you to begin to consciously choose a new path.

Your context is where you’re coming from as you enter the room, begin a discussion, plan an event, or go out on a date. Imagine yourself wearing a sandwich board with your context written on it for the world to see. Because that’s how obvious it is, already, to everyone who meets you. This is your mantra, this is your attitude, this is the man you want to be in that very moment.

Let’s say your woman asked you to pick up something from the store for dinner. Try as you might, you couldn’t find the exact item. So, you bought something close. Your current context as you arrive home might sound like this: I hope she doesn’t give me a hard time. A better context would be: Dinner is going to be great and I love you. Hear the difference? This attitude will change the way you walk into the house, the way you give her the alternative item, the way you’ll respond to her criticism, the way you’ll continue to be the man you want to be for the entire night. Rather than having your tail between your legs, you’ll have let it go. Instead of worrying about not pleasing her, you’re available to be the dad you want to be with the kids, or simply present with her in a more confident, attractive way.

Even if she’s unable to let go of her disappointment, it is vital for you to maintain your context. Ultimately, your new attitude has the potential to change how she responds to you. Depending on the state of your relationship, this could take some time. But for many, the change could take place quite quickly. There are a lot of women out there who are desperately waiting for their men to show up as men. You may be surprised to find that you’re with one of these wonderful, patient women right now.

Don’t do this alone.

To successfully make changes in your behavior, you’ll want the support of other men. Whether it’s a buddy, men’s group or counselor, support is essential. That support includes being held accountable to your commitments. You’ll want to have specific goals, and you’ll want to have your ass kicked when it’s difficult and you want to quit. And you’ll enjoy receiving a pat on the back when you’ve hit a homerun.

In becoming this new man, you’re asking a lot of yourself, and of those closest to you. It’s not an easy process. Prepare by having your support network in place. That’s how you’ll set yourself up for success, rather than failure.

The bigger picture.

We’ve been discussing your need for the approval of women. But this issue goes beyond women. You care too much about how everyone thinks about you, maybe even strangers. You’re a pleaser in all areas of your life. You may disagree. But take the time to examine how you really show up at work, with your extended family, or with your friends. Are you really making your own choices? Or have you adapted for so long, you’ve forgotten what being you would even look like?

Once you become more masculine in your relationship with women—and lose the need for their approval—you’ll begin to see how this new man has a place in all areas of your life. And it’s not about pissing off people. You don’t have to be inconsiderate to be the man you want to be, to stop being a pleaser, though some people around you may feel you’re being a jerk. That’s to be expected. You’re changing the game on them. No one likes that, especially insecure (and therefore controlling) people, like, perhaps, your wife. This is simply about finding your voice, telling the truth, considering other people’s needs and feelings, but not at the expense of honoring your own.

At the end of the day, remember this: You can’t ask for permission to be the man you want to be. Throughout this process with your woman, continue to honor and cherish her. Not being a pleaser doesn’t excuse you from your responsibilities. You still need to listen, not argue, and run the sex and romance departments. And believe me, when you stop being a pleaser in bed, she’ll REALLY be pleased.

____________________________________________________________________

Wayne M. Levine, M.A., mentors men to be better men, husbands and fathers. Check out Wayne’s book, Hold On to Your N.U.T.s—The Relationship Manual for Men and see how you can become a better man at http://www.bettermen.org/

The Way to Wealth by Benjamin Franklin

1. God helps them that help themselves.
2. Sloth, like rust, consumes faster than labor wears, while the used key is always bright.
3. Dost thou love life, then do not squander time, for that’s the stuff life is made of.
4. The sleeping fox catches no poultry.
5. There will be sleeping enough in the grave.
6. Wasting time must be the greatest prodigality.
7. Lost time is never found again.
8. Time-enough, always proves little enough.
9. Sloth makes all things difficult, but industry all easy.
10. He that riseth late, must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his business at night.
11. Laziness travels so slowly, that poverty soon overtakes him.
12. Drive thy business, let not that drive thee.
13. Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
14. Industry need not wish.
15. He that lives upon hope will die fasting.
16. There are no gains, without pains.
17. He that hath a trade hath an estate.
18. He that hath a calling hath an office of profit and honor.
19. At the working man’s house hunger looks in, but dares not enter.
20. For industry pays debts, while despair encreaseth them.
21. Diligence is the mother of good luck.
22. Plough deep, while sluggards sleep, and you shall have corn to sell and to keep.
23. One today is worth two tomorrows.
24. Have you somewhat to do tomorrow, do it today.
25. Be ashamed to catch yourself idle.
26. Let not the sun look down and say, inglorious here he lies.
27. The cat in gloves catches no mice.
28. Constant dropping wears away stones.
29. Diligence and patience the mouse ate in two the cable.
30. Little strokes fell great oaks.
31. Employ thy time well if thou meanest to gain leisure.
32. Since thou art not sure of a minute, throw not away an hour.
33. A life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things.
34. Trouble springs from idleness, and grievous toil from needless ease.
35. Many without labor would live by their wits only, but they break for want of stock.
36. Industry gives comfort, and plenty, and respect: fly pleasures, and they’ll follow you.
37. Keep the shop, and thy shop will keep thee.
38. If you would have your business done, go; if not, send.
39. The eye of a master will do more work than both his hands.
40. Want of care does us more damage than want of knowledge.
41. Not to oversee workmen is to leave them your purse open.
42. In the affairs of this world men are saved not by faith, but by the want of it.
43. Learning is to the studious, and riches to the careful.
44. He that by the plough would thrive, Himself must either hold or drive.
45. If you would have a faithful servant, and one that you like, serve yourself.
46. A little neglect may breed great mischief.
47. For want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost, and for want of a horse the rider was lost.
48. A man may, if he knows not how to save as he gets,keep his nose all his life to the grindstone, and die not worth a groat at last.
49. If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as of getting.
50. What maintains one vice, would bring up two children.
51. Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.
52. Who dainties love, shall beggars prove.
53. Fools make Feasts, and wise men eat them.
54. Buy what thou hast no need of, and ere long thou shalt sell thy necessaries.
55. At a great pennyworth pause a while: he means, that perhaps the cheapness is apparent only, and not real.
56. Many have been ruined by buying good pennyworths.
57. ‘Tis foolish to lay our money in a purchase of repentance.
58. Wise men learn by others’ harms, fools scarcely by their own.
59. Silks and satins, scarlet and velvets put out the kitchen fire.
60. A ploughman on his legs is higher than a gentleman on his knees.
61. Always taking out of the meal-tub, and never putting in, soon comes to the bottom.
62. When the well’s dry, they know the worth of water.
63. If you would know the value of money, go and try to borrow some.
64. He that goes a borrowing goes a sorrowing.
65. Pride is as loud a beggar as want, and a great deal more saucy.
66. ‘Tis easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that follow.
67. Pride that dines on vanity sups on contempt.
68. Pride breakfasted with plenty, dined with poverty, and supped with infamy.
69. The second vice is lying, the first is running in debt.
70. But what madness must it be to run in debt for these superfluities!
71. When you run in debt; you give to another power over your liberty.
72. Lying rides upon debt’s back.
73. ‘Tis hard for an empty bag to stand upright.
74. Creditors have better memories than debtors.
75. The borrower is a slave to the lender, and the debtor to the creditor.
76. Disdain the chain, preserve your freedom; and maintain your independency: be industrious and free; be frugal and free.
77. Poverty often deprives a man of all spirit and virtue: ’tis hard for an empty bag to stand upright.
78. Creditors are a superstitious sect, great observers of set days and times.
79. Those have a short Lent who owe money to be paid at Easter.
80. The borrower is a slave to the lender, and the debtor to the creditor.
81. For age and want, save while you may; No morning sun lasts a whole day.
82. Gain may be temporary and uncertain, but ever while you live, expense is constant and certain.
83. Tis easier to build two chimneys than to keep one in fuel.
84. Rather go to bed supperless than rise in debt.
85. Get what you can, and what you get hold; ’Tis the stone that will turn all your lead into go.

Does the World Owe Anyone a Living?

The biggest problem with dentures (false teeth) is that they do not feel comfortable. Some people love their new dentures immediately while others are never happy with the fit and always seem to suffer.

Dissatisfied patients return to their dentists for frequent adjustments. They try different adhesives or simply start over. No matter what they do, their dentures never feel comfortable.

So a denture manufacturer conducted a study to find out why dentures easily fit the mouths of some patients, but were a constant problem with others.

As part of the study, they considered the types of material used in the dentures and the methods for shaping the dentures. They checked the dentists' training and techniques. Yet they could not find a common reason why certain patients hated their dentures.

But then they checked one other factor. Most of the patients who complained that their dentures did not fit had not paid for them!

If the patient or their insurance company had paid for the dentures, they seemed to fit better. If the dentures were not paid for, they did not fit as well.

Why would that matter?

Permitting Dishonesty

"When you let somebody be dishonest, you are setting him up to become physically ill and unhappy."

"When you let a person give nothing for something, you are factually encouraging crime." -- L. Ron Hubbard

Lottery winners often lose all their money within a few years. They buy expensive cars and wreck them. They buy big houses and let them go to ruin. One man used his winnings to drink himself to death.

These poor people didn't earn the money. They got something for nothing so it meant nothing to them.

Down deep, everyone wants to be honest. When they get something for nothing they tend to waste it because they did nothing to deserve it.

When you perform some valuable work for someone, you must let them give you something back in exchange. If you do not let them give you something in return, they become unhappy. They may even resent your help.

You see this with governments. Some people accept money from the government to help them get back on their feet. They go to school, work hard and return the money they received by paying taxes. These people are healthy and happy.

Other people accept money from the government, but never get back to work. They watch television all day and gain weight. They are unhealthy and unhappy.

Three Recommendations

1. When people complain about what you do for them, check if they have given you a proper exchange in return. If not, make it a requirement and they will stop complaining about you.

2. Ensure you give an honest exchange for all the goods and services you receive. Like people with dentures, you will be happier with what you receive if you give a fair exchange.

3. Whenever you are unhappy or unhealthy, check if you are failing to give an honest exchange for what you receive. Find ways to be as honest as possible and match the exchange. In fact, give the world a little more than you receive and watch what happens to your health and happiness!

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A Tip for Success with Children

"A lot of this exchange imbalance comes from child psychology where the child is not contributing anything and is not permitted to contribute.

"It is this which first overwhelms him with feelings of obligation to his parents and then bursts out as total revolt in his teens.

"Children who are permitted to contribute (not as a cute thing to do but actually) make noncontributing children of the same age look like raving maniacs!" -- L. Ron Hubbard

When you make children give an exchange they become much happier! Children, as young as three, can contribute by picking up their toys, helping in the kitchen or singing a song for you.

If children are not allowed to work until they are adults, they depend too heavily on their parents or the government for their money. They do not know how to earn a living.

Children want to work. It makes them feel valuable. Work makes them happy.

Smart parents let their children have real jobs. They patiently show their children how to work. For example, how to wash the windows so they are really clean, or how to walk the family dog every day, even when it is boring.

The most successful people in this world worked at real jobs when they are young. For example, they took care of the neighbors' yards or pets when they were 8. Or they drove a tractor on their family farms when they are 12.

When they became 18, they already had years of work experience. They could work an eight-hour day and earn their pay. They were striding up the road to their ultimate success.

Recommendation

Teach children (and adults) that the world does not owe them a living. They must find ways to exchange something valuable for the things they want. Help them enjoy the pride, health and happiness they get from earning an honest living.