Brian Tracy on Fear of Failure

My product launch at the Pearl Manila Hotel!

A little plug-in:

We launched the world's smallest portable spa at the Pearl Manila Hotel last December 14, 2007. check out the pics (click on the picture for larger image)!


Our executive demonstrating the spa to a very attentive crowd.


Showing the audience before the effect on one side of the face.


My mentor (who is a pioneer of importing PlayStation, PC hardware retailing and Internet rental, but is now a successful executive of our team) discussing how to profit from the portable spa.




Me trying the spa for myself. End result: lighter complexion, diminished appearance of pores and eye bags, smoother skin. I don't have wrinkles so I did not notice its effect on wrinkles, but it's supposed to diminish those.

I think the portable spa will make going to a derma or spa for a facial obsolete.

Overall, a very nice event that will be repeated in ALABANG!

Watch for it, guys!

Best regards,
Jazon

Dump Those Negative Habits Now!

Dump Those Negative Habits Now!
by Mark Victor Hansen

If you want to distance yourself from the masses and enjoy a rich and unique lifestyle, understand this - your habits will determine your future.

The fact is, if you keep on doing things a certain way, you will get a predictable result. That's the simple law of Cause and Effect. Successful habits create positive rewards. Negative habits breed negative consequences.

If you want to enjoy longevity, you must have healthy habits. If you are in the habit of starving your most important relationships of time, energy and love, how can you expect a happy outcome? If you spend money on the fly or don't save any money, your bad habits will lead you to a never-ending cycle of work.

Shift yourself out of your bad habits
Fortunately, you can jump from this bad habits path anytime you want. It's a very simple process - it just takes some applied focus. Here's the step-by-step process I recommend:

1)Clearly identify your bad or unproductive habits. Write them down.

a) Be specific.

b) Remember to consider the long-term consequences should you continue in this bad habit. As an example, a couple cigarettes a day may not seem like much, but after 10 years, the buildup of having smoked 7,300 cigarettes remains in your system.

c) Consider habits at home, in your communications and relations with others, at work, in your driving habits, in your free time, and in matters related to your physical, emotional and spiritual health. d) Be totally honest.

2) Define your new successful habit and visualize its results in your life.

Your new habit is usually the simple opposite of your bad habit. To motivate yourself, think about all the benefits and rewards for adopting your new successful habit. The more vividly you describe the benefits and create the picture in your mind, the more likely you are to take action.

3) Create a three-part action plan.

For every bad habit, there are at least 15 action steps you can take to help you stop. Put some time into this and think about it - it's easy to come up with action steps, but they have to be YOUR action steps that you know are within your realm of taking. As an example, if you want to stop smoking, hypnosis therapy may be more preferable than a nicotine patch. Don't list action steps that you know in your heart you won't do.

4) For the next three weeks, schedule these action steps into your day.

If you know you want to start exercising three times a week, schedule it now in your appointment book. If you want to start reading uplifting books, schedule an hour in your daily schedule and make plans now as to where you will read without interruption. Whatever the new habit, work it into your schedule for the month ahead as most habits - even the very ugliest ones - can be completely re-patterned in this short timeframe.

5) Then, take action!

Start with one habit that you really want to change. Focus on your three immediate steps and put them into action. Do it now. Remember, nothing will change until YOU do.


Best Regards,
Jazon

Secrets of the Millionaire Mind

T Harv Eker, author of best selling book Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, is in my mind (pun not intended) one of the best speakers and authors of our time. I highly recommend you guys pick up his book and start reading it!

Speaking of which, Larry and I will be going to Caliraya this January 5-6 for a 2-day bootcamp wherein people who have attended the Millionaire Mind Intensive Training Seminar will share what they have learned. To Cashflow 101 players, don't worry, we'll also share what we have learned.

Best regards,
Jazon

Brian Tracy on Goal Setting

Brian Tracy is one of my favorite speakers and I would like to share with you a portion of his wisdom.

I highly recommend you guys get "The Science of Self-Confidence." I am sure it will make you feel motivated, inspired and above all self confident.

Best regards,
Jazon

The million dollar answer by Francis Kong

The one million dollar answer
BUSINESS MATTERS (BEYOND THE BOTTOM LINE) By Francis J. Kong
Sunday, November 4, 2007

Imagine this scene taking place in America.

A contestant on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire program had reached the
final plateau. If she answered the next question correctly, she would
win $1,000,000. If she answered incorrectly, she would pocket only the
$32,000 milestone money.

As she suspected it would be, the million-dollar question was no
pushover: Which of the following species of birds does not build its own
nest, but instead lays its eggs in the nests of other birds? Is it:

A) The condor;

B) The buzzard;

C) The cuckoo; or

D) The vulture?

The woman was on the spot. She did not know the answer. And she was
doubly on the spot because she had used up her 50/50 lifeline and her
audience poll lifeline. All that remained was her phone-a-friend
lifeline, and the woman had hoped against hope that she would not have
to use it because the only friend that she knew would be home happened
to be a cousin. But the contestant had no alternative.

She called her friend and gave her the question and the four choices.

The cousin responded unhesitatingly: "That's easy. The answer is C: The
cuckoo."

The contestant had to make a decision and make it fast. She considered
employing a reverse strategy and giving the program host any answer
except the one that her friend had given her. And considering that her
cousin did not do well in school and has a reputation of being wrong in
her opinion most of the time, it would seem to be the logical thing to
do. On the other hand, the cousin had responded with such confidence,
such certitude, that the contestant could not help but be persuaded. "I
need an answer," said the program host.

"C: The cuckoo."

"Is that your final answer?" asked the program host.

"Yes, that is my final answer."

Two seconds later, the program host said, "I regret to inform you that
the answer is ... absolutely correct. You are now a millionaire! "

A few days later, the contestant hosted a party for her family and
friends, including the cousin who had helped her win the million
dollars. "Anne, I just do not know how to thank you," said the
contestant. "Because of your knowing the answer to that final question,
I am now a millionaire. And do you want to know something? It was the
assuredness with which you answered the question that convinced me to go
with your choice. By the way, how did you happen to know the right answer?"

"Oh, come on!" said the cousin. "Everybody knows that cuckoos don't
build nests. They live in clocks."

Wrong reason but it was the right answer. How could that be?

Think about this. Even a defective clock is right twice a day.

But it was the degree of confidence coming from the cousin that created
a lot of difference. Confidence makes all the difference.

An ancient legend tells of a general whose army was afraid to fight. The
soldiers were frightened. The enemy was too strong. Its fortress was too
high and weapons too mighty. The king, however, was not afraid. He knew
his men would win. How could he convince them? He had an idea. He told
his soldiers that he possessed a magical coin. A prophetic coin. A coin
which would foretell the outcome of the battle. On one side was an eagle
and on the other a bear He would toss the coin. If it landed eagle-side
up, they would win. If it landed with the bear up, they would lose. The
army was silent as the coin flipped in the air. Soldiers circled as it
fell to the ground. They held their breath as they looked and shouted
when they saw the eagle. The army would win.

Bolstered by the assurance of victory the men marched against the castle
and won. It was only after the victory that the king showed the men the
coin. The two sides were identical. Though the story is fictional, the
truth is reliable: assured victory empowers the army.

One look at what's going on and we have every reason to be depressed and
fearful. We need to have confidence and we need to have faith.

But faith and confidence in what?

I don't know about you but what keeps me going is the same thing that
has kept a lot of people going too; faith and confidence in God. Billy
Graham said it best when he said: "I've read the last page of the Bible.
It's all going to turn out all right."

Now tell me. What keeps you going?


--Jazon--

Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish

Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech 2005


Absolutely one of the best inspirational and motivational speeches I have heard. Truly a life changer. Allow the video to load completely. It's worth the time to listen to.

Best Regards,
Jazon

Character Traits of Extraordinary Influencers by Chris Widener

When people make a decision (either consciously or unconsciously) to follow your leadership, they do it primarily because of one of two things: Your Character or your Skills. They want to know if you are the kind of person they want to follow and if you have the skills to take them further. Yes, there are other variables but these are the bulk of the matter. This article will focus on the kind of character that causes people to follow your leadership.

1. Integrity. Integrity is that you do what you say you will. You are trustworthy. People can rely on you. You keep your promises. The one thing that will most keep people from following you is if they can't know for sure if you will actually take them where you say you will. Are you known as a person of integrity? If so, you will become an Extraordinary Influencer!

2. Optimistic. People don't want to follow others who think the future is bad! They want to follow those who can see the future and let them know that there is a better place and that they can get them there! Do you see the cup as half empty? Then you are a pessimist. Do you see it as half full? Then you are an optimist. Do you see it as totally full - half air and half water? Then you are a Super Optimist! Are you known as an optimist? If so, you will become an Extraordinary Influencer!

3. Embraces Change. Influencers are the ones who will see the need for change and willingly embrace it. Followers will at first desire to stay where they are. Influencers need to see the benefits of change and communicate them to followers. If you don't change, you won't grow! Are you known as a person who embraces change? If so, you will become an Extraordinary Influencer!

4. Risk Taker. Whenever we try something new, we are taking a risk. That is part of growing though and it is imperative. Most people are risk averse. Not the Influencer! They calculate the risk and what is to be gained from taking the risk. Then they communicate that to the followers and away they go to a better tomorrow! Are you known as a person who is willing to take risks? If so, you will become an Extraordinary Influencer!

5. Tenacious. The tendency of the follower is to quit when the going gets tough. Two or three tries and their motto becomes "If at first you don't succeed, give up and try something else." Not the Influencer! They know what good lies beyond this brick wall and they will go and get it. Then they will bring others with them! Are you known as a person who is tenacious? If so, you will become an Extraordinary Influencer!

6. Catalytic. An Influencer is ultimately one who gets people going. They are able to move others out of their comfort zone and on toward the goal! They can raise the passion, enthusiasm and the ACTION of those who would follow. Are you known as a catalyst? If so, you will become an Extraordinary Influencer!

7. Dedicated/ Committed. Followers want people who are more devoted and committed then themselves. At the first sign of lack of commitment, followers scatter for the doors. If the Influencer sees the end and is bailing out, they better get out first. Followers follow those who will stick it out because they see the importance of the task and the goal. Are you known as a person who is committed and devoted to the goal? If so, you will become an Extraordinary Influencer!

You are Made for Success!
Chris Widener

A Compelling 'Why' by Denis Waitley (excerpted from The Psychology of Motivation)

I have a suitcase for you. In that suitcase there is $1 million in cash. The suitcase is sitting in a building that is about an hour's drive from where you are now.

Here is the deal: All you have to do is get to this building in the next two hours. If you get there before the end of the two hours, I will hand you the suitcase, and you will be a million dollars richer.

There is one catch, however. If you are even one second late, our deal is off, and you will not get a dime. No exceptions! With that in mind, what time would you like to leave?

Most people would respond to that scenario by saying that they would leave right now. Wouldn't you?

So off you go. You jump into your car and start driving for the building. You are excited and are already starting to plan how you are going to spend your million dollars. Then, suddenly, the traffic comes to a complete stop. You turn on the radio and find that there has been a series of freak accidents between you and the building and there is no way to get there!

Now what would you do? Would you give up and go back home? Or would you get out of your car and walk, run, hire a helicopter, or find some other way of getting to the building on time?

Now let's suppose for a minute that you are driving to an appointment at your dentist's office. The traffic again comes to a stop. Amazingly, there have been freak accidents between you and your dentist's office. What would you do then? Probably give up, go home, and reschedule!

What is the difference between these two situations? It all comes down to why. If the why is big enough; the how is usually not a problem. This compelling why is connected to your personal objectives, mission statement, or magnificent obsessions. It is the basis of your motivational support beam. Truly motivated people are able to identify and tap into the power of a compelling why in everything they do.

Denis Waitley

As We Sow, So Shall We Harvest by Denis Waitley (excerpted from The Seeds of Greatness Treasury)

Our true rewards in life will depend on the quality and amount of contribution we make. From the Scriptures, to science, to psychology, to business, the documentation is the same. “As we sow, we reap.’ Life is an unfailing boomerang. What we throw out, will come back full circle.

The way we can build self-reliance is to recognize the number of alternative choices we have in a free society. And for every choice we make, there is a consequence or reward of that decision that we must acknowledge as our responsibility. God´s Law of Cause and Effect is forever the ruler.

During debriefing interviews, returning POW´s from the wars in which we have fought during the past century said that what they missed most of all was their freedom of choice. There are two primary choices in our lives: to accept conditions as they exist or to accept the responsibility for changing them.

To attain emotional security, each of us must learn to develop two critical capabilities: the ability to live with uncertainty, and the ability to delay immediate gratification in favor of long-range goals. Losers let life happen to them. Winners make it happen for themselves and others. Losers engage in pleasurable activities, with no purpose or result in mind. Losers try to escape from their fears and drudgery with activities that are tension- relieving. Winners are motivated by their desires toward activities that are goal-achieving.

A number of research studies during the past decade indicate that the happiest, most well-adjusted individuals are those who believe they have a strong measure of control over their lives. They choose more appropriate responses to what occurs and they stand up to inevitable changes and daily setbacks with less apprehension. They learn from their past mistakes, rather than reinforce or repeat them. They spend time taking action in the present, rather than fearing what might happen in the future.

To be self-reliant adults, we need to get some guidelines: Be different, if it means higher personal and professional standards.

Be different, if it means being more gracious and considerate to others.

Be different, if it means being cleaner, neater and better groomed than the group.

Be different, if it means putting more time and effort into all you do.

And be different, if it means taking the calculated risk. The greatest risk in life is to wait for and depend upon others for your own security. The greatest security is to plan and act, and take the risk that will ultimately ensure your personal freedom and independence.

Denis Waitley

TOP 5 Killer Myths about Debt

Top 5 Myths About Debt

Jon Hanson wrote a great book : Good Debt, Bad Debt. He made a creative and easy to understand connection with his audience using some common sense advice on how to manage personal debt. He makes the subject fun to read by using basic logical reasoning

The following list a just a peek of his priceless wisdom. Enjoy!

Myth Number 1: All debt is bad.
Reality: Debt can be a tool when used wisely to gain lasting value with a margin of safety. Its like a two edged sword used properly it can be used to acquire assets. An example is taking out a loan to make a down payment on income generating real estate. However ,if used improperly it can hurt you. Sometimes the problem with debt is not the debt per se, but a value problem —what people owe for is worthless (or at least worth less than they owe.)
For example , if you use your credit card to purchase a titanium golf club that looses half its value when you tee off. You effectively lost 50% of value and put yourself in a financial hole.
Since debt is a tool, the goal is to one day put away your tools, and have your life debt free.

Myth Number 2: Debt is just about money.
Reality: Debt takes more than just your money. Debt takes your freedom, time, cash flow and opportunities. On top of that, if you get burned from bad debt, you may fear borrowing money

Bad debt makes cowards of us all. Debt is a form of leverage, You want to be the one applying leverage. Not vice versa.

Myth Number 3: Debt is a payment for goods or services.
Reality: Debt is not payment at all; it is a claim on future earnings. It is a mortgage on your future and your time. Essentially you’re already paying for money you’ve yet to make. This puts you at a disadvantage because you might be giving up income that can be used for profitable investment opportunities. Ninety days or zero interest is not the same as CASH.

Myth Number 4: Debt is a painless route to instant gratification.
Reality: It is only painless for a season. Debt takes the waiting out of wanting, but not the sting out of repaying. Eventually you pay in cash or reputation. The insidiousness of debt is that in the beginning it gives its victims temporary pleasure. Once that “honeymoon” period is over you’ll eventually be forced to “face the music”. When that happens be ready to be in a world of pain.


Myth Number 5: I'll quit using debt later when I make more money.
Warren Buffett , the world's most successful stock market investor said : "The chains of habit are too light to feel until they are too heavy to be broken." If you have poor spending habits at a 1,000Php income, it's unlikely they will be any better at 200,000Php a year.
If you earn more money, you might just find yourself deeper in debt.
Earning more money only means more debt for some people. If every increase in income is met with new expenses, you will never be free. Parkinson's 2nd law states, "Expenses always rise to meet or exceed income."

Top 10 List for Investing in your Future

You're not a complete idiot when it comes to money. You know how to open a bank account and how to run the numbers when computing interest rates. But why do most of us find investing such a difficult subject to tackle?

Christy Heady, the author of “The Complete Idiot's guide to Making Money on Wall Street" shows us the Top 10 steps in Investing for your Future.


1. Start small, do it often. You don’t need a gazillion pesos to begin your investing program. Even 100 Php a month is a great way to start creating your wealth. In fact, if you are 25 years old and invested only 100 pesos a month every month that earned 12% a year until you retired, you would have close to a million pesos. You don’t need a lot of money to get started---just discipline. The actual habit of putting money away is more important than the amount that you put away. Once you establish the habit, you’ll have an easier time accumulating wealth. Remember before you can invest you must learn to save.


2. Think long term no matter what. Investment success isn’t rewarded overnight. Unless you were fortunate to have Uncle Henry S. to leave you a fortune in his will, you’re going to have to work at creating your wealth over the long term. Having a Long term window on your investment actually lessens your risk. Furthermore you’ll avoid making rash decisions based on emotions. Take a page out of Steven Covey’s Playbook: “begin with the end in mind.”


3. Understand that investing and saving are not the same thing. Investing your money allows you to make your money work for you as hard as you do for it. Saving your money---either in a low interest-bearing savings account or under your mattress---only guarantees you two things. Low interest and dust bunnies. Keeping your money in a inert investment vehicle also faces the insidious problem of inflation. Since Inflation has been constantly present in the past. Keeping your money under your bed will actually leave you with less buying power than when you started saving.


4. Shop around for a financial adviser and compare services. Don’t just rely on Tito Boy, the family broker extraordinaire. You’ll pay a high price for investment advice even if it’s a family member. Learn how to do your own investment research and create your own investment plan. Ultimately you save thousands of pesos in commissions and fees.


5. Treat yourself like a bill, and pay yourself first. Even before you pay the cable man, the electric bill, and your daughter’s Girl Scout dues. Pay yourself first. Put some money away. This habit guarantees that you’re putting you and your family ahead of all other obligations. It’s a great way to build your wealth!!! 10% of what you earn is a good starting point. Eventually you’ll find that you can build your savings and save up to 15% or 20% of what you earn. What’s important in this step is to prioritize the savings before the expense


6. Don’t just buy---diversify! This rule follows the old adage “Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket.” By allocating your money into several different investments, you reduce your risk. If you put all of your eggs in one basket and drop the basket, they all break --- egg yolk everywhere. Put your eggs in different baskets and drop one basket, Voila!! Only one cracked shell…. And all the others are still intact.


7. Don’t follow John Q. Public. One of the riskiest investment decisions is to make is based on what other people are saying or doing. You can listen to your friend’s stock tips or watch market gurus on CNBC but don’t blindly invest in the product without doing your research. Living in the information age gives us tons of advantages. There are a lot of financial information sources out there that are a treasure trove of knowledge. My personal favorite: http://www.investopedia.com/


8. Do your homework. It is amazing how many people spend so much time investigating what house to buy or where to go on vacation but give little time to researching their investments. Learn as much as you can about the investment, such as its performance history and how risky it is. Most of us are already capable of doing our financial investment research already. We just call it by a different name: shopping. If you want to get the best investment deal you have to shop around for the best value at the best price. This goes for all the investment vehicles like mutual funds, stocks, real estate and businesses.


9. Know that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be wary of the investment professional who tells you about a “sure thing” in which you should invest all of your money. First, it doesn’t practice the art of diversification. Second, the investment professional is probably an investment clod. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Enough said.


10. Don’t let your investment keep you up at night. If you can’t sleep, Sell!! If there is an investment that is making you nervous and you can’t catch those ZZZZZs , sell it. There is not investment worth losing sleep over--- Except our children of course.

Pasig Cashflow Game Pics

Great Game Guys!

5 Keys to Wealth

from "The 5 Lessons a Millionaire taught me about life and Wealth" by Richard Evans.

I always enjoy a good book and I always have this compulsion to rummage through a booksale whenever I see one at the mall. One such side adventure lead me to an astounding little book by Richard Evans. Its hardbound tome decorated by 5 keys on its cover and shares the author's message of building wealth through 5 simple lessons. What's more fascinating is that at the end of the book Evans encourages the reader to share these five lessons to as many people as possible so that the reader may internalize the lessons and enjoy their fruits. To all the bloggers out there I hope you find these "keys" to wealth as enlightening as I did.

The 5 Keys to Wealth.

1. Decide to be Wealthy.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. In the case of building wealth the "first step" is committing to the becoming wealthy. For Richard Evans , the main reasons why most people fail to achieve wealth is because they don't decide to be wealthy. Commitment is a very powerful force and the mere act 0f deciding to become wealthy causes reality to conspire to make you successful. How do you take that first step? Simply declare your intention by saying it out loud and write it down on a card.... "Today I decide to be wealthy" (piece of cake).

2. Take Responsibility for Your Money.
There is a French proverb that goes " Money makes a good servant but a bad master". If you don't take control of your money, It will take control of you. Before you even take control of the money that you have, you have to take responsibility for it.

You can take responsibility for your money through the following four steps:

First, You have to Know How much Money You Have. Just as in any project, you have to take stock of the your current resources. Begin by calculating your current monetary value. This is the equivalent of stepping on a scale at the beginning of a diet or ticking of a checklist at the beginning of an arts n' crafts project. Second, Know Where Your Money Comes From. Ultimately, the income that we earn can be divided into 3 categories: earned income, passive income or portfolio income. If most of the income comes from earned income, it should cover ongoing expenses. And if you have little or no portfolio and passive income. You should take steps to increase them. Third, Know Where Your Money is Going. This can be summed up in one word: cashflow. Is your money accumulating in your bank account or is it blowing out through an unnecessary luxury or expense. Find the holes in your leaking ship and plug them before you sink. Fourth, Know What your Money is Doing. In order for you to take advantage of the money that you earn, you must also make sure that it is working hard for you. Keep tabs on where you invest your money and what the rate of return the investment is generating.

3. Keep a Portion of Everything you Earn.

Probably one of the most underrated books ever written about building personal wealth is "The Richest Man in Babylon" by George S. Clason (see "5 rules of Gold" in earlier post). Clason stated multiple times in his work " I found the road to wealth when I decided that a part of all I earned was mine to keep". This might at first, sound like a bizarre statement because we definitely keep all that we earn. However , if you think about it we don't usually "keep" what we earn because it all goes to our expenses like clothes, rent, cellphones, etc. So the best way to ensure that we Keep a portion of everything we earn is to pay ourselves first every time we receive our paycheck. How much should we pay ourselves? According to Evans ,"You should shave a minimum of 10 percent of your own going salary and 90 to 100 percent of your side earnings." This translates to 10% of your paycheck and 90%-100% of your Midyear bonus/Project bonus/13th month pay etc. Take note that it's not the size of the paycheck or bonus that matters. What matters is the habit of putting money away.

4. Win in the Margins.

You can win in the margins by either reducing your expenses or by increasing your source of income . Evans recommends that you do both. Reducing expenses is easy. All you have to do is to make a monthly budget and get rid of your unnecessary luxuries. "Unnecessary Luxuries" may sound like a redundant term but it also good to keep some sort of balance in your life. It's OK to keep a few personal luxuries as a reward for sticking to your wealth building activities. In the end it will pay off because you'll be motivated to achieve your goal of financial freedom.

The second way to win in the margins is to increase your source of income. This may be a little trickier for most of us. Here in the Philippines one example would be John Gokongwei Jr. In his now famous speech at Ateneo on entrepreneurship, he mentions how he sold soap ,thread and candles in his early days. He would "win in the margins" by finding a need in the market and meeting that need. I also observed that some co-workers here at the office also make the move to "win in the margins" by selling pre-paid SMS credits . The point of this key to wealth is to increase your "personal profit margin" by finding multiple streams of income. Once you set up multiple streams of income you can then allocate this to high yielding investments.

5. Give Back.

Some people might think that tithing is a wealth subtractor , when in fact it is a wealth multiplier. On a spiritual level, giving money away makes perfect sense because being generous defeats the emotion of greed. Furthermore , it gives meaning to your goal of becoming wealthy.

On a more pragmatic level, giving money way also makes sense because the more money that is tithed translates to more money circulating in the economy. When more money circulates , and is available to people , more goods and services will be bought. This then results to lower prices , economic growth and investment growth. A nation that has a growing economy and low prices will generally have a population of wealthy and happy people. So, if you're part of that nation, you'll be one of the wealthy and happy people =) Isn't that a great reason to donate to a worthy cause?

Antione de Saint-Exupery, the author of "The Little Prince", said: "A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." If this is true the 5 millionaire lessons of Paul Evans must be pretty close to perfection in the way that it brings all of us closer to unlocking great wealth.

I think that we all deserve a shot at wealth and happines; it is my hope that by sharing my thoughts on these 5 keys you'll be able to take YOUR shot.

Good luck on your first step!!

Larry Buan

Money Management 101

Money Management Made Easy

T. Harv Eker, in his best-selling book, “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind” said: “Rich people manage their money well. Poor people mismanage their money.

He took the point further by saying that wealthy people are not any smarter than poor people because they just have different and more supportive money habits. The difference between a financially successful person and a financial failure is how well that person manages money. So in order for you to master money you must manage your money.

How can we manage our money?

T. Harv Eker suggests that in order for us to manage our money effectively we should have separate accounts in which we will funnel our monthly pay check. See break down of accounts below:

10% Financial Freedom Account
10% Play Account
10% Education Account
10% Long-Term Savings for Spending
10% Give Account
50% Necessities Account

Allow me to give you a play-by-play of Mr. Eker's Account Scheme:
Financial Freedom Account. This is the center piece of his money management Scheme. All you have to do is to put 10 percent of every peso or dollar you earn (after taxes) into this fund. This money is only to be spent for investments or passive income generating assets. Take note that this money is NEVER to be spent! It will only be invested so that the principal will NEVER be consumed and you can live of the interest/dividends/profits from the Financial Freedom Account.
Play Account. This is what sets Eker apart from other financial gurus. He says that we must spend at most 10% on luxuries every month. I know that this might raise a few eyebrows out there but Eker explains that One of the biggest secrets to managing money is balance. The “Play account” serves as a balance to the “Financial Freedom Account”. He stated that Since your want to save as much money as possible so you can invest it and make more money; you must also balance this self discipline by REWARDING YOURSELF. This was really good news for me when I read it. I’ve been doing this for the past year and every month I would step out of the office and splurge on a Grande Latte!!! My friends would see me at Starbucks and I would say, “Don’t mind me I m just managing my money”. Definitely a stroke of brilliance on T. Harv Eker’s part. By setting an account where you blow money away every month it satisfies the “deprived” part of you that manages money. The effect is astounding because since you are rewarded for managing your money, the tendency is that you want to do it again next month. What a concept!!
Education Account. The education account provides for your financial education. This money is to be used for seminars and courses that would help you learn more about business, money and investing. Personally, I use this account when I buy books on personal finance, accounting and business. It’s very effective because knowledge is leverage. This January I spent my Education Account to take short courses in the Philippine Stock Exchange. The courses offered taught value investing which is very useful when determining which Stocks are priced at a bargain. With this new knowledge I was able to take advantage of the Global Sell of last February 28, 2007. This month I plan to spend My education account to attend the Real Estate Investing seminar of Larry Gamboa (Author of Think Rich Pinoy).
Long-term savings for spending. This Account serves as my buffer account. I use the Long-term savings for “rainy days”. This is where I get the money for unforeseen expenses such as medicine or accidents. It is very important because it is the first , last and only line of defense that protects your Financial Freedom Account.
Give Account. The give account is the “Charity” account. It is needed to balance out our “inner self” or spiritual side. Usually a person who manages and accumulate money feels guilty because he or she has money and other people do not. A person who is overwhelmed by these feelings of guilt usually go on a spending splurge that ruins all their hard work in managing their money. So in order to counter act this, a simple act of charity every month affirms that persons commitment to managing his or her money. Just as having a fun account satisfies the “fun-loving” side of a person. A Give account satisfies the person’s soul.
Necessities Account. Finally, half of your paycheck is allotted for your normal expenses. This includes expenditures for your electricity, water, food , rent and clothes. I suggest that you just spend it normally. If you have any money left over you can put the excess cash to your Financial Freedom account thus making it grow faster.

There you GO! That’s T. Harv Eker’s Basic Money Management Scheme. Bear in mind that the percentages are not etched in stone. Feel free to adjust the allocation to tailor fit you needs. It doesn’t matter whether your paycheck is 100 Pesos or 1Million Pesos , what matters is you develop the habit of managing your money. The habit or the act of segregating you paycheck is more important than the size of the paycheck because if you cant manage 100 pesos I assure you that you cannot manage 1Million pesos.
The system is so simple and elegant and has worked for me. I suggested it to my Friend Feline13 and she was able to start building her own FFA account so I know It’s not a fluke.
So take the next step!! Start by opening an extra ATM account that will serve as your Financial Freedom Account and manage your money.

Yours in Abundance,

Larry Buan

Why Play Cashflow 101?

Recently I’ve been lugging a game board around searching for Players in my new Alabang Cashflow Club. More often than not I come across friends and co-workers whom I ask , beg and practically bribe to play Cashflow 101. Frequently , I’m asked the usual questions ; It that like monopoly? What does it do? Will playing it really make me rich? Sometimes explaining the game to them and how it can be a benefit is fun in itself.

Cashflow 101 is the board game developed by Robert Kiosaki, the best selling author of “Rich Dad ,Poor Dad.” It was specifically developed to teach what the books cannot. Ultimately the goal of the books and the Game is to teach people basic investment skills. Investment is simply skill of converting earned income (money you acquire thru your job) into passive income (income that you acquire without having to work) or portfolio income ( income from stocks , bonds or mutual funds). These basic concepts ultimately separates the rich from the poor, the “haves” from the “have nots”. The rich have the advantage of generating money without having much effort . This is what the Game Cashflow 101 teaches. So , If you feel that you are ready to take on the challenge becoming financially free. Don’t hesitate to contact me so that we can get started on your first CASHFLOW 101 Game.


Hope to hear from you soon,

Larry Buan

The 5 Laws of Gold

From "The Richest Man in Babylon" by George S. Clason

George S. Clason is a genius. His work” The Richest Man in Babylon” is the must read for anybody who wants to get started in getting out of the rat race and into the fast track. I bought myself a copy Last year, May 23 2006, and I’ve been applying his principles ever since. I can’t even begin to describe the drastic changes that occurred in my financial situation since I read “The Richest Man in Babylon”. What makes the “Richest Man in Babylon” stand out among other Personal Finance books is the fact that Clason disguised his Financial principles in the form of Parables. The he chose ancient Babylon as his setting which is perfect because the rules that govern our money today was established in the City of Babylon centuries ago. Since the rules of money then are the same as the rules that govern our money now, all we have to do is to follow the basic principles of wealth building so we can all become financially free.


I have summarized a portion of the Richest Man in Babylon in this post. I hope this will encourage you to seek this extraordinary piece of work so that it will provide you with the astounding benefits that I currently enjoy.



THE FIVE LAWS OF GOLD
(taken from “The Richest Man in Babylon” by George S. Clason)


1. Gold cometh gladly and increasing quantity to any man who will put not less than one-tenth of his earnings to create an estate for his future and that of his family.
2. Gold laboreth diligently and contentedly for the wise owner who finds for it profitable employment, multiplying even as the flocks to the field.
3. Gold clingeth to the protection of the cautious owner who invests it under the advice of men wise in its handling
4. Gold slippeth away from the man who invest it in business or purposes with which he is not familiar or which are not approved by those skilled in its keep.
5. Gold flees the man who would force it to impossible earnings or who followeth the alluring advice of tricksters and schemers who trusts it to his own inexperience and romantic desires in investment


I highly recommend everyone to get a copy of this book. It cost around 400++ pesos in PowerBooks or national bookstore. Ask for assistance in finding the book. The book is classified under “classics” so you will not find it under the business and finance section. This may be the reason why “The Richest Man in Babylon “ is so underrated. Reading this book is probably the smartest investment decision you’ll ever make.

In my opinion this, book is one of the greatest forms of leverage because the small amount of wisdom contained in this tome can propel anybody to financial success.


Happy Investing,

Larry Buan

Opening a Online Stock Trading Account

After playing a few rounds of Cashflow 101, the Club members have a short round table discussion. Regardless of whether or not the players get out of the rat race , most of the questions fall under the category of stock trading. Specifically , how to get started in buying and selling stocks. I understand that for most of us the subject of stocks are a mystery. I've been clueless my self so a couple of years back I researched on the subject by going to the website of the Philippine Stock Exchange. (http://www.pse.com.ph/). After doing my research I decided to test the waters by opening a Stock Brokerage Account with BPI. So, for those Alabang Cashflow Club members who are interested in opening an account with BPI I hope that this step-by-step guide can be of help.

1. Open a BPI Savings Account – This will serve as the beneficiary account that will enable you to fund your stock purchases. It will also serve as the account from which you will withdraw your money when you decide to sell your stocks or when dividends are generated by your stocks this is the account where you can withdraw your money.
2. Go To http://www.bpitrade.com/ (easy)
3. Click the “open an account” link.
4. Click the “Individual account” link. (For purposes of simplicity lets choose this type of account. If your married ,You may opt to choose to open a joint account. )
5. Fill up the application Form page entirely. Make sure you remember to write down your nominated username and password because you will need this information to log in to your brokerage account every time you go online. Also , you will also be asked for your password to confirm your stock purchases and stock sales . Take note of your beneficiary account number which you will be required to fill in step three. Your beneficiary account number is the number at the back of your ATM card. Once you finish filling up ALL the fields …
6. CHECK, DOUBLE CHECK AND RECHECK THE INFORMATION.(in order to avoid unnecessary delays)
7. Click Submit and Print your Application form.
8. Bring your Application forms and necessary Identification Materials to a BPI branch.
9. Wait for your confirmation via your email. BPI will send the confirmation email to the email account you nominate in the Application form page .
10. Use your nominated Username and password to log in.




Take note that there are other on-line stockbrokers out there that you can check out such as CitisecOnline (http://www.citiseconline.com/) or First Metro Securities(http://www.firstmetrosec.com.ph/.). I only used BPI trade as an example because it is the broker I'm most familiar with. If anybody out there use other On-line brokers PLEASE do share your knowledge with us.

Happy Investing!!!!


Larry Buan

Welcome to the Alabang Cashflow Club Blog Site

Hi! Welcome to the Alabang Cashflow Club (ACC). This is my first post and I'm cordially inviting everyone to our Cashflow 101 games here in Alabang. The Goals of ACC is to raise the financial awareness and Improve the financial intelligence of young Pinoy Professionals in the immediate Alabang area. However , our doors are open to anybody who wants to share their knowledge in becoming financially free. Currently we have kicked off our Club meetings and have been playing regular Cashlfow 101 games here in Alabang Fil- Invest Corporate City. If you are interested to join us or if you know someone who is please don't hesitate to contact me thru my cell at 09155730112 or reply to this post. I'll make sure to contact you as soon as possible. Enjoy the site ; I look forward to meeting and blogging you soon.

Cheers!!!

Larry Buan
Alabang Cashflow Club Owner