I admit it, I don’t know everything .

OK, when I watch the national news (which I usually avoid), I see stories about the horrible economy, downsizing, people getting laid off, companies going out of business, people spending less money, etc., etc., etc.

Yes, the economy is suffering.  Yes, some businesses are struggling to stay afloat.

But…

It’s not across the board.  It’s not every business.  It’s not every industry.

I watched the launch of Frank Kern’s Mass Control 2.0.  I purchased it the first time around, so this time I was able to really study his marketing (and yes, what he does actually matches what he teaches).  Did you know he sold more than 4 million dollars on that launch?  Four million dollars.

Somebody was spending money.

Then last night my husband and I went to see Elton John and Billy Joel in concert in Atlanta.  The concert was held at the Philips Arena in Atlanta which seats 21,000 people, and it was sold out.

OK, perhaps I’m naive, but…tickets for the cheap seats were $100 each.  I don’t know how much tickets for the floor were, but let’s say that each seat was $100 (because I like easy math).  $100 tickets times 21,000 seats = $2,100,000 minimum.

Somebody was spending money.

How about this?  The concert was held at the Philips Arena which is very close to the Georgia Dome.  It just so happened that the ACC Conference Basketball Championship Tournament was being held in the Georgia Dome this weekend.  According to the Associate Commissioner of the ACC for basketball operations, the 2009 edition of the tournament had the second highest attendance numbers in the history of the tournament. 152,112 fans attended the six sessions in Atlanta for an average of 26,352.  They sold about 28,000 ticket books at $363 each.  That’s $10,164,000.  For a weekend of basketball.

Somebody was spending money.

The point is:  money doesn’t just disappear.  People will still spend money on what they want.  Your job is to make sure you have what they want, and let them know it!

If you usually agree with the opinion that something isn’t possible for you to do, it’s time to stop.

The only way to achieve anything is to believe that you will. Believe that it’s possible for you to succeed, then believe that it’s probable.

Once you’ve internalized that belief, you can start planning. Ask yourself:

* What is it exactly that I want?
* What are the steps that will help me get it?
* Who can teach me what I need to know in order to achieve this?
* What is my plan to get there?

Once you’ve answered these questions and put your plan into place, concentrate your efforts on achieving your goal. You will become what you think about most, so develop the character traits of the people who have already achieved what you’re striving for. Filter out the negative thoughts and fill your mind with thoughts and images that support your goals.

Motivation is the thing that keeps you in motion. It’s the reason you do anything. It can drive you to achieve your greatest goals in life.

But when your motivation is lacking, there is no clear direction for you to take. It won’t be possible for you to improve your life or advance in your field because you won’t be using the gifts God gave you. You’ll just continue to do those non-productive things that drain even more of your motivation.

So take time to look for YOUR reason. What makes you excited? What makes you feel good about yourself, a sense of accomplishment?

When you find that reason, use the positive energy to keep yourself progressing toward your goals. Align yourself with your true purpose in life, and you will have a source of constant renewal.

Believe it or not, your sense of humor is something you can develop — and it’s actually pretty easy. Here are a few tips on how to improve yours:

1. Project a light, humorous air.  How you look at things means a lot. View the things happening around you as funny. Find the good and positive side in everything, even when it’s difficult.

2. Associate yourself with people who are fun. Spend time with people who are fun and who like to laugh. This will help you to develop you wit, but more importantly, it will keep you in a positive frame of mind.

3. Laugh at yourself. When you can laugh at yourself and the embarrassing things that you do, it means that you have enough confidence in yourself to do anything. Plus, it means you’re not afraid to make mistakes — and remember, the faster you make those mistakes, the faster you’ll find the successful path.

4. Read funny books and strive to remember good (clean) jokes. Focus on jokes that you can easily use in any type of conversation. Collecting good jokes gives you something to talk about when you need a good ice-breaker or when a conversation lags.

5. Apply humor to all aspects of your everyday life. Humor can really brighten up your day.  Whether it’s at work, in a relationship, in a social setting, wherever, humor has the power to change attitudes.

A good sense of humor is one of the keys to a happy and fulfilled life. Improve your sense of humor now and see how many people are drawn to you each day.

Life without laughter is almost unbearable. Without laughter, you will have a more difficult time withstanding the problems and challenges that life brings. A person with a good sense of humor can do a lot to make things lighter, healthier, and definitely more fun. And that person can be you!

Let’s look at them a little bit closer.  For the purposes of this discussion, I’m going to call people who are in the lower- and middle-income brackets "trapped" and those who are the wealthiest "free."

Most of those in the "trapped" category are employees while the "free" group are almost always business owners, entrepreneurs, investors, etc. - people who take control of their own destiny.

If you look at the paycheck of a "trapped" person, you’ll find:
Gross Earnings Minus Deductions (Taxes, SSS, etc.) = Net Pay (Money left for you to spend / save)

The earnings of a "free" person look like this:
Gross Earnings Minus Expenses / Savings = Net Earnings subject to taxes

Notice the difference? It’s earn, pay tax, spend for someone who’s "trapped" and earn, spend, pay tax for someone who’s "free." There’s a profound difference.

If you are an employee, there’s not much you can do about it because that’s the way the system works. You don’t have the power to change the system because you have no control over it. It’s time to get out of the trap, be liberated from being poor or middle class, and start taking action to becoming financially independent.

To change the situation, you have to consciously state your intention. You send a signal to your brain so that your mindset will start to function like those who are "free."

Let’s compare how a "trapped" person thinks to the way a "free" person thinks. Knowing the differences helps to open up your perception to the way your mind works. This also prepares or conditions your mind to have an in-depth understanding of financial issues.

The "trapped" work for money. The "free" make money work for them. Literally translated, the "trapped" work to gain money in exchange for their services, to pay for bills and all the other expenses. The "free" use money to earn money by investing and/or going into business. They employ the services of other people so they do not necessarily have to be physically present to maintain their business. This gives them more time to engage in other moneymaking ventures — and to do more of the things they enjoy doing.

The "trapped" think that the love of money is the root of all evil that is why they choose to remain "trapped". The “free” think that the lack of money is the root of all evil, that is why they strive to create wealth.

Say for example, two people are looking at a yacht, admiring it, imagining what it would be like to own it. The person who chooses to remain "trapped" would say: "I canlt afford to buy a yacht." The person who chooses to find ways to create wealth would say: "What  can I do to own a yacht?" The thinking process of the "trapped" on how to make money is automatically shut down. The thinking process of the "free" works to determine ways for them to make money, so that they can afford to buy whatever they desire.

The poor and middle class buy their personal things like clothing and household furnishing ready made. The "free" buy them made-to-order. Items that are made-to-order are usually more expensive because they are unique or one-of-a-kind, giving the "free" more options, choices, and advantages.

The "trapped" advise their children to study hard so that they can find a good company to work for when they finish their education. The "free" advise their children to study hard so that they can build a good company or find a good company to buy.

The excuse of the "trapped" for being poor is that they are supporting their families, so expenses are high. The "free" are motivated to be wealthy because they are supporting their families, striving to earn more.

A lot of people cringe when it comes to taking risk about money especially the "trapped". The "free" will find ways to control and manage this risk.

On the issue of reaching retirement age, the "trapped" depend on a company or the government to take care of their needs. The "free" prefer financial self-reliance.

The "trapped" can afford to save a few dollars. The "free" can afford to make investments to increase their wealth.

The "trapped" compose impressive resumes to find good jobs. The "free" come up with dynamic business plans to create jobs for others.

The "trapped" say that money isn’t important to them. The "free" say that money is power.

As you can see, there are a lot of differences between the the thinking and attitudes of the "trapped" and the "free." How the mind works determines the person. It's sad that most people choose the "trapped" way of thinking.  And it is a choice.

Let me emphasize, though, that a willing mind isn't enough to magically make you wealthy if it's not coupled with intelligent, decisive, fearless action.  One way to take immediate action is to use Robert Allen Multiple Streams of Income

Make it happen. Make the decision to change your situation and take action today!

There are people who may have just about everything money can buy, but they do not have abundance. Blame it on attitude and a mindset that tends to throw away what is in abundance.

While money is one manifestation of abundance, there are other areas through which abundance can be seen and measured, like good health, peace of mind, mental clarity, and a strong spiritual belief and purpose.

Most people want to bring in more financial abundance in their lives although this type of abundance may be one of the most difficult to achieve. However, giving in to feelings of helplessness in attracting financial abundance may just lead to lesser financial abundance. It is important to create and maintain a mindset that is both positive and determined.

When one is bombarded with financial problems, he spends a lot of time thinking about how and where to get the money, instead of planning on how to spend money wisely. If money is in scarcity and not in abundance, then a person should instead focus on what he can achieve and how many people he can help if he has money.  Worrying about money can get you nowhere and definitely, it cannot get you more money.

Possessing abundance in terms of emotions means one is really fully human, capable of feeling love, joy, hatred and other emotions that humans normally feel. A person who has emotional abundance should not be feeling greater than the others, but such person should have more feelings of sympathy, generosity, love and other emotions that make one fully human.

Being in a state of emotional abundance means being able to possess emotions that bring about a balance in one’s humanity. It means more sympathy than apathy, more tolerant of what others may be feeling in certain circumstances. An emotionally abundant person will have more space in his heart to accept the shortcomings of other people.

Physical abundance means being healthy, robust, and possesses a body that is always attuned to the demands of nature. It means being able to heal the body when it is confronted with sickness or other physical challenges.

There are people who choose to have emotional abundance.  Others choose physical abundance so they will be capable of facing life’s daily challenges. However, there are people who would always welcome financial abundance, not for anything else, but merely because of acute scarcity in this area. Some people may say money is not everything; but try to live for a month without money to buy your food and roof above your head and you will surely sing a different tune after that.

Understandably, most people have money problems and this creates anxiety and panic. There are even people who feel anxious, even though they possess enough financial resources.

Every person has enough abundance in life; some have financial, health, or emotional abundance. Whatever it is you possess, you just have to learn to appreciate it and use it wisely. It is really a matter of being positive in every way, and in being determined of what one wants in life. It is really a matter of choosing to live a life in abundance, despite the scarcity of some, or most of life’s pleasures.

Learn to attract more abundance to your life on a free teleseminar.  Go to Prosperity Breakthrough to get signed up for the next session.

To make the Law of Attraction work for you, you have to know what you want and ask for it. Then, go ahead and start making plans for after you receive it.

This doesn’t mean ask for money, and then start spending like it’s in your pocket. But make plans for how you’re going to spend the money when it does get here.

The hardest part for most people is to be open to receiving it. This is where doubting you really deserve it can prevent anything good from happening. If you don’t think you deserve good things, they won’t come to you.

Another problem some people have is thinking about the things they don’t want to happen to them. The thought fulfilling universe doesn’t understand the concept of “I don’t want”. If you spend your time dwelling on negative things, that’s what you’re going to get.

The Law of attraction isn’t going to solve all your problems overnight. But if you start practicing it on a conscious level, eventually it will become second nature to you.

You won’t have to steer your mind to thoughts of positive things. It will already be there. Positive thoughts breed positive actions and reactions.

I’ll teach a new Introduction to the Law of Attraction teleclass every few months or so.  In this class, I’ll show you how to take the principles of the Law of Attraction and focus them on attracting more prosperity using specific tools, exercises and scripts.

Give it an honest try and you may be pleasantly surprised.  Go to Prosperity Breakthrough to sign up.

The solution:  never, ever...ever! think of giving up.

Easier done than said, right?

Here are some key pointers that will help you fire up your motivation, and keep the fire burning.

1.  Immerse Yourself

Visualize yourself reaching your goal.  See yourself as you'll look, smell what you'll smell, imagine what you'll taste.  See the things that will surround you.  What do they feel like?  Imagine how other people will respond to you.  See the expressions on their faces, hear the words they say to you.  Finally, and most importantly, how will you FEEL knowing that you've accomplished that goal?  Let that feeling overwhelm you.  Let it sink in and savor it for a little while.  Absorb the impressions and let them become a part of you.

2.  Reward Yourself

Break down your major goals into smaller objectives and establish a specific reward you'll give yourself when you reach each objective.  Then give yourself the reward!  This does not have to be something major like a car or a trip; it can be something simple like dinner at your favorite steak-house.  Then when you hit those major goals, it's time for the major rewards.  Incentives help you maintain consistent motivation because the rewards reinforce  your desire to attain the goal.

3.  Surround Yourself

Most people have heard the expression "you become who you hang out with."  The easiest way to demonstrate the truth of that statement is to notice how many parents say, "She was fine until she started hanging out with those kids!"  Parents throughout the ages have recognized that people can be a "bad influence," but the opposite is also true.  If you want to be successful, surround yourself with people who will support and encourage you and who are like-minded in their pursuit of success.  Spend your time with people who lift you up, and be very careful that you do not drag anyone down in the process.  Being around anyone who discourages you or, even worse, ridicules your dream, can kill your motivation instantly.

4.  Take Care of Yourself

As simple as it sounds, staying motivated is immensely easier when you're healthy.  This is because you are able to stay focused on your goal rather than on a physical problem.  Be sure to get regular exercise, which improves your blood flow and feeds your brain enough oxygen to tackle your daily tasks with energy.  Establish a routine break schedule so that you work hard when it's time to do so and recharge regularly.  This includes getting enough sleep so that your brain can function at peak performance.  Eat a well-balanced diet so that your body is fueled properly and maintains proper hydration.  Finally, if a health problem pops up, take care of it immediately.  Failure to do so is not only dangerous, but even if the problem is not life-threatening, it will be a distraction.

5.  Empower Yourself

One of the most powerful motivational tools you can add to your arsenal is a coach.  Coaching is not like getting theraphy from a psychologist.  Coaching focuses on your present and future, helping you maintain focus on where you are going.  Not only will your coach spur you into action, he or she will also serve as your accountability partner, keeping you motivated at all times.

Staying motivated is often a challenge because, well, life happens.  Things come up, people need things, crises occur.  But no matter what is going on around you, you can keep your motivation fired up and continuously strive toward your goals.

Do you set goals for yourself? One of the biggest challenges you’ll face in life is setting goals that are challenging enough to help you move forward. Try this exercise.
Take a piece of paper and divide it into three vertical sections. Title the first Section “I know I can,” the second Section, “I might be able to,” and the third Section, “It’s impossible.”

Go through each section one at a time and write down some goals. Make sure these are goals that you want to achieve, and not what your parents, spouse, family, or employers want them to be. To help give you a broad, and balanced coverage of all important areas in your life, try to set goals in some or all of the following categories:

* Artistic:

Do you want to achieve any artistic goals? If so, what are they? Do you want to write a book; paint a masterpiece, or write a song?

* Attitude:

Does your own mindset hold you back from making progress? What upsets you about your behavior? Set a goal to improve your behavior or find a solution to the problem.

* Career:

What level do you want to reach in your career? Is it your goal to be the boss or own your own company someday, or do you want to be the president of someone else’s company?

* Education:

Is there any knowledge you want to acquire in particular or some area of study that you would like to pursue? What information and skills will you need to achieve these goals?

* Family:

Do you want to be a parent? If so, how are you going to be a good parent? How do you want your partner or family members to see you?

* Financial:

How much do you want to earn by what age in your life? What can you do to make that come about?

* Physical:

Are there any athletic goals you want to achieve, or do you want good health deep into old age? What steps are you going to take to achieve this?

* Pleasure:

How do you want to enjoy yourself? You should ensure that some of your life is geared toward making yourself happy for no reason other than being happy.

* Service

Do you want to make the world a better place by your existence? If so, how?

Now for the challenge…

Every day focus on activities that will help you accomplish the goals that are under ‘I know I can’. Check them off when you reach them.

Once you’ve crossed off several under that heading, try accomplishing the goals under the other header-the one that reads ‘I might be able to.’ Celebrate when you cross them off because you’ve reached a goal you weren’t sure you could reach!

Then it’s time to move on to the goals that are under ‘It’s impossible.’

As you move through this process, celebrating your victories, you’ll find that the goals you thought were impossible become easier to accomplish. And the impossible suddenly begins to seem possible.

You see, the technique here is not to limit your imagination. It’s to aim high, and start working toward that goal little by little. Don’t get caught up with your perceived limitations. Think big and work hard to attain those dreams. Those who just dream towards a goal without working hard end up disappointed and disillusioned.

Obviously, if you set a goal that is truly unrealistic, no amount of work is going to achieve it. The important thing is to recognize what is truly unrealistic, and what just “seems” to be out of your reach. Then nothing can hold you back.

One of the things I've noticed about highly successful people is that they're all decisive. They make immediate decisions, and they rarely change them.

It could be something as simple as what to have for dinner, or something as vital as which job offer to accept.

You'll be faced with a lot of options in your life. It (life) is kind of like a system of roads. There are long and short roads; smooth and rocky roads; crooked and straight roads.

There are roads that lead to a life of single blessedness, roads that culminate in marriage, and roads that take people straight to religious vocation.

As you go along your journey, many times you'll be faced with a crossroad. It's at this point that most of us falter, especially people who struggle with shyness and fear of the unknown.

When you reach a crossroad, there are four distinct paths to choose from, and usually you have very limited knowledge about where they go. So which road do you take? What guarantee do you have that the road you choose is the right one?

There are no guarantees. Actually, that's not quite true. I can guarantee that if you choose to stay where you are, in front of the crossroads, you will not make any progress.

You won't know where a path will lead until you take it. Chances are, you won't choose the right path every single time. And that's okay! Because you will have victory simply by knowing that you took a risk and learned something from it.

You cannot control everything that happens in your life, but you can control the decisions you make and how you react to the outcomes of those decisions.

As you begin to become more decisive, be sure you don't make decisions haphazardly. Taking risks is not about being careless.

Here are some pointers that will help you in making those decisions:

1. Get as much information as you can.
It's difficult find the confidence to decide when you know little about what you are faced with. Just like a news reporter, ask the 5 W's: what, who, when, where, and why. What is the situation? Who are the people involved? When did this happen? Where is this leading? Why are you in this situation? These are just some of the possible questions to ask to find out more about the situation. This is important. A lot of times, the reason for indecision is the lack of information about a situation.

2. Make sure you know all of the options.
What options does the situation give you? Sometimes the options are few, but more often you'll have plenty to choose from. You might have to put your mind to work and be creative. Brainstorm. From the absolutely simple to the most complicated, entertain all ideas. Do not shoot anything down when an idea comes to your head. Sometimes the most outrageous idea could prove to be the right one in the end. You can ask a friend to help you identify options if you need to, but make sure that you make the decision yourself in the end.

3. Weigh the pros and cons of every option.
Assess each option by looking at the advantages and disadvantages each offers you. In this way, you get more insights about the possible consequences of each option.

4. Trust yourself and make that decision.
Now that you have assessed your options, it is now time to trust yourself. Remember that there are no guarantees and wrong decisions are always at hindsight. So go ahead and choose, believing that you are choosing the best option available based on the information you have.

Now that you have made a decision, be ready to face its consequences: good or bad. The important thing to remember is that you have chosen to live your life instead of remaining a bystander. Only time will tell if you've made the right decision, but don't allow yourself to regret it whatever the outcome. Instead, learn from it and remember that good, solid decisions will come easier to you the more you practice.

You may find that you really struggle when you're trying to make a decision because fear overwhelms your resolve. Becoming more decisive can be scary. I know how hard it can be to take risks, but remember that deciding to do nothing is a decision, too, and many, many times, it is the wrong choice. Use Confidence Breakthrough to help you measure those risks, and increase your ability to trust in your decisions.