| "All that we are is made up of our thoughts; it is | | | | experience. Money itself is not the end objective, but |
| founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our | | | | rather are the things that money can buy. Money is |
| thoughts. If a man speak or act with a pure thought, | | | | merely the means of exchange in buying or selling |
| happiness will follow him, like a shadow that never | | | | goods and/or services that can bring the experience |
| leaves him." -- Dhammapada | | | | of desire. In this approach, money does not |
| When starting a business, it is essential that you have | | | | accumulate but circulate." |
| a plan carefully thought out, researched, written, | | | | What is your personal view of money? Do you look |
| studied, analyzed, and fine-tuned before execution, | | | | at it as "an end" or the "means to an end"? Now, |
| to ensure that you get your business off to a good | | | | you relate that view to your planned business. You |
| start and minimize mistakes along the way. As the | | | | have to have everything clear at the very outset. |
| saying goes: "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." | | | | That way, your decisions will not be based on what |
| It is to your own advantage that you write the plan | | | | is expedient but what is right. |
| yourself no matter how "crude" it may appear to a | | | | Would you go into business so you can have tons of |
| seasoned business writer. Ask help from professionals | | | | money to your name? Do you "feel" the need to |
| but don't let someone else write the plan for you. | | | | accumulate money and have this kept in the bank for |
| You are not writing for the Wall Street Journal, you | | | | "security" and "financial independence"? |
| are writing your formula for success. Basically, your | | | | There was this story of a retired old man during the |
| success formula starts with your passion for your | | | | Great Depression who, one morning as he scanned |
| "baby," which a business writer may not share with | | | | the day's paper, found out a little too late that all of |
| you. A good business plan is not measured by how | | | | the money he kept in the bank -- his lifetime savings |
| well it is written but how feasible it is, to achieve | | | | -- was worth ONLY one round-trip ticket around |
| success. | | | | Berlin. You know what he did? He withdrew all his |
| The importance of a plan when going into business, | | | | money, bought a ticket, took a trip around Berlin, |
| be it "just" a home-based business, cannot be | | | | went home, locked the door behind him and shot |
| emphasized enough. And don't let your business plan | | | | himself to death. |
| just sit on the bookshelf gathering dust. Make it your | | | | Do not aim for the money as though it is all that |
| handy reference material, dog-ears on its pages for | | | | matters in the world. Desire instead for the things |
| quick access. Make necessary revisions to stay in | | | | that money can buy that will make you enjoy life. |
| step with changing technology and trends as you go | | | | Somebody said some place, "money is a bad master |
| along. | | | | and a good servant." Indeed. As the Great Master |
| But there is something even more important than the | | | | said: "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole |
| business plan that you need to ponder early on -- and | | | | world and forfeit his soul?" |
| always keep in mind -- if you are really dead serious | | | | You have a good business idea? Go for it but don't |
| in your pursuit of success, whether with your planned | | | | slave yourself for the money. As one author put it: |
| business or the much bigger business of living your | | | | "No man ever became very wealthy working with his |
| LIFE that was meant for you to enjoy when you | | | | hands alone; this applies to the brain worker also. The |
| were brought forth into this green orb called earth. | | | | only way to obtain much money is to make money |
| You see, the Majestic Creator, who filled the earth | | | | work for you." |
| with abundance did not intend that man should live in | | | | There you have it. Let money work for you. Invest |
| misery in the midst of plenty. | | | | your money wisely and make it grow. Money is |
| First, you have to come to terms with the fact that | | | | meant to be circulated not hoarded. I don't mean |
| there is no such thing in Nature that is called blind | | | | that you shouldn't save. You should, to provide for |
| chance, accident or luck. Everything-yes, everything | | | | the "rainy days." What I am trying to say is: don't be |
| (tangible or intangible, physical or spiritual)-is governed | | | | stingy and greedy at the same time. |
| by definite and active Universal Laws set in motion | | | | Learn from Nature because it is never selfish. It |
| by the Great Law Giver. You may not agree but | | | | adequately provides for everything that man needs, |
| what you think -- or believe --doesn't nullify the fact | | | | not just for him to survive but to enjoy life. Each |
| that such laws do exist. Take, for example, the Law | | | | morning you wake up to a fresh supply of |
| of Gravity. If there were no such law, do you think | | | | everything you need to stay alive: air, water, sunlight |
| there would exist anything on earth, say, at the | | | | and the plants and animals that provide food, clothing |
| equator where it rotates on its axis 1,038 miles per | | | | and shelter. |
| hour? What would happen if the earth suddenly | | | | Ever noticed how the grass you cut the day before |
| stopped spinning? | | | | sprouted out new blades to welcome the beautiful |
| It is not the purpose of this article to educate you | | | | morning sun? Those pesky little weeds were pained |
| on all the Universal Laws - there's just too many of | | | | by your cutting but that didn't stop them from doing |
| them to even mention here (space would not allow | | | | as Natured intended it. They didn't shrink back, they |
| even if I wanted to), but one particular Law that I | | | | grew out new leaves. |
| would like to impart to you knowledge and | | | | Those flowers you picked from your garden, did it |
| understanding of is the Law of Cause and Effect, | | | | bother you that they wilted in the evening? No, |
| and another law correlated with it, the Law of | | | | because you knew that you'd have a fresh |
| Financial Success. | | | | replacement - lots of it - on the morrow. When you |
| The Law is precise: For every Effect there is a | | | | pruned your fruit trees, did it worry you that they |
| Cause, and for every Cause, an Effect. | | | | might not bear fruits again? No, because you knew |
| Here's how one insightful author put it: | | | | that by cutting the branches, those trees would |
| "Under the same conditions, a given Cause will always | | | | grow new ones and bear even much more fruit. |
| produce the same effect. This is what we call "Law." | | | | So that's how you should deal with your money. |
| If we could make a close analysis of our lives, we | | | | Practice economy but don't hoard. And as your chest |
| would find that in their detail and entirety, they are | | | | fills to the brim, do something even more worthwhile |
| the result or product of Law. This must be | | | | doing-and achieving-like making a difference in a world |
| self-evident to every thinking person for the reason | | | | gone mad, say. |
| that without a "Cause," an "Effect" is impossible, and | | | | The world's richest man, Bill Gates, is no longer |
| it will also be apparent that if we would control the | | | | involved in the day-to-day operation of Microsoft, the |
| effect, we must first put the right Cause into action. | | | | company that he really fought tooth-and-nail to build |
| "We are so accustomed to accepting thoughts, | | | | into the world's biggest software empire. He is |
| methods and conditions which have been handed | | | | enjoying his life actively leading the fight against |
| down from our ancestors, or which are the product | | | | malaria with his Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. |
| of social or economic evolution as the only right thing, | | | | He continues to make a difference in the lives of |
| and binding upon us, and of attributing the various | | | | people. |
| things that come to us as "Chance" or | | | | He had his VISION clearly etched in his mind early on |
| "Happenstance," that we cannot at first realize the | | | | and he pursued that vision with dogged tenacity, |
| immensity of the fact that in our whole | | | | against all odds. He had Faith in his ability. He had |
| Life-expression, we are governed and controlled | | | | Purpose: "Windows® in every desktop." He |
| absolutely by Law! It staggers us at first, and while | | | | contributed greatly to productivity, continual increase |
| we can discern the workings of Laws in certain | | | | and never-ending advancement of technology. He |
| spheres, we are slow to grasp the transcendent fact | | | | was efficient in his actions. And he became rich - |
| that in all that concerns us, in our Success or Failure, | | | | "filthy rich" as people call it - in the process. |
| Plenty or Poverty, Happiness or Unhappiness, and in | | | | For him to become the very rich man that he is |
| Health or Disease, all, ALL is governed and | | | | today, do you think he followed Certain Laws and |
| determined by Law!" | | | | Principles? You bet he did. Money did not just fall on |
| The Law springs to action the very moment you let | | | | his lap from heaven. Nor did it come with him just |
| a thought enter your mind (Cause), dwell on it and | | | | sitting all day and wishing that money rain down from |
| then act it out. As you figure things out in your mind, | | | | the skies or flow into his bank account from the |
| and so they form and materialize (Effect) accordingly. | | | | vaults of giant Swiss banks. |
| The mind possesses an innate power that when | | | | Money came to him because he was in complete |
| unleashed, can alter landscapes and reshape | | | | harmony with the Universal Laws that govern |
| civilizations. The Great Creator Himself recognizes the | | | | financial success, viz.:o The Law of Cause and Effect |
| power of the mind to Cause and bring about a | | | | (Opening the Way with a Workable Plan).o The Law |
| corresponding Effect. When He thwarted the plan of | | | | of Action and Reaction (The more you give, the |
| mankind to build the Tower of Babel to a dizzying | | | | more you receive)o The Law of Gratitude (Be |
| height, He said: "... they have begun to do this, then | | | | grateful even for the little things that come your |
| NOTHING they plan to do will be impossible for | | | | way).o The Law of Attraction ("As A Man Thinketh |
| them." | | | | In His Heart, So Is He"). |
| Applying the Law | | | | And the principles involved:o Vision. (Definiteness and |
| Pause for a moment and think why you are planning | | | | fixedness of Purpose)o Faith (Confidence and belief in |
| to put up your own business. What is your purpose, | | | | one's Ability)o Efficient Action ("Be The Best of |
| your motive, your goal? What is your dream ... your | | | | Whatever You Are")o Will and Determination ("Never |
| vision? | | | | Surrender").o Expectancy and Persistency (Only dead |
| Ah, yes ... VISION. How many of the 6 billion people | | | | fish float downriver)o Right Mental Attitude (Build |
| in the world today have vision? | | | | your ideals and live in them mentally) |
| In the Book of Proverbs, we read: "Where there is | | | | Together, the above laws and principles constitute |
| no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the | | | | the Law of Financial Success which governs the |
| law, happy is he." Have you noticed how this little | | | | accumulation of wealth. To become rich, you have to |
| book of wisdom correlated vision with the law? | | | | do things the "Certain Way," not unlike following |
| If your only motive to go into business is to make | | | | mathematical formulas when solving math problems. |
| money-lots of it, better think again. Money is not the | | | | To illustrate: there's just no way that you can come |
| "be all, end all" of life. Space would not allow a | | | | up with the answer "1" when your formula is "1 + 1." |
| lengthier discussion of money in this blog for there is | | | | Don't be fooled when some glib-tongued "guru" tells |
| so much to talk about it. But the short story of King | | | | you that to become rich, you only need to follow the |
| Midas (you must be familiar with it) which I have | | | | Law of Attraction like it's shown in the movie, "The |
| included here would put everything in perspective: | | | | Secret." Said law is just one of the factors that |
| King Midas | | | | determine success. No amount of desiring, wishing, |
| King Midas was a very kind man who ruled his | | | | imagining, visualizing for your planned business will |
| kingdom fairly, but he was not one to think very | | | | enable you to get what you want if you just roll in |
| deeply about what he said. One day, while walking in | | | | bed all day or dream your life away in 'Never Never |
| his garden, he saw an elderly satyr asleep in the | | | | Land' like Peter Pan. |
| flowers. Taking pity on the old fellow, King Midas let | | | | "Yes, You Can" |
| him go without punishment. When the god Dionysus | | | | You have come this far in your reading of this article |
| heard about it, he rewarded King Midas by granting | | | | and I take it to mean that its contents interested, |
| him one wish. The king thought for only a second | | | | inspired, and motivated you enough to "follow your |
| and then said I wish for everything I touch to turn to | | | | dream" and "GO FOR THE GOLD." |
| gold." And so it was. | | | | I am not foolishly telling you that this writeup is all |
| The beautiful flowers in his garden turned toward the | | | | you need to succeed in your planned home-based |
| sun for light, but when Midas approached and | | | | business. In fact, I encourage you to devour every |
| touched them, they stood rigid and gold. The king | | | | reading material on entrepreneurship that you can lay |
| grew hungry and thin, for each time he tried to eat, | | | | your hands on and adequately equip yourself with |
| he found that his meal had turned to gold. His lovely | | | | the tools needed to realize your dream. I only hope |
| daughter, at his loving touch, turned hard and fast to | | | | that I am able to impart to you right knowledge and |
| gold. His water, his bed, his clothes, his friends, and | | | | good understanding of the rudiments of |
| eventually the whole palace was gold. | | | | home-business and the Universal Laws and Principles |
| King Midas saw that soon his whole kingdom would | | | | that "govern and determine the result of our every |
| turn to gold unless he did something right away. He | | | | act-of the success or failure of our every effort!" |
| asked Dionysus to turn everything back to the way | | | | If, at this point, the whole picture of your planned |
| it had been and take back his golden touch. Because | | | | business is already clear in your mind, then don't |
| the king was ashamed and very sad, Dionysus took | | | | hesitate a second. ACT NOW. "Time waits for no |
| pity on him and granted his request. Instantly, King | | | | man." |
| Midas was poorer than he had been, but richer, he | | | | Sweep away from your consciousness all thoughts |
| felt, in the things that really count. | | | | that may be causing you to doubt your ability and |
| The Law of Financial Success | | | | capability to follow through your plan till you see |
| Back to your planned business. The short story of | | | | yourself vacationing in the Bahamas not the least |
| King Midas illustrates how the mind works and how | | | | worried about your business because it continues to |
| the Law of Cause and Effect functions in relation to | | | | pile up cash for you, 24/7, on autopilot. |
| a thought. | | | | For as long as you are in harmony with the Law of |
| No one can dispute the fact that money is the | | | | Financial Success as discussed in this article and not |
| primary purpose of a business for why should one go | | | | remiss in what is expected of you, especially in the |
| into business if he does not intend for his business to | | | | infancy of your "baby," then things should go well |
| make money? | | | | with you and your home-based business. "Just do it." |
| What I am trying to point out here, though, is how | | | | "YES, YOU CAN." Powerful words that U.S. President |
| money should be approached since there are two | | | | Barack Obama used to inspire and move throngs to |
| different ways that it can be viewed, viz.:o Money as | | | | elect him to the most powerful office in the world. |
| an end, ando Money as a means to an end | | | | You can say the same to yourself, "YES, I CAN." |
| Following is how one author describes the two | | | | In closing, I leave you the following verse quoted |
| approaches: | | | | from Napoleon Hill's book,Think and Grow Rich. |
| "In this approach (money as an end), the idea is that | | | | "If you think you are beaten, you are, |
| money is what should be pursued. It's the end | | | | If you think you dare not, you don't |
| objective of effort. In this approach, money can be | | | | If you like to win, but you think you can't, |
| accumulated and it can be immobilized. And | | | | It is almost certain you won't. |
| immobilization implies uneven distribution, which means | | | | "If you think you'll lose, you're lost |
| that the money will accumulate heavier for some | | | | For out of the world we find, |
| (the rich) and will be scarce and sparse for others | | | | Success begins with a fellow's will- |
| (the poor) as a consequence. This is the case, | | | | It's all in the state of mind. |
| because in this approach there is a limited supply of | | | | "If you think you are outclassed, you are, |
| money. Therefore, the end objective should be to | | | | You've got to think high to rise, |
| accumulate as much as possible, as this will | | | | You've got to be sure of yourself before |
| supposedly provide for 'security' and 'financial | | | | You can ever win a prize. |
| independence.' | | | | "Life's battles don't always go |
| "In ... (approaching money as a means), the idea is | | | | To the stronger or faster man, |
| that money is the means towards the end objective | | | | But soon or late the man who wins |
| of experiencing something, simply for the feelings of | | | | Is the man WHO THINKS HE CAN! |
| excitement and happiness that come with the | | | | |