Are you an open minded entrepreneur?

Compound Interest

The graph below shows how compound interest works.  It's important to begin investing while you are young, so that you may retire wealthy when you are older.  I understand many are on a tight budget, but with a little entrepreneurial spirit, you can create a passive income to invest, which compounds even faster.  The best way to do this, according to Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki, is to join a network marketing company.  With low overhead and solid profits, this is a safe way to generate a passive income stream that you can use to continually invest.  Pretty incredible if you ask me.     -BBB

You Are What You Eat. Don't Be Stressed.

If you're looking to build the best you, remember to give yourself the right fuel.  It's really stressful shooting for the stars, but you'll get there faster with rocket fuel!  Take a look below to help take the edge of and keep your focus as you become your best:

Respect Your Own Time

You must respect your own time, or else others will not.  -BBB

Just Do It

9 to 5 Jobs are a Drag...

This is a great little anecdote about the frustrations of a 9 to 5 job.

I'm committed to being a business owner and entrepreneur for the rest of my life. Making smart investments will enable me to spend time with friends and family, the people I really care about.

Believe you can have an incredible life!  You can create it if you have a powerful reason, so get out there and find your 'why'!

What Are You Waiting For?

So get out there and build your future today! Don't worry about the details, just know that you have what it takes, and the rest will fall into place. Believe it, build it, and become it.

Be Your Own Boss

I believe working for myself is the way to go.  It gives you the freedom to take on new challenges and explore new possibilities in life that you would not get while working a 9 to 5 job.  Here's a great article that captures the amazing benefits!

Plant a Seed

When you plant a seed, it is delicate.  But if you nurture it, and devote just a little bit of time to it, its roots will spread and take hold.  Soon the seed will be sprouting, growing, and finally blossoming.  That seed is you.  Believe, build, and blossom.

Burn with Passion

And remember to burn bright!  This is one of my favorites, and my most played "pump-up" song.  So believe, build, become!

Turn that Frown into Gold

Even when it feels like your cracked and strained, stay persistent! Remember when things don't go as planned, there's a reason. Make a habit of doing little things for yourself and stay positive. Go to the gym, tackle that new challenge, or go on an adventure in the city. You never know what you'll find along the way.

Whatever you do, remember, the challenges you face today are making you stronger, and add to your story.  Like the bowl above, the mended piece is indeed even more fantastic than the initial. So be fantastic! Fall down, mend yourself up, and get going again! Because you're golden. Don't ever forget that.  -BBB

An Eye on the Future

"Nest Egg?" What's that?

For many my age, this term is never uttered. Nest eggs, 401Ks, Roths, or simply retirement accounts are for old people with money, after all.

That's not true. I actually have multiple friends that have already wisely invested for their futures. Having an account in which you invest funds is critical. It determines how much freedom you will have later in life. The basic principle is this: do not just save your money, have your money work for you. The concept of having your money work for you, over time, is very powerful. Market gains are, on average, much greater than savings account interest rates. This means that over time, your investment grows significantly larger in size. And when your investment grows to a point where you are living off of the yearly gains on your investments, your money is truly working for you. You would not have to work another day, because your investments are eliminating your need to trade your time for money.

What most people do in life is exchange their time for money. Without even thinking, they spend all their earnings, without investing. They cannot invest in their job, because they can always be fired, arbitrarily. They do not invest in the stack market because they have already spent their paycheck on bills. So when a person loses a job, they are dependent on finding a new one. What if this problem of never investing and always finding a new job continued until you were 60, or even 70 years old? Wouldn't you want to retire, spend time with you family, and be free?

Robert Kiyosake says that you must "pay yourself first" and invest. Investing allows you to leverage your money, increase assets, and end the vicious cycle of trading time for money. So with that, believe that you can build real wealth starting today, and become free from the restraints of money.

Goals

"The ultimate reason for setting goals is to entice you to become the person it takes to achieve them." -Jim Rohn

I have a set of goals taped to my bedroom wall, right next to the door, so I am constantly being enticed to achieve them. The first goal is a little goal. The next is slightly bigger. The next even more outrageous. And so on. Until the final goal is the ability to "retire" by the age of 25.

So set an outrageous financial, social, or health goal (eg- I will do 100 push-ups at one time). Find steps you can take to reach little intermediate goals, and write out those goals (I will do one push up the first day, two the next day , three the next...). You will become more enticed with the end result as you accomplish each mini goal (today I did 50!). And before you know it, you're there! 100!

So Believe, Build, Become!

Inspiring Greatness

Today, my wish for everyone is that they find someone who believes in them.  Someone that sees your potential.  I am thankful for my friends and family that have supported me over the years as I continue to strive for my dreams and aspirations.  They have surrounded me with their encouragement and have shown me how great I can be.  So thank you to everyone that makes a difference in others’ lives.  Your support is greater than you can imagine!

Keep in mind...

“Oh, I’ll wait until tomorrow, the weather will be clear.”

“I don’t have any chores tomorrow, so I’ll do it then.”

“I’m tired; I just want to watch TV.”

“But I don’t know anyone there! I really don’t think I should go.”

“I don’t know if I can afford it.”

“Maybe if I get my studying in first, then I’ll do it.”

Hm.  I think I've said each one of these excuses before.  Whatever they were in response to, I must not have valued the alternative activity very much.  I could make an excuse not to post tonight, even as I write (I could really be doing laundry trust me, these clothes on my floor should really learn to fold themselves).  But this blog is important to me, and it will continue to evolve as I keep writing.

Everything worth achieving in life is outside your comfort zone.  Excuses keep us in our safe zone.  They keep us sheltered.  Fear of failure and rejection cause excuses to form in our mouths.  We are quick to utter them before we even know what we’re saying “no” to.

So really think before you make an excuse.  Is this actually IMPORTANT to me?  It might be uncomfortable admitting it, or committing to it, but if it’s important, you should go out of your comfort zone and explore.  After all, life would be awfully boring if there was no adventure, no self-improvement.

So go do something fun, and venture a little out of your comfort zone today! You’ll be amazed how rewarding it feels.

So, Believe, Build, Become!

The Core of the Matter

What do you think of when it's time to take ACTION?  Here are words that get me revved up and ready to go.  For everyone out there, today is the day, so try something new, do something bold, and have fun!

Can't Hear the Negatives

A friend of mine found this video and said "I can't hear your excuses!"  So Believe, Build, Become!

Bolster Your Bank!

 

Because my wish for everyone is to discover freedom in their lives, here is a link to my friend's personal finance blog:

http://moneymattersjoan.blogspot.com/

For me, having my money work for me is critical. And Joan does an excellent job describing different types of investments.  She also demystifies paying taxes and keeping track of expenditures.  This is a must read if you are looking to build a solid financial future for yourself.

And make sure you thank Joan!

-BBB

Belief > Doubt

"It is easier to believe than to doubt." ~E.D. Martin

Indeed it is. We all want to believe in the good things in life, because it gives us hope. Hope that one day we will accomplish our dreams. Why live a life filled with doubt, which spawns negativity? Negativity is a deadly disease that drags people down, barring them from all the good in life. When there is no more fun, no more belief, it is harder to continue our journey through life, and makes it harder for those around us.

“But being positive takes so much energy! And today sucked, I can’t do that. No way, no how.”

There are plenty of days when I fall flat on my face and don’t feel like getting back up. That’s why my mom gave me the nickname “Eeyore.” I was her little black raincloud.

I’m starting to realize that counting my blessings gets me back on track. For starters, my friends and family. They’ve always got my back, and I’m so thankful I can go to them and vent. And then after that we crack jokes and laugh. And we learn. We get better, and we move on. So stop taking yourself so seriously, and laugh! It’s not life or death, whether you’ve been fired or failed a test. There’s always a reason for it, and it’s usually for the sake of learning. And the more you’ve learned, the easier it is to believe in yourself.

Life is just so much more enjoyable when you are laughing. We all have our challenges, and we all have each other to vent to. So keep your eyes on the prize, and believe. Because with a little help from your friends, you can do it, and have fun at the same time. And trust me, if “Eeyore” can do it, you can.

-BBB

The Best Time to START

"Believe. Build. Become."

These three words are vague. What to believe? What to build? What to become?  I guess that's up to you. And that's what's so powerful: you get to decide all three.

Becoming an astronaut, a doctor, an artist, a dad, a friend, an athlete. There are so many things to become! But you become whatever you build yourself to be!

It takes time to build. We all grow, and by doing so we learn. Constantly moving forward through life, we make decisions that shape who we are and who we will become. Building is challenging, and it requires an unwavering belief.

Belief in what? This seems to be the root. The determining force behind what you become. The basis for everything. Whatever thoughts that are stuck in your head, chances are that's what you believe in. These thoughts can be influenced and trained, consequently shaping your belief. Strong belief sets you on a path that slowly builds you as a person, giving you the tools to accomplish your goals in life. Until you have finally become... whatever you want! So believe in yourself, because you can do whatever you set your mind to!

I believe everyone has the capacity to accomplish all their goals in life. It might take time, but just go for it, and you'll be amazed at what you become at the end of your journey.

I begin writing this blog as I set out on my journey to become a better friend, a better brother, and a better son. I have a goal to help others realize all their dreams in life and empower them to decide for themselves. We all have control over our futures. Now is the perfect time to start your life!