15 tips for waking up early

Waking Up Early – 15 Tips That Work

1. Have a good reason to get up.

I’ve found this to be the single most important element in being an early riser. Days in which I did not crystallise the reasons for getting up were more likely to result in sleep ins. Now, I make it clear the night before what it is I want to wake up early for. Initially, I found writing things down to be helpful, but this isn’t always necessary, as long as it is clear what the reasons are.

2. Be productive in the mornings.

It wasn’t enough to just be an early riser. If I had committed to waking up early for a reason, I’ve found it was crucial that I followed through. Not following through is like slow working poison. Over time, this has a cumulative effect and makes it harder and harder to rise early. This was a huge drain on motivation for me, especially when I was losing sleep and yet not getting the things I wanted to done. So stick to the plan and be productive.

3. Get enough sleep.

Your body is trying to tell you something if you constantly feel overly tired during the day. I’ve found it wasn’t really worthwhile trying to get up early if I didn’t get enough good sleep the night before. In the short term, I might get more discretionary time because I was sleeping less, which is good for coping with the spikes in workload. However, in the long term, things generally evened out – either because I was tired and couldn’t work as fast or I was sick as a result of a weakened immune system. My advice is to ensure you get enough sleep.

4. Go to bed earlier

One simple thing which helped me get enough sleep was to … well … go to bed earlier. Instead of constantly staying up past midnight and feeling tired the next morning, I now start preparing for bed around 11pm. I’ve found, around this time of night, I’m generally winding down anyway and not engaged in productive work. So shifting the hours around slightly has meant that overall my free time gets used more effectively – which is the primary reason for being an early riser! The amount of sleep needed is different from person to person and day to day. So, I listen to my body when it tells me that it is tired and it is time for bed.

5. Sleep more effectively.

The other thing I noticed about sleep is sleeping longer doesn’t necessarily translate to sleeping better. Somedays I can have 8 hours of sleep, yet feel like I haven’t slept at all. Other days I can be fully alert, productive and cheerful after only a few short hours.

If you find that you are still tired after a good stretch of 6-8 hours, chances are you’re not sleeping well. Most people just don’t need much more sleep than that. Sleeping well can be attained in various ways. I find having a good mattress and pillow with some quiet reading time before bed to be helpful.

6. No more another 10 mins.

I think everyone including me has two conflicting aspects to their personality. There’s the one which is good and generally seeks to self improve and be productive. Then there’s the other one – the little voice in the head urging us to sleep in for another 10 mins. I’ve learned the hard way that this little voice rarely has anything good to say. My advice is don’t ever have a discussion with him or indulge in anything he says! Sleeping in for another 10 mins is guaranteed to lead to another 10 mins and then another. The next time you hear that little voice, just say “No” out loud and …

7. Jump out of bed.

One trick I’ve found to be very effective in being an early riser and to stop myself from rationalising is to simply jump out of bed instantly. Once I am outside the comforts of the warm and cozy bed, I’m more likely to actually wake up and stay up. Someone once suggested to me by leaving the bedroom immediately, you also leave no doubt about your intentions to actually wake up and start doing things. Jumping out of bed and leaving the room actually works. They have prevented me from sleeping in on many a cold winter morning.

8. Use an alarm clock, just not the snooze.

Every day without fail, I wake up before the alarm goes off. I’m tempted to say setting it might not even be necessary! However, I take comfort in the knowledge that it’s there and waiting to go off, so I don’t have to worry about sleeping in. The trick with the alarm clock is to make it loud, annoying and not easily accessible. Try placing it away from arms reach, so that you can’t turn it off or get to the snooze button unless you get up out of bed. For me, this works wonders, because when it goes off, my wife and daughter are both still asleep and I instinctively try to get to it as quickly as possible.

9. Establish a stable routine.

What I recently learned from being a new dad is babies thrive on routine. My daughter now knows that bath time is followed by reading time and then bed time. Initially, she put up a fight resisting the bed. Now, she expects it!

In many ways, things are no different for us adults. I view the body as an instrument which can be trained. I’ve found establishing a consistent routine to be a key factor in becoming an early riser. This means waking up at same time everyday, not just the days I have to. This includes weekends, which typically aren’t as busy as the weekdays. Now, my body doesn’t even remember what it was like to sleep in and being a late riser.

10. Have something to look forward to.

Waking up early can be hard work, especially when you are used to sleeping in. Having a purpose is a good start, but this isn’t always enough. I mean, come one, are you really going to get up early to work on some TPS report for work? What I do in addition to having a purpose is to have a reward or other attractive incentive to get up for. It can be anything. I personally look forward to having time to check my emails in the morning, eat breakfast and drink a cup of tea.

11. Be aware of the consequences.

As I’ve written about previously, when faced with doing something we don’t want to do, we’re generally motivated not just by Pleasure, but also Pain. I’ve found that it was very effective to be aware of the consequences of sleeping in. For me, losing that extra 2 hours in the morning can have a significant flow on effect to my day and the rest of the week. Everytime I sleep in, I have to stay at work later and sacrifice quality time with my daughter in the evenings. This is something I clearly want to avoid, so being aware of this has been really effective in keeping me motivated when the alarm goes off.

12. Remove the option completely.

One trick I’ve found to work well also is removing the option of sleeping in completely. If we don’t have the option to sleep in, we won’t. The best way of doing this is schedule meetings and deadlines early in the mornings. This leaves one with no option at all but to get up because by the time the morning comes round, it is too late to cancel or reschedule a commitment. I’ve found this to be very effective because my actions now impact not just me but others as well.

13. Have a similarly motivated buddy.

Over the year, I have mentioned to various friends my desire to be a consistent early riser. Being encouraged by my example and results, they too have adopted the drive to be early risers. Not only is it gratifying to be helping others improve their productivity and quality of life, but having friends similarly committed helps keep me motivated and on track. Whenever we meet up, we always ask each other how we are doing with respect to being early risers. If anyone has fallen off the wagon, as a group we try to get them motivated again. Your spouse may be a good buddy even if only to kick you out of bed.

14. Keep track of your times.

Have you ever told yourself that you can sleep in just this once because you’ve already been good the whole week? I have. Unfortunately, my perception on how good I’ve been is subjective and often inaccurate. Sometimes I consider sleeping in because I feel that I’ve been good when in fact I’ve already slept in twice this week or six times this month. I’ve found keeping track of the days I have been good and not good to be immensely useful. I review this list periodically and whenever I find I’m falling behind, I use this list to renew my motivation and commitment.

15. Review all the things you got done.

I’ve written about the 10 R’s to success before. If you haven’t read that post, take a moment to do so. One of the more important R’s is Review which describes the importance of looking back on how successful you have been with your goals and what you’ve managed to accomplish. If things aren’t working out or the results weren’t as expected, then adjust your approach. Looking back at all the things you’ve managed to get done in the early mornings is a great motivator to keep you going.

How to Lower Your Monthly Car Payments

With today's economy more and more people are finding it difficult to make their car payments. You think to yourself "if only my payments were lower, I could keep the car". It is possible to lower your car payments.

Instructions

Step 1

Call the lender who is holding your loan. Explain your situation to them, lost job, piles of other debt whatever the reason your loan has become unaffordable. Ask them to extend the terms of your loan. This will involve rewriting your loan and usually comes with a penalty. Your 48 month loan can become a 60 or 72 month loan. It will lower the monthly payment, but in the long run you will be paying more because interest will be charged for a longer period.

Step 2

Take a personal loan from a Credit Union to pay off the car. Credit Unions usually have lower interest rates than banks. This method will also save you money on insurance premiums because now that you own the car rather than an auto lender you can raise your deductibles. When you have an auto loan the lender dictates the amount of your deductibles.

Step 3

There are companies who strictly refinance auto loans. Do a Google search for Auto Refinancing Companies. Auto refinancing also extends the length of your loan, reducing the monthly amount. Most refinancing companies will only refinance loans of more than $7500.

Step 4

Trade your car in for a less expensive, good quality used car. If you can't afford the car you have this is a better option than repossession. You will lose money on the trade in, but you will gain affordable payments and retain your credit rating.

How to Save Money

Do you want to know how to save money wisely?Well here are the tips on how to save up money for your goals,long-term or short term.

Steps

1)Set savings goals. For short-term goals, this is easy. If you want to buy a video game, find out how much it costs; if you want to buy a house, determine how much of a down payment you’ll need. For long-term goals, such as retirement, you’ll need to do a lot more planning (figuring out how much money you’ll need to live comfortably for 20 or 30 years after you stop working), and you’ll also need to figure out how investments will help you achieve your goals.

*Kill your debt first. Simply calculating how much you spend each month on your debts will illustrate that eliminating debt is the fastest way to free up money. Once the money is freed from debt payment, it can easily be re-purposed to savings.

2)Establish a time-frame. For example: "I want to be able to buy a house two years from today." Set a particular date for accomplishing shorter-term goals, and make sure the goal is attainable within that time period. If it’s not attainable, you’ll just get discouraged.

3)Figure out how much you’ll have to save per week, per month, or per paycheck to attain each of your savings goals. Take each thing you want to save for and figure out how much you need to start saving now. For most savings goals, it’s best to save the same amount each period. For example, if you want to put a $20,000 down payment on a home in 36 months (three years), you’ll need to save about $550 per month every month. But if your paychecks amount to $1000, it might not be a realistic goal, so adjust your time-frame until you come up with an approachable amount.

4)Keep a record of your expenses. What you save falls between two activities and their difference: how much you make and how much you spend. Since you have more control over how much you spend, it's wise to take a critical look at your expenses. Write down everything you spend your money on for a couple weeks or a month. Be as detailed as possible, and try not to leave out small purchases. Assign each purchase or expenditure a category such as: Rent, Car insurance, Car payments, Phone Bill, Cable Bill, Utilities, Gas, Food, Entertainment, etc.

*Keep a small notebook with you at all times. Get in the habit of recording every expense and saving the receipts.

*Sit down once a week with your small notebook and receipts. Record your expenses in a larger notebook or a spreadsheet program.

5)Trim your expenses. Take a good, hard look at your spending records after a month or two have passed. You’ll probably be surprised when you look back at your record of expenses: $300 on ice cream, $100 on parking tickets? You’ll likely see some obvious cuts you can make. Depending on how much you need to save, however, you may need to make some difficult decisions. Think about your priorities, and make cuts you can live with. Calculate how much those cuts will save you per year, and you'll be much more motivated to pinch pennies.

• Can you move to a less expensive apartment or house? Can you refinance your mortgage?
• Can you consolidate your debts so that you're not paying as much interest?
• Can you save money on gas, or give up a car altogether? If your family has multiple cars, can you bring it down to one?
• Can you get a better price on insurance? Call around and make sure you are getting the best price you can. Consider taking a higher deductible, too.
• Ditch your expensive coffee house latte for a home brewed cup. Avoiding that $4 per day whatever-cino can save you $1000 a year.
• Skip the salon and do your own nails for a fraction of the price
• Shop the discount racks at clothing stores. Items on clearance are marked down considerably and could save you 50% of the price.
• Can you drop a land line and either only use your cell phone or save money by calling over the internet for free with services such as Skype?
• Can you live without cable or satellite TV?
• Can you cut down on your utility bills?
• Can you restrict eating out? Buy food in bulk? Start using coupons? Cook more at home? You might be able to save a lot of money on food.

6)Reassess your savings goals. Subtract your expenses (the ones you can't live without) from your take-home income (i.e. after taxes have been taken out). What is the difference? And does it match up with your savings goals? Let's say you've decided you can definitely get by on $1500 per month, and your paychecks amount to $2300 per month. That leaves you with $800 to save. If there’s absolutely no way you can fit all your savings goals into your budget, take a look at what you’re saving for and cut the less important things or adjust the time-frame. Maybe you need to put off buying a new car for another year, or maybe you don’t really need a big-screen TV that badly.

7)Make a budget. Once you’ve managed to balance your earnings with your savings goals and spending, write down a budget so you’ll know each month or each paycheck how much you can spend on any given thing or category of things. This is especially important for expenses which tend to fluctuate, or which you know you're going to have a particularly hard time restricting. (E.g. "I will only spend $30 a month on movies/chocolate/coffee/etc.")

8)Stop using credit cards. Pay for everything with cash or money orders. Don't even use checks. It's easier to overspend when you're pulling from a bank or credit account because you don't know exactly how much is in there. If you have cash, you can see your supply running low. You can even bundle up the predetermined amount of cash allocated for each expense with a label or keep separate jars for each expense (e.g. a bundle/jar for coffee, another for gas, another for miscellaneous). As you pull money from a jar for that particular expense, you'll see how much remains and you'll also be reminded of your limit.

• If you need to have credit cards but you don't want the temptation of having them available to use day-to-day, restrict that section of your wallet with a note or picture reminding you of your savings goals.
• Credit cards are not inherently evil; it's all about your self control. If you use them responsibly (i.e. completely pay them off every month), you can benefit from them. But the reason most credit card companies make money, however, is because people end up spending money that they don't have. Unless you are one of the people who can religiously pay off the balance in full every month, you're better off foregoing the promotions that credit card companies use to lure you in (cash back, introductory APR, airline miles, and so on).

9)Open an interest-bearing savings account. It’s a lot easier to keep track of your savings if you have them separate from your spending money. You can also usually get better interest on savings accounts than on checking accounts (if you get interest on your checking account at all). Consider higher-interest options such as CDs or money-market accounts for longer savings goals.

10)Know where your money is. And how much of it, too. If you accidentally overdraw your bank account, you will incur hefty bank fees; worse yet, the place you paid with that check may slap a bounced check fee on top of that, and send the check in again, resulting in a second overdraft fee from the bank! So just a few cents missing to cover that check could result in over $100 in fees. To avoid that, you should always know how much money you've got in your account(s), so you never cut a check for more than what you have.

• Look into checking and savings accounts that pay interest. Also, consider CDs (certificates of deposit) for longer-term savings with low risk

11)Pay yourself first. Savings should be your priority, so don’t just say that you’ll save whatever is left over at the end of the month. Deposit savings into an account (or your piggy-bank) as soon as you get paid. An easy, effective way to start saving is to simply deposit 10% of every check in a savings account. If you get a check or sum of cash, say 710.68, move the decimal point one place to the left and deposit that amount: 71.07. This works well and requires little thought; over several years, you've a tidy sum in savings. Over decades, you'll be a millionaire.

• You can set up an automatic transfer from your checking account to your savings account.
• Many employers allow you to deduct savings from your paycheck. The money is directly deposited in your savings account so you never even see it on your paycheck.
• You can also have investments for retirement taken directly out of your pay, and the taxes may be deferred with this option.

Tips

• Always OVER estimate your expenses and UNDER estimate your income.
• If you can afford to share things you have, from food to living space to appliances, try to do so. What goes around comes around when it's between close friends, soon enough, you'll find your friends doing the same, and everybody benefits.
• Have a professional shopper go through your closet before you hit the mall. They will help you assess what you already have and what timeless items you can invest in to create more looks from those you already have. There are services that do this (e.g. Visual Therapy in NYC and TimePros in Los Angeles). Remember that this service can cost a pretty penny. Don't use this method unless you have a tendency to make $250 - $400 shopping trips!
• Have a hobby? Match your funds. One important habit for saving is if you have a hobby, such as model airplanes, scrap-booking, dirt biking, scuba diving, etc., set a hard and fast rule that whatever you allow yourself to spend on your hobby, you match those funds to your savings. For example, if you buy yourself a $45 pair of riding gloves, another $45 goes to your savings. Serious about saving? Try doubling your matched funds! These savings plans will do two things: Save money regularly and quickly, and really show you how much you are spending on your hobby, when it costs you twice as much.
• If you receive unexpected cash, put all or most of it into your savings, but continue to set aside your regularly scheduled amount as well. You’ll reach your savings goals sooner.
• If you vacation normally, use the web to search for affordable vacation deals instead of paying full retail price. Some sites offer very discounted vacations by partnering with resorts across the country. Essentially, you are required to go on a 90 minute sales-pitch to buy a timeshare at the resort, and in exchange you receive an extra cheap luxury vacation and often freebies like theme park tickets, gas, or dinner certificates.
• Make purchases with paper money, not exact change, and always save the change. Use a piggy bank or jar for your coins. Coins and change may look insignificant but when accumulated over time they can help you save. Some banks now offer free coin counting machines. When you redeem your coins, ask to be paid by check so you won't be tempted to spend your new found cash.
• Most people can save something regardless of their income. Starting to save a little will help build the habit of saving. Even saving as little as $5 a month will teach you that you don't need as much money as you think.

Warnings

• Do not go out "window shopping" with any money on you. You will only be tempted to spend money you cannot afford to lose. Only shop with a predetermined shopping list.
• After a long week of working, you may want to indulge in some luxury, telling yourself, "I deserve this". Remember that the things you buy are not gifts to yourself; they are trades, products for money. Say, "Of course I deserve this, but can I afford it? If I can't afford it, I'm still a worthy person, and I still deserve to meet my savings goals!"
• Unless you're in truly desperate financial straits (like 10 seconds from eviction and your three children are starving) don't try to cut corners connected to health. Basic preventative care for yourself, your family, and your pets might cost you a $60 office visit or a $30 heart-worm pill today, but the skipping it will contribute to expensive problems and heartache down the road.

8 steps How to Be Successful

Many people want to achieve success in life, but it's easier said than done. There are so many distractions that it can be challenging to discipline one's self to accomplish a monumental goal. By keeping the following advice in mind, however, you can dramatically increase your chances of becoming successful in whatever you choose to pursue.

Steps

1)Surround yourself with other people who are successful. When you're surrounded with people who are highly-driven, it's encouraging.art with the basics. Willpower, effort, goals, & determination. Whatever you want to accomplish requires all of these.

2)Define the meaning of success as you see it. You cannot have success if you do not know what it means for you. Everyone views success differently. Set clear goals and be realistic. How will you know when you've achieved your goals? Your standards should be quantifiable, or else you could spend your entire life chasing after a vague goal. For example, let's say you want to be good at your job. You get a promotion, you get a raise, but you still haven't reached your goal because you could always do better, right? You could always get promoted even further, or make even more money. Whatever you have will never be enough. Instead, create benchmarks: "My goal is to increase my productivity by 30% and only be late for work five times per year, at the most." These are quantifiable goals that when achieved, give you a sense of satisfaction and completion, making you feel successful and confident.

3)Study successful people. Look around--who has the success that you envision for yourself? What are they doing? How do they approach life? Become their apprentice. Ask them for advice. Spend time around them, if you can. Learn from them.

4)Take risks. Step out of your comfort zone. Successful people think big and act big. It can be a scary thing to do, but if you don't, then will you ever be successful? Don't wait for opportunities to fall in your lap. Sniff them out. Successful people make big investments (in their careers, in their businesses, in their education) and all investments involve risk. But don't be reckless. Study your risks, make sure the odds are in your favor, then take a leap. Be bold.

5)Solve problems. People who are successful encourage progress by solving problems and answering questions. No matter where you are or what you're doing, look around and try and think of ways you can contribute. What are people struggling with or complaining about? How can you make life easier for them in an effective way? Can you re-design or re-organize some aspect of the situation so that things run more smoothly? Can you create a product or provide a service that fills a critical gap? Be proactive and resourceful.

6)Be persistent. Don't give up. If your first attempt didn't work, don't quit. When asked about his 10,000 failed attempts to develop a storage battery, the prolific American inventor Thomas Edison responded: "I have not failed, I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

7)Remember that success does not guarantee happiness. Success is equated with the achievement of a goal, but don't assume it will always bring happiness. Many people make the mistake that if they accomplish this or that, they'll be happier, but fulfillment and satisfaction have a lot more to do with how you approach life than with what you do in life. Keep that in perspective.

8)Gather as much information about anything & everything. Listen. Study. Understand. Learn. Knowledge is power.

How to Deal With Real Estate Brokers

The real estate industry has experienced so many ups and downs in the past and even until now. But since change is inevitable, the people involved in this sector have risen to the challenges.

The real estate brokers are among the important players in this industry. Around the world today, there are some 1.3 million brokers also called realtors with most of them located in the U.S.

Together with the real estate agents, they assist buyers and sellers in achieving their goals especially in getting the best deal possible. On the behalf of the buyers, the brokers negotiate for the lowest prices they could get while when working on behalf of the sellers, they negotiate for the highest possible price for the property.

These brokers take charge in providing the necessary information about properties for sale, their market value and the documents required in closing the deal. While they may have the same function as that of the real estate agents, brokers are on a higher level as they usually have a license to operate their own business or realty office. They can also rent and manage properties for a certain fee.

The agents, on the other hand, work for and with a broker under a contractual basis. They earn a certain commission from the real estate brokers for every property that they sell. After several years in the industry, though, these agents may choose to obtain a license in order to become a real estate broker themselves.

If you’re planning to invest in or sell a property and have not much knowledge on where to start your search, you may want to consult with a real estate broker or agent you know. You can ask for a referral from friends and colleagues if they know of a trusted and well experienced broker in your specific area to help you with your desire to either buy or sell a home.

On your initial consultation, you should inform the broker or agent right away about what type of property you’re looking for and the price range you want. You need to tell them as well if you’re bent on getting their services from start to finish.

Once you are provided with several choices, you may request to personally visit the properties to check their condition and location. A gauge on what makes a good real estate broker or agent is their ability to identify and provide buyers with the most important selling details. These should include the crime rate in the area, accessibility to schools, shops and banks as well as the floor plan of the house.

Keep in mind that you need to be honest about your needs to a real estate broker so they can, in turn, finds the best ways to meet your needs.

Here’s Why Real Estate is the World’s Best Investment

Ok, 1st what is Real Estate investment?

Real estate investment involves the commitment of funds to property with an aim to generate income through rental or lease and to achieve capital appreciation. Real estate refers to immovable property, such as land, and everything else that is permanently attached to it, such as buildings. When a person acquires real estate, s/he also acquires a set of rights, including possession, control and transfer rights.

Understanding real estate investment is crucial because it usually involves a substantial investment and a long-term one. Moreover , the real estate market can be unpredictable. This is particularly important when one goes beyond buying a home to actually 'investing' in real estate. There are a number of ways in which an investor can participate in the real estate market.


Why is real estate a better investment than stocks, bonds, or mutual funds? It’s no accident that 85% of all wealthy Americans built their fortunes with real estate investments.


It’s no accident that 85% of all wealthy Americans built their fortunes with real estate investments. But you know what? You shouldn’t take that first sentence at face value. Ask yourself the obvious question. Why is real estate a better investment than stocks, bonds, or mutual funds? Any discriminating investor who is tired of getting his/her portfolio led to the daily slaughter by Wall Street chicanery should have that question answered.

There’s a lot of misunderstanding, misdirection and bloviation when it comes to comparing different asset classes but Jason Hartman and Platinum Properties Investor Network (PPIN) have synthesized the basic differences between property investing and everything else down into easily digestible bites of information that can be understood by people even without a background in real estate. Furthermore, Mr. Hartman has taken his 20+ years of experience building a small fortune in the industry and put together a comprehensive training package called The Complete Solution For Real Estate Investors™. No matter what your age or level of expertise, we can teach you how to create your own wealth through the application of these strategies. For access to our free information, please go to www.JasonHartman.com.

But let’s get back to the investing dilemma. Why is real estate different? The answer goes to the very nature of property investing. Real estate is a multi-dimensional asset while other conventional methods of investing are limited to one dimension. These differences are intrinsic. You can’t change them any more than you can change the size of your foot or the distance between your eyes. Yes, actually you could change those things with radical surgery but let’s try not to be quite so literal.

For example, your stock investments are one dimensional. You buy low and hope to sell high. Maybe it pays you a small dividend every once in a while, pay taxes on them, then sell it and get hit with the capital gains tax. Throw in the Enrons and Bailout Baby CEOs on Wall Street and you begin to realize why you are the proud owner of the incredible shrinking portfolio.

It doesn’t have to be like that.

At Platinum Properties Investor Network, we emphasize income producing property (residential rentals) as the finest investment vehicle available and we have history on our side to prove it. Down through the years, real estate has proven itself time and again to be the premium asset if you want to create life-changing wealth. The multi-dimensional nature has a lot to do with that. With real estate it’s not all about buying low and selling high. It might surprise you to learn that with the Platinum Properties methodology any appreciation that happens during the time you’re holding the property is just icing on the cake. Other dimensions are much more powerful. Here are the Three Major Dimensions of the Real Estate Asset.

1. Shortage of the asset: Last time we checked they are not making any more of planet Earth. What we have is all there is. No new cards are going to be added to the deck until we begin colonizing the moon or Mars. Every corner of our globe has been mapped and catalogued. Keep that thought in mind while you shift gears slightly to ponder the 2.5 billion new people joining the world economy over the next decade, courtesy of China and India. What do we have? Limited asset supply. Huge demand on the way. Contrast this to the conveyor belt of companies that arrive on the stock market scene with a splash, sell a few stocks, then fade into oblivion. Anything that can vanish overnight (Enron), taking people’s pension and savings with it should never be called an asset in the first place.

2. Your mortgage is a major asset: Many people have trouble wrapping their mind around this idea. The mortgage you hold can never be duplicated due to the ravaging effects of inflation. Every single owner of that property that comes after you will not be able to get as good of a deal because his future dollar will be worth less than you present day dollar. He will have to pay more for the right to take out a loan. Debt is historically cheap right now. Stock up while you can. In five or ten years you will wish you had.

3. Cash flow in the rental market: We just discussed how you have locked in the purchase price of your income property with your mortgage. Now you turn around and rent that property to a tenant, who will pay off your mortgage through monthly rents. What else happens over time? Rents go up but your price to buy in remains the same. The bank puts up the money to buy the asset. Your tenant pays off the asset. You own it in the end. Beautiful.

Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment

A leader's job often includes changing your people's attitudes and behavior. Some suggestions to accomplish this:

1. Begin with praise and honest appreciation.
2. Call attention to people's mistakes indirectly.
3. Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.
4. Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.
5. Let the other person save face.
6. Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement. Be "hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise."
7. Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.
8. Use encouragement. Make the fault seem easy to correct.
9. Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest.