Ten Pillars of Life

10 PILLARS OF A POSITIVE ATTITUDE IN LEADERSHIP

Examine life

Worry only about those things under your control

Treasure friendship

Experience true pleasure

Master yourself

Avoid excess

Be a responsible human being

Don't be a prosperous fool

Don't do evil to others

Kindness to others tends to be rewarded

BECOME YOUR BEST FRIEND AND CANCEL LEARNED BEHAVIOR AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN YOUR LIFE.

So I Went For A Walk

The other day I was wrestling with another one of life’s little problems, which of course always seems to companion with an agitated state of mind. Yup, I’m one of the “THOSE PEOPLE,” the one’s that take life way too seriously and thus are sentenced to suffer from the effects of the three headed monster agitation, stress and worry. It just so happened that day I was talking on the phone to a person I had just met, a very wise person, and I guess the negative undertow became a tad too visible and she said to me, “Bill, go for a walk. Take your camera and just go for a walk. I want you to observe the things around you and simply relax.” Well, I’m a photographer, so I found the advice appealing and besides I wasn’t getting anywhere to begin with that day in my negative frame of mind, so I did just that, I went for a walk with my camera.

As I went out the door I started thinking about the possible objects I could take a picture of. Now I was taking “THAT” too seriously! I’m a serious photographer and at the time I wasn’t anywhere special, thus no grand scenic’s were about to magically appear and the weather wasn’t especially conducive to a great photo, so the next National Geographic cover would have to wait and worse yet, I still felt angry inside. I knew I needed to square myself away and get focused on the job at hand, relaxing and taking a couple of pictures of something, anything I might find interesting, if I was to have any success on my little walk. It was then I recalled some very sage advice I’d read in one of my favorite photography books which said; “Sometimes the best picture’s right there at your feet. Look around and get a feel for your surroundings.” What that statement meant was, sometimes the photographer’s so obsessed with getting that next great image, he doesn’t take the time to look around where he’s at and notice the little things that are sometime’s right there at his feet that are actually quite beautiful in their own right.

Well, that got me to thinking, which at times for me is dangerous, but I took that advice one step further and thought to myself, “Would you just calm down and as they say, smell the roses! There’s help and positive signs all around you if you’ll just take the time to relax and observe.” In other words, the answers to my problems were right there at my feet I’d only take time to look and listen to what my own heart was telling me. It struck me that the primary reason I was agitated was because I was trying to be something I really wasn’t. It’s a problem that most of us have. There we are, trying to please everybody but ourselves and despite the Job title, the big house, the nice car and the six figure salary, we’re absolutely miserable and we just don’t know why. Isn’t having the big car or the six figure salary supposed to make us happy? They said it would!

I don’t care what your damn job title is or how smart you think you are or what model BMW you’re currently driving, if you’re unhappy, it’s because you’re disconnected from that which you truly are. If you’re achieving the things “They” said would make you happy and you’re in fact miserable, it’s simply because you’re not aligned with what it is you were sent here to do. I know, I know, easy to say, but nonetheless, it’s true. If you’re a corporate guy or gal and you have the big salary and the job tile with lots of consonants and the pretty house on the hill and you’re miserable you’ll remain that way until you’re doing what it was you were really wired to do.

So “Mr. Know it All” how am I supposed to figure that little problem out and I say, “What are you passionate about?” What are the things that you love to do where time seems to stand still, fatigue is never an issue and when you’re finished, you can’t wait to do it again? I’m guessing the answer to your question starts there. Do you love being outdoors on a mountain trail? Are you a lover of the arts and music? Do you go to a far off place every time you walk into your garden and chat with your plants? Do you love to read and write? Maybe you love working with kids? All I’m saying is if the job makes you miserable and there’s hobby’s that energize you and excite you, you’re looking at “Your Wiring.” That’s where you start and it’s important to start because life’s too short not to live it doing the things you love to do. There are people today that get paid lots of money because they do what they’re passionate about. They will tell you they never, ever work a day in their lives because they love what they’re doing. So just where is it written you can’t have the same kind of life?

I got back from my walk that day and I had four really nice images that I was proud of and I also had some ideas I was going to explore that I knew would put me on the right path to being a little happier and lot less concerned about my perceived problems. Life’s simply too short to spend it being stressed out and angry. It was meant to be filled with joy and happiness. It can only happen if you just take a walk and look at all the beautiful little things that are right there at your feet. Shush, be quiet. Hear it, that voice? It’ll tell you everything you need to know about what will make “You” happy. It should, it’s your inner voice after all.

Tips For Baby Boomers Looking At Home Business Opportunities

· The purpose of this article is to shed a little light on the world of Internet Marketing for my fellow baby boomers. We're that great big glob of people that grew up after the war and before the internet. We remember telephones with dials, Black and White TV and the only GPS system we had in our 62 Chevy or Ford was a Rand McNally map with lots of notes written all over it. Now we find ourselves approaching retirement during some very uncertain economic times and we're curious about making money working from home on the Internet.After all, how hard can it be?

Every day we get mail in our Junk Files telling us about the latest, greatest, opportunity on the Internet or that new fangled thing called "Twitter." Why in many cases all you have to do is literally "Sign Up" and you're making thousands of dollars every month virtually on "Auto-Pilot." That's what they say! I just received one the other day and it said all I have to do is "Process E-Mails" and at "$25" for each E-Mail I can make up to "$750" a day. Now honestly folks, if that were possible, do you think the economy would be in a slump and Corporations all over America would be laying people off left and right. Of course not! Corporations would be begging for people because all their employees would have left to go process E-Mails for $3,750 a week. Those "EX- EMPLOYEES" would be flooding the economy with their stock piles of cash and the economy would be in great shape.

So here we are, sixty years young thinking, God, I worked so hard for thirty five years and look at these people getting rich on the Internet virtually doing nothing. I want to do that. Of course that little voice deep down inside us is saying, "And pigs can fly!" Guess what? That little voice deep down inside that guides you is always correct and it also knows a thing or two about pigs. It knows that making money on the Internet is no different than any other business out there, except you "Can" do it from your home.

Here's the numbers. The highly successful people on the Internet comprise roughly 3% of the people working online businesses. That's right, 97% of the people currently working online businesses are earning less than ten bucks a week. Look it up if you don't believe me. Now, what makes me an expert on this subject? Well, I was a member of the 97% group for over two years and I can appreciate just how difficult the business can be. Another qualifier might be the fact that I spent thousands of dollars on my Internet business during those two years without any success whatsoever. Finally I gave up on my business and while I was sliding towards that wonderful legal term called "Bankruptcy" I looked at over fifty Internet businesses during one three month stretch searching for the golden needle in the hay stack. I was stubborn, if not very smart. After numerous dead ends and many "Googled" realities I actually found what I was looking for. Now, I don't want this article to be about that particular business just because it was right for "ME," rather, I'd like this article to be a helpful tool for people to use if they're serious about earning a living on the Internet and looking at all the opportunities, good and bad, that are out there.

Here's what I learned and what I'd like to pass along to you. Success on the Internet is ruled by the same common sense laws that govern every other business. Every successful person you see on the Internet has sacrificed and worked "Hard" to achieve their own brand of personal success. Every successful person you see on the Internet has spent literally thousands of dollars over several years to educate themselves, which over time has also increased their "Personal Value." Every one of these people created "Systems" that worked and "Unique Content" that had a market value for others. Every one of these people spent months and years honing their skills and every one of them made mistakes along the way. Finally, and this is critical, every one of these people became "Leaders" which is the real secret behind what made them successful in the first place. You see, people don't join businesses or products as much as they join other people. It's vital you understand that if you're thinking about the rewards that come with being "Your own Boss" and "Working from the comfort of your own home."

Now let's get back to the original question. Can the "Boomer Generation" find success on the Internet? The answer is an unequivocal "Yes." Yes that is provided you do your home-work and don't get drawn in by the "Get Rich Quick" crowd. There are a lot of folks out there more than willing to take your money, so you must be diligent. There are also a lot of good people out there that have systems that work, training materials that prepare, quality products and a desire to lead and help others. So here's my list of what I think you should look for and do when investigating an Online Business.

1. If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Read the "Disclaimers," they're sobering and enlightening.

2. Good online businesses will give you value, even if you don't join their Primary business.

3. Look for businesses with solid, proven systems that make sense.

4. Does the business come with a no questions asked, money back guarantee?

5. Is it the type of business that will help you grow personally and force you out of your comfort zone? If you're not uncomfortable, you're not growing.

6. You should spend your hard earned money on books and CD's that educate you or contribute to your personal growth, not buying leads.

7. Remember that people join "You" not your product, so what are you doing to prepare yourself to become a "Leader?"

8. Be prepared to make some mistakes. If you're not making mistakes, you're probably not trying.

9. Be patient and resolute. It's a business like any other business, it takes time and patience to build.

10. After doing your research, how does it feel? Is it a fit? Remember, we're all blessed with unique talents and gifts. If for some reason it doesn't feel right deep down inside, it never will feel right. That was the bitter lesson I learned with my first online business.

11. I think this is very important. What in your mind has the person done to earn your trust and your money? I've read numerous "Rags to Riches" stories and some of them are actually true. More importantly, none of them happened over-night!

12. Last, but not least, if you're thinking about joining a business simply because he or she is standing in front of an 8,000 square foot mansion and their Boat and Rolls Royce is parked behind them in the driveway, you might want to re-think your "Why."

I sincerely hope these thoughts and observations help you in some way. Despite my own personal travails in getting started in this industry, I was blessed with a stubborn streak and I persevered and now I truly enjoy the continued growth and progress as I push forward and achieve my business goals. It took me two and a half years, but I found the people, the business and the philosophy that was the right fit for me. You can certainly take a look at it as part of your own decision making process, (www.billkenny-leadsystempro.com) but please understand there are a number of excellent online businesses out there, so look at them all. Be patient, do your home-work and you'll find the one that’s the right fit for you.

An Interesting Conversation

The other day I had the most interesting conversation with this incredibly talented professional woman I know. Of course, she also happens to be my ex-wife, so that added a little spice to the conversation. She told me she admired what I was trying to do with my life and that she was pulling for me to be successful. Now, in light of what’s going on in my life, that was an incredible statement. After-all, I was the one that had walked away from Corporate America and was currently recklessly experimenting with re-making myself, while part of me was hoping Comrade Obama might be right and there would be a great big safety net waiting for me just before I bounced off the ground of failure. She was impressed with me!

Now what’s so strange about her comments is that my ex-wife is a highly educated woman that through sheer determination and hard work is now the number two person in a prestigious local Investment Banking Firm. She works daily with professionals that have law degrees, master’s degrees and advanced marketing degrees from schools named Harvard, Princeton and Northwestern. She makes six figures a year, lives in a modest town home and drives a paid for Acura, yet she’s terribly frustrated with this constant feeling of falling ever farther behind in life. As she put it to me, “I work seventy hours a week, spend an hour and a half a day in my car and another hour walking the dog.” (Yes, I go over and walk him too) She continued, “I have to sleep at least seven hours a day so I figure I have maybe two hours a day for myself. I admire you for trying to live your life the right way.”

Well, the jury’s still out on that one, but it points to something very important and why I’m on this journey of personal development and life exploration. “My Life” is simply too short to spend it day in and day out toiling for some large company in hopes that someday, just maybe I’ll be able to do the things I love to do. For most people in their lives that never happens. Imagine working hard, almost to exhaustion for forty years while raising a family, retiring and then being diagnosed with cancer. A fictional example you ask? No, that happened to my father in 1992 and he only lived two more painful years before succumbing to the disease in February of 1994. He was sixty nine years old when he died. It’s a lesson I’ll never forget. For other folks the recent financial crisis sent a frightening message through the masses. Look at the “Baby Boomer” generation. They face the specter of working a lifetime, retiring and then watching some calamity come along, devastating their nest eggs and leaving them financially hamstrung. Then what do they do? Do they live on their Social Security, in a little apartment somewhere with their traveling confined to going to the grocery store and watching the National Geographic channel and playing bingo? I don’t get that and I don’t want anything to do with that kind of mindset.

Life was meant to be lived right now, today, and with passion. Every single person has the talent and desire to express themselves in a multitude of ways that creates that internal joy that we all seek. Sadly only a small percentage of people ever earn a great living or even have the time to engage in things they enjoy, those very things that bring them pure joy and pleasure. My former wife is someone that loves to travel and as a small child she lived all over the world. Now she’s stuck with the occasional three day trip to Las Vegas and she doesn’t even gamble. She loves to reading, walking our dog on a misty spring morning, and sampling a fine Italian wine in a wonderful restaurant. She also enjoys volunteering and reading to disadvantaged kids and yet she’s caught up in this never-ending spiral of clearing the pile of paper off the desk and paying her bills. It drives me crazy.

After she and I were divorced I vowed I was going to re-create myself in my own image and the naysayers could be damned. Are times a bit tough for me right now? You bet your sweet bippy they are, yet I wouldn’t have it any other way. I now have the time to study, write, and explore the things that bring me great joy, for example capturing a beautiful image with my camera at sunset or writing a story that that makes me laugh, even if others might think I might be a bit crazy. I’m convinced that if I stay the course things will fall into place and then I will then be able to show others that they too can fulfill their dreams. If you ask just about anybody out there today, 3 out of 4 people will tell you they hate their jobs and they wish they could be doing something else. I hope to show people they can do something else and they don’t have to live their lives never having the time to enjoy themselves. I want to show them that if they have a little courage, they can actually let go and pursue their life’s passions and they’ll actually be rewarded both financially and spiritually for their faith in themselves. The first person I’m out to help is my lovely Ex-Wife because she’s got so much to offer this beautiful world and it’s not from behind a desk on the thirty second floor of an office building. Well, I gotta go. It’s a gorgeous Spring Day in Colorado and my bicycle is calling.

Good Vibrations

OK, this turning your life around and achieving "SUCCESS" business is now obvious to me. I'm sorry, but this is all about vibrational magnetism. How do I know? Simple! After reading thirty eight different personal development books, listening to countless CD’s on personal development and attending a couple of major seminars I can now conclude that it’s wrapped up in one simple word and one simple word only, VIBRATIONS and MAGNETISM! OK, I confess, that's two words!

Turning your life into a Hollywood style success story actually has nothing to do with how many books you've read, (in my case 38) the affirmations you’ve repeated, how you say your affirmations, the order in which you say your affirmations, goals you’ve set, how you write your goals, whether you've had the proper training on how to write your goals, seminar’s you've attended, who spoke at the seminar’s you attended, whether you broke down in tears and were filled with the spirit at the seminar’s you attended while speaking in ancient cryptic tongues, your mindset, who set your mind, where your mind was setting in the first place, whether you drank a glass of water in the morning, two glasses of water in the morning, three glasses of water in the morning, or said screw it and you drank a glass of Scotch, whether you completed the Liberty League International Beyond Freedom course once, twice, three times, four times, or whether you simply went whoo hoo six times while bathing in certified Catholic holy water, whether you journaled daily, hourly, or by the minute while listening to Napoleon Hill, Graham Hill, and Benny Hill while sitting in a lotus position in front of twelve Vision Boards with 65 pictures of a mansion in Pacific Palisades, whether you've given, given a lot, given everything, given up, given grief, given that you are a spiritual being in a physical body, given blood, whether you meditated, medicated, malfunctioned, or were malcontented, whether you've read Wayne Dyer, Dire Straits, Bob Proctor, Proctor and Gamble, Jack Canfield, Campbell’s Soup, Deepak Chopra, or Oprah it's all about VIBRATIONS and MAGNETISM, period!

If you're in a pissy mood it vibrates pissily and you’re going to attract pissy little things into your life! If you’re doing something you love and you’re purring like a kitten, you’ll attract good things into your life along with some real nice cats. So, do the only thing you can do to change your mood, do something you love and good things will happen. I am absolutely convinced we can create a beautiful life by thinking beautiful thoughts. It is after all a vibrational universe, you can't escape that!