Tag Archives: mindset

Is Silver your Financial Safe Haven?

26 Dec

Is Silver your Financial Safe Haven?

 

Dollar Decline Chart

 

At first look, most of us would say that the price of gold increased from $20 to $1600/ounce. However this is not accurate. Gold actually still buys the same amount of goods and services that it did in 1933. Gold has basically stayed constant. The dollar’s value fell by a factor of 50- so that it takes 50 times more paper dollars to buy the same amount of goods and services than it did in 1933 (See the price of gas since 2002 alone). Looking forward, we must consider whether the dollar will buy more or less in 10, 20, or even 30 years. The gold you have today will allow you to buy the same amount of goods and services that your money will buy today, 10, 20, or 30 years from now. Viewed from this angle, gold and silver are a way of preserving your wealth. They are a type of wealth insurance.

Many Europeans have long-held 10-20% of their net worth in precious metals for this very purpose. They have a history rich in tragedy: hyperinflation, government changes, borders that have moved and two world wars. Gold’s durability has served them quite well through all sorts of political unrest. In fact, it is perhaps the only constant in a world subject to change.

 

As gold and precious metals are priced and traded in US dollars, they surge in value when the US dollar declines. As the fed prints trillions in new money, the dollar and basically all other currencies will fall precipitously relative to gold. In an environment where the dollar is already weak and many currencies are weaker, investors that wish to keep and grow their wealth (duh, who doesn’t?) must understand the impact of declining currencies on their portfolios.

 

The US and Canadian dollars have lost approximately 84 percent of their purchasing power since 1970!  Most other currencies across the globe have fared no better. Not coincidentally, 1971 was the year the link to the gold standard was cut via President Nixon et al. Only gold, and its two precious metals brethren -silver and platinum- are able to hold their respective values in periods of severe inflation and deflation.

Both Gold and silver benefit from negative economic policies, political tensions, and monetary conditions contribute to a rise of their prices. For this reason gold has always been referred to as the “crisis commodity” and why investors are buying all the gold they can afford.  And the same may be said for silver.

The below trends weaken stocks and other paper investments and cause the price of gold and silver to rise:

War

Inflation

High Oil Prices

Weakness in the U.S. dollar

Budget Deficits

Stock & Bond Market Turmoil

Bank Failures

Loan Defaults

This being said is it any wonder people are buying gold as fast as they can?  Every time it drops a 100 dollars people buy asap.  Are you following that trend?  If so you are smart.

However the trend in silver is the same and gains can be realized faster.

For the sake of discussion lets assume gold is 1600 dollars an ounce and silver is 30 dollars an ounce.  Gold is seen as the big boy in the group but silver affords the real opportunity to max out your portfolio.  For every 1 ounce of gold you can  buy53+ ounces of silver.  Now you might say the dollar value is the same but silver is slept on my friends.  It is used in almost every electronic in your house.  Also in my opinion silver is the sleeper buy.  it will rise faster when the ‘isht’ really hits the fan.  But lets talk turkey- I can’t afford to buy gold at these prices, who can?  However we can all afford to buy silver.  it is even sold in half ounces and quarter ounces.with these small denominations possible for purchase I would argue that we all have a chance to build wealth and create our own hedges against inflation.  after all do you work 35-40 hours a week to just hand it all over to the government, the corner store, cable and the rest of the creature comfort providers?  I’d bet not  So lets work the legal methodologies provided us by the system.

#thriveorsurvive.

“Gold is the wealth of kings……
Silver is the wealth of gentlemen……
Barter is the wealth of peasants……
Debt is the wealth slaves!!!!!”

-Norm Franz.

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Winning Is A Habit, So Is Losing

23 Dec

Winning Is A Habit, So Is Losing.

It’s that simple. Not easy, but simple.
Everything in life requires work. Success is not a gift it is a habit.

The secret to your success is found in your daily habits.
What you do daily is exactly what you will be. Michael Jordan wasn’t a phenom from birth. He practiced, then practiced some more, and then worked at it more after the game. Derek Jeter came out of the Yankees farm system to rise to the title of captain. His love of the game and dedication ot constant improvement made him a leader amongst men. Clearly there is a correlation between actions and success.

What You Do You Become.
In life you are your actions. People who eat too much are obese. People who skip school don’t graduate. The guy who boozed it up, he still boozes. Enough of failure- Wayne Gretzky was relentless he became Hockey’s greatest by sheer action. He played the game. He took advice. He did it all. Ted Williams has one of the top batting averages in baseball. Why? He worked at it. He questioned pitchers to see what they did and how they saw the game. He got into the mind of his opponent. He read up. He practiced. He worked his butt off. Are you doing the same?

Who you Associate With You ARE.
I’m sorry for the harsh words to come- but if you roll with losers you are a loser quite literally. Your best friend smokes weed in his pops basement and talks about what he will do one day, rather than doing something- he’s losing. Your roommate works at Arby’s and thinks he will run the franchise- but he is late most shifts and the customers constantly complain about his lack of effort, yup he is the winner-NOT!
We can’t be more than what we aim to be. Ever see the Olympics? The best have to be vetted to be with the best. And from there the hard work only increases. Do you think that would work if they let slackers in?
Is your country inclined to win multiple Gold medals if just anyone can get on the team? Sorry it doesn’t work that way. Excellence breeds excellence. And excellence feeds off excellence. Indeed if you are even competing against losers I’d say you have lost already.
Back to Ted Williams. He did a variation on this. Ted let the reports who chased him fuel him. He fed their hatred and this became a tool to make him better. Even in using his adversaries he sought those who could challenge him. He didn’t focus on the nobodies. He didn’t deal with the guys who weren’t there every game- why? They weren’t serious. The writer who focuses on a topic is at every game, every event.
Life isn’t a past time and your passion shouldn’t be either.

You have to decide Simply whether you will Be a Winner or a Loser.

#thriveorsurvive.

“I find the Harder I work the Luckier I am.”
-Thomas Jefferson

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From: “Bob Lefsetz” Advice

22 Dec

From: “Bob Lefsetz” Advice

1. Empower Your Fans
They’re the key to your success, not the mainstream media. Fans are forever, newspapers are not, never mind the reporters who write for them. Your fans believe in you, have time for you, are dedicated to you, reciprocate.

Fans want information. Which they can spread. Encourage fan sites. Give exclusives. Give interviews. These are your partners.

2. Say Yes Not No
No only applies if you’re a superstar. And there are very few of those left. Let me be clear, say yes to your fans, to the Internet, don’t say yes to intermediaries, like corporations or hustlers who say they can do something for you, which they almost definitely will not, and if they do will extract compensation far in excess of what you desire to pay them.

There are no rules. Do it your way. Stumble upon new ideas, forge new pathways, there’s no right way, only your way.

3. Be Three-Dimensional
Mystery is history. The more you reveal, the more people can bond to you.

Social media is a running dialogue that pays dividends long after you wish. It’s a walk into the wilderness that could leave you very lonely. So don’t start unless you plan to finish. It’s a commitment almost as strong as your music. Only try to goose it with contests and stunting occasionally. But giving away something people want always works. Give away a free house concert, a free guitar lesson, and don’t do this to increase your reach, but to motivate your fan base.

The best tweets are not self-promotional. Sure, you can say you’re here or there occasionally, but if you’re using the channel as a sales/promotion outlet, people will tune out. Twitter is where you’re real. Post thoughts and ideas. Pictures of what’s interesting to you. Social media is about coming down from the mountaintop to engage, just like everybody else. But in your case, people are insatiable in their desire to know more about you.

4. Live
Is free and should be promoted ad infinitum. Every one of your shows should be on YouTube and available on the Internet for streaming and downloading. Make every one different, change the set lists, improvise, and your fans will be hooked.

The web is all about getting people to come back. And they’ll only come back if you change your site and deliver something intriguing. Live tracks are a reward for those who already come see you and buy your stuff. They’re thrilled you’re giving back. And they won’t stop talking about you.

That’s how you succeed today. By having third parties hear about you from your fans. Which is why you want your fans talking about you constantly, to wear down the resistance of third parties. Don’t pressure your fans to convert others. Give them the tools, the music, and they’ll spread the word.

Come on, who hasn’t been on a car or plane ride with their seatmate boring them to death about their passion. But then, if you hear about this same passion from another person, you check it out.

5. Mistakes Count
In other words, make them. We’re all imperfect. If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not taking chances. When you screw up, people love it and are endeared to you. Your screw-up evidences your humanity.

6. Don’t Shoot Beyond Your Limits
If you make klezmer music, you’re not gonna get on Top Forty radio. Be realistic. If you’re making cutting edge, dissonant music, few people will be interested, certainly at first. If your goal is to be ubiquitous, make music in a genre that dominates, like Top Forty/rhythmic or country.

7. Don’t Be Sour Grapes
Nobody likes a complainer.

8. Don’t Always Be Positive
This is hogwash spread by religious zealots and self-help book writers. Express your disappointment and frustration, just choose your moments. People love to sympathize, and they gloat in your triumph down the line.

9. Honesty & Transparency
Scalping and other ticket shenanigans are for the ancient classic rockers and the here today, gone tomorrow Top Forty stars. The more information you give people, the more they understand. Go to all-in ticketing. Those fees are promoter profit, not kickbacks to Ticketmaster, only acts can change this perception, to the benefit of the industry at large. Go paperless. If you’re not doing your best to get your hard core fans into the show, with their rumps in great seats, you’re doing it all wrong, you’re part of the problem, not the solution.

10. If You’re Not Going To Play Your Hits Say So.
People might pay to see you once, but not again. If you’re not delivering what people expect, be sure they know. And play smaller halls and charge less.

11. Tastemakers
If they’ve got credibility and a loyal audience they can get you tons of look-sees almost instantly. But you’d better be ready when you get the attention. Justin Bieber broke Carly Rae Jepsen. Howard Stern boosts careers on a daily basis. Stern has a reputation for being honest. If he endorses something, if he says it’s worth checking out, his audience does so. If you’re a classic rocker or a Gen-X’er there’s no better place to promote your product. But Howard does not take you from zero to sixty, you’ve already got to have a head of steam.

Just because someone has an audience, don’t believe they’ll give you a ride to commercial heaven. Most talking heads are meaningless. Get on morning television and you think you’ve made it, but you’re part of an inner circle of jerks unaware the rest of the world is laughing at you.

12. Friends
You’ve got to have them. They’re the ones who will get you gigs. Yup, you’ve got to have a good relationship with not only your fans, but other bands, so you can trade favors. If you think you can make it alone you’re wrong. It’s okay to have enemies, but if you have no allies, you’re going to be defeated.

13. Charts
Are for dummies. It’s a full time job keeping your position. And no one’s on top forever. You live in the heart of your fans. That can’t be quantified. Other than in your income, which no one other than yourself will ever truly know.

14. Criticism
Be wary of it. Don’t try to be what others want you to be. They’re never satisfied. You’re best off being yourself. People don’t know what they want until you give it to them. Unless you’re giving them what they’ve already got, which puts a time stamp on your career. Ignore people who say your songs aren’t political, that you can’t play your instrument, that you’ve got to do it their way. Unless, of course, you’ve got no traction. But if you’ve made it, ignore the naysayers. They just want to turn you into a faceless ideal they’re going to put on the scrapheap. Artists are not remade. Artists are singular. Artist go against the grain. Artists are leaders.

15. Advice
Don’t heed it if it doesn’t feel good. Resonate with your inner tuning fork first and foremost. But don’t be afraid to question yourself, don’t be afraid to learn.

Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/

—
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Who is subsidizing whom?

11 Dec

Who is subsidizing whom?.

Not to say I agree or disagree but lets look at someone else’s perception.

Can’t hurt right?

Who is subsidizing whom?

March 15, 2012 | Posted by Ken Cohen

In its lead editorial yesterday, The Wall Street Journal took a hard look into the Obama administration’s campaign to end so-called “subsidies for Big Oil.” The paper’s conclusion turns the administration’s claims on its head: “The truth is that this industry is subsidizing the government.”

This is the flip side of the coin that few realize – the oil and natural gas industry is an enormous source of revenue for the U.S. government. In fact, the industry pays the federal government approximately $86 million a day – or about $31 billion a year – in rents, royalties, bonuses and corporate taxes. That doesn’t even include the payments made at the local and state levels.

At times, the industry is actually sending more to local, state and federal governments in taxes and fees than what it earns in the United States. According to the Journal:

“Not paying their ‘fair share’? Here’s a staggering fact: The Tax Foundation estimates that, between 1981 and 2008, oil and gas companies sent more dollars to Washington and the state capitols than they earned in profits for shareholders.”

And, keep in mind, the taxes the oil and gas industry pays are only part of a much larger contribution to the U.S. economy. Our industry and the activities that support it accounted for more than $1 trillion of the U.S. economy in 2009, or about 7.7 percent of U.S. gross domestic product, according to a recent study. The industry contributes an estimated $470 billion a year in spending, wages and dividends alone.

So what about those “subsidies” that oil and gas companies supposedly get?

“These aren’t direct cash handouts like those that go to the green lobby,” the Journal says. “They’re deductions from taxes that cover the cost of doing business and earning income to tax in the first place. Most of them are available to other manufacturers.”

I’ve talked at length on this issue, but it bears repeating – attempts to misrepresent the industry’s tax contributions are nothing more than an attempt to pick winners and losers in the marketplace. The fact is that taxpayers would benefit far more from the revenues associated with increased access to U.S. energy supplies than they would from punitive tax measures aimed at oil companies. Policies that support greater energy development could generate $800 billion in government revenue by 2030 through lease sales, royalties, production fees and taxes, according to a recent study.

So when taxpayers see these claims about “subsidizing” oil companies, I think it’s valid to ask: “Who is subsidizing whom?”

 

#thriveorsurvive.

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In Case You Missed Me in Moov magazine

11 Dec

Click Here

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10 Quotes To Change Your Life- Zig Ziglar

30 Nov

Gone but never to be forgotten, Zig Ziglar passed on November 28th, 2012.

An entrepreneurial phenomenon who went on to become a motivational speaker and trainer, Zig set ablaze the minds and hearts of myriad people.

Below is a short collection of some of the favorites we’ve seen out there.

 

10) “Remember that failure is an event, not a person.”

9) “You will get all you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want.”

8 ) “People often say motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing—that’s why we recommend it daily.”

7) “There has never been a statue erected to honor a critic.”

6) “People don’t buy for logical reasons. They buy for emotional reasons.”

5) “Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes.”

4) “If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.”

3) “A goal properly set is halfway reached.”

2) “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”

1) “If you can dream it, you can achieve it.”

 

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BE ROB DYRDEK

27 Nov

BE ROB DYRDEK

Today I’m going to put aside my normal spiel for a few hours and discuss a pretty cool guy. Rob Dyrdek is a renowned skate boarder and pioneer. He is also one heck of a branding machine and entrepreneur. From an early age he made deals for percentages of the companies who sponsored him as opposed to taking a fee. That’s just a savvy individual. Let’s break down some more Rob.
–Rob Dyrdek Focus.
Rob is a focused individual. From the moment he knew what he wanted, what he loved- he made it happen. He’s been vastly successful I’d argue because he only travels one avenue. He may have shoes, a show, clothing and various other entities that feed his income- but they all revolve around skating. Being focused to this degree gives him a simple route. I’d even argue this level of simplicity boarders on eloquence.
Maybe that’s a stretch. I don’t care. I see it clearly. When you have an almost utterly ruthless pursuit of what you love and couple that with what you want you become a dominant force. There is nothing that is accomplished that focus doesn’t obtain for you. When you study for a test you are focusing. When you commit that same focus to your own business you win.
Indeed you will be successful in anything you focus on so be careful what your focus is on. Many people focus on failure. They focus on what went wrong not where they are going. Focus. Focus. Focus.

–Rob Dyrdek Mindset.
Rob has a mindset that is simply victorious. He makes dreams reality. He doesn’t shift his reality to make a half arsed dream. He makes a decision- finite. From there he publicly makes it know and refuses to fall behind. Ever see Fantasy Factory. He makes public bets that are quite ostentatious.
Why you say? It essentially forces his hand. And the power gained in being the force that motivates and drives you is invaluable. Let your mindset dictate your existence. If you believe you will be victorious so you shall.

–Rob Dyrdek Belief.
Rob believes he can do anything. He has swam with sharks, jumped from planes, flipped cars and built an empire. He even has a slogan: Make Your Own Luck. It’s simple and speaks to his belief system. Rob doesn’t say no, he finds yes’s. This is key. Rob has made his own luck. Literally. What will you make?

–Rob Dyrdek Team.
Rob is also a slick fox in that he surrounds himself with winners. A diverse group of winners at that. The team will make the dream come true in many cases.
Don’t associate with people who don’t believe in you. Don’t work with those don’t or won’t share your vision. Work with those who bring something to the table. Success is that much sweeter when we all contribute.
Rob has family and friends. He also has strangers who have become both. Those who go above and beyond deserve more than respect, more than loyalty. They deserve dividends. And when you look at the net worth of those surrounding Rob- its obvious they are all #winning.

#thriveorsurvive.

“If you have a dream you have to go do it to see if you suck.”
-Rob Dyrdek

Thoughts? Concerns?
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Success IS Just a Finished Dream

26 Nov

Success IS Just a Finished Dream.

Not exactly my usual post but this display is inspiring two fold.

First someone dreamed of putting the time in to be this good at their craft. I don’t care who you are- practice makes perfect. Ever heard someone say nothing succeeds like excess? Lol I thought not. Yet look at that concept. Success may be found in excess. When you work at something with fervor you achieve it faster.
If your efforts are excessive and effusive you will see progress. Do you think Rafael or Michaelangelo settled for mediocre?
Do Superbowl teams want that ring a little or is a haunting vision that excites and stimulates? I’d say its the latter and as such its the guy who puts in his all and then some that comes out on top.

Put the time in. Pay your dues. Hone your craft and stretch your talents. To the victor go the spoils so why not spend TOO much time as opposed to just enough.
Ask Jordan, ask Jeter, ask Jobs- to pursue excellence is to pursue it zealously.

Second Someone else put it the hours to be able to pay for something of this caliber.
So this second component isn’t about being the nest or creating the best. Its about being the guy who can afford the best. This requires you work your abilities to the bone. Be the best.
Beat the best.
The man who has big wants/needs has a greater potential. How can one rule the world if a duplex satiated all desires?
You can’t, you won’t. To get the best you have to earn the best. Warren Buffet may not have the fanciest baubles but he does have the greatest bank account (give or take). And that says a lot. If you want the best meals, the best cars or the best service- be the best. It is far easier to acquire from a prime position as opposed to being at the bottom.

Simply make a choice. Be the best or expect less.
And remember that success is nothing more than a finished dream.

Compete your visions. Live your dreams.

#thriveorsurvive.

“I don’t listen to what art critics say. I don’t know anybody who needs a critic to find out what art is.”
― Jean-Michel Basquiat

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DO THE THING THAT SCARES YOU

25 Nov

DO THE THING THAT SCARES YOU

I’ve been pretty blessed lately. I’ve got good friends, good family, and even my cats are pretty neat. They act more like dogs. At work I’m happier than I’ve been in years and I’ve even got some sick days stashed away lol (come on you guys feel me right?).
So everything is fine and dandy, but Tony has no candy. What’s that you say?
Basically I’m not where I see myself needing to be. I’m missing a few keys actions and its slowing down my forward motion.

Fear and inaction are my enemies at this moment and its time and while I whip myself into shape I figured I’d share a few lessons I’m learning.

–Momentum.
I’m losing momentum. Yikes. I’m not pleased but its real. How? I’m just not doing what I need to. I get this amazing rush and a huge flurry of action and then I rest on ly laurels and lose almost all of it. Not good.
Folks be better than me. Ride your momentum beyond even its ability to grow your brand.

–Not talking to enough ppl.
This is perhaps my biggest fear and biggest set back. I don’t care what your opportunity is, or your vision or your coin aka worth. People make a business a success. Remember the pet rock? People had to buy it to make it real. And I’m a people person in every genre except my business.
Funny huh.
I made RIM $$$$ with the people I convinced that blackberry was superior. Same for my gym and many supplements. And when it comes to my two current ventures I hit a brick wall. I did an insurance business and made money- and fast. It was exciting, fast paced and arduous. And it yielded great fruit. However since that venture I’ve had mixed results. I’ve made money in every venture since that one, yet nothing as good. The biggest reason is I speak less. The internet is building empires without question. However I’m leaving my best tool in the toolbox: ME. I am a closer. A solid salesman. But fear has me talking to less people than my desires warrant. My mentor said as much in a 20 minute call. Ouch right?
So to combat this fear I’ve decide to speak to 3 people a day about my opportunity. And then 3 more about my blog. I’m divvying up my efforts. I’m refusing not grow. Not to reach my apex of greatness. Meet me there.
–Not committing enough time.
I give time, no question.
I’m not giving enough.
Make a set parameter and follow its rubric daily. What’s that mean? A lot at least 20 minutes a day and work the hell out of that 20 minutes. Your success directly corresponds to the time you’re willing to put in.

“Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free.”
Jim Morrison

#thriveorsurvive.

Thoughts? Concerns?
Questions? Think I’m wrong?
Let’s chat.
Need ideas?
Want to learn how to invite?
Let’s chat.
Want a mentor or maybe the guy who will bounce ideas back and forth with you?
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Tony@Changeinadvance.com
@changeinadvance
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REACH FOR THE STARS

24 Nov

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