There’s a bit of debate going around my office here in Westminster, Colorado. So I’m hoping you can help resolve a few things for me.

Here’s what I’m wondering:

Can you pick a better title?

Basically it sums up the Winning in the Cash Flow Business course in book form.

But I’m not 100% sold on the title. In fact, I’m considering changing the title of the book to “The Cash Flow Secret.”

However, before I do anything, I want to know what you think.

Do you like “The Real Estate Secret?”

Do you prefer “The Cash Flow Secret?”

Or do you have a better idea?

Also, do you think people are afraid of getting involved with real estate right now?

Do you think people hear the words “real estate” and instantly tune out… or do you think many people still recognize real estate as a tried-and-true pathway to wealth?

Remember, there’s no wrong answer here. I want YOUR opinion, your gut feeling.

So please leave a comment below and let me know what title YOU would pick for my book… and how YOU think people feel about real estate right in America right now.

I’m going to send a FREE copy of my book to the three people who provide the best ideas or suggestions.

So don’t be shy! Share your thoughts with me below.

– Russ

And it’s all because of YOU — because students like you are visiting the blog, joining the discussion by leaving comments and helping to make the Dalbey Blog a great online “meeting place” for students in the cash flow business.

So today, I want to do a little something different.

I want to get to know a little bit more about the men and women behind the blog comments. Specifically, I’d like to hear about your current job, your career or however you spend most of your time these days.

You all know what I do so please help me learn a little more about YOU.

I know we’ve got some retirees, a few truck drivers and a couple full-time cash flow professionals. But I’m interested to hear from EVERYONE.

So please leave a comment below and tell me what you’re currently doing to pay the bills… what you do for fun… and how you plan to make enough money so you have more leisure time and less financial worries.

– Russ

And some people take it to another level, claiming “Money is the root of all evil.”

(By the way, that quote is incorrect. The actual quote from 1st Timothy 6:10 says “For the love of money is the root of all evil.” Big difference.)

But a new study shows that maybe money CAN buy happiness — or at least a little satisfaction.

A new analysis of an existing happiness survey shows that your level of income can indeed affect your level of happiness.

Here are the details:

Researchers polled 136,000 people across 132 nations and asked them about their level of “life satisfaction” and “enjoyment of life.”

They discovered people with higher incomes ranked their level of “life satisfaction” higher than those with lower incomes.

So what does this mean? Can money buy happiness?

Mae West said it best...

I tend to agree — and I’ve been on both sides of the fence too.

I’ve been so poor I had to sell the clothes off my back just to get a few bucks to eat. And I’ve been rich too — becoming a millionaire in my late 20’s.

And in my opinion — money CAN make you happier. But only to a point.

Back when I was broke, I was unhappy.

Because lack of money can cause stress and problems. I don’t know if money can buy happiness or not.

But I DO know that having a little bit of money frees you from the problems that NOT having money creates. And that can boost your overall feeling of satisfaction.

So if you’re hurting for money right now… if you’re unhappy with your current situation… then I challenge you to use that unhappiness. Channel your dissatisfaction into positive energy and commit yourself to making some extra cash.

How?

Well, you can probably guess what I’m going to say.

The Cash Flow Business.

Because discovering how to make money in real estate without risking a cent on property changed my life. When I made $6,620.00 on my very first deal, it opened my eyes to a whole new world.

A world where you can make money on your own terms.

A world where you can work as little or as much as you want and never have to answer to a boss.

So if you’re looking for a way to make some extra money, check out my course — Winning In The Cash Flow Business.

If you’re already a student of Winning In The Cash Flow Business… then I want to hear from you. What do you think — can money buy happiness? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

– Russ

In Honor of Memorial Day

Like most people, I like to take a minute each Memorial Day to silently thank the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives for this country.

However, this time year I started to wonder just how many soldiers have died defending our freedoms.

So I looked it up. It took a bit of research but the answer is…

1,311,732

That’s one million, three hundred eleven thousand, seven hundred thirty two Americans who died in battle.

To put it in perspective, the new Dallas Cowboys football stadium seats about 100,000 people.

The number of American soldiers who died in battle would fill over 13 football stadiums.

Which got me thinking: What is so important that over a million people would sacrifice their lives?

The civil war was about slavery (among other things.) World War 1 was about defeating communism… World War 2 was about defeating the Nazis. And currently our soldiers are fighting the war on terrorism.

But those are just surface explanations. I believe the REAL REASON so many American’s were and are STILL willing to fight and die in battle can be summed up with one word:

Freedom

Over a million people DIED so that we could enjoy freedom.

So to honor our fallen soldiers, I want to hear from you.

Please leave me a comment explaining what FREEDOM means to you.

– Russ

A prime example of marketing. Image Credit: Unknown.

Selling lemonade.

So, what’s the first thing you do when you decide to sell lemonade? Any 8-year old will tell you:

You build a lemonade stand!

And you write LEMONADE in big bold letters on the top of the stand.

When you think about it, “LEMONADE” in big bold letters is marketing.

In it’s simplest form, marketing is nothing more than getting the word out about your business.

So, why is it that any 8-year old child has no problem marketing his or her business to thousands of people on any given day…

…Yet many adults (often college educated and with 20 years of business experience) freeze like a deer in headlights at the very thought of marketing their cash flow services?

I have a theory…

Want to hear it?

Fear of the unknown.

Most people aren’t marketing experts. They assume Marketing is some mystical magic art passed down from one marketer to another. Sort of like a secret society.

And I can’t say I blame them.

I’ve read quite a few marketing books that used such big words and complicated theories, I didn’t have a clue what they were talking about. And I’ve made millions of dollars marketing my businesses. Someone new to marketing reading the same information would be extremely intimidated.

We see it here at Dalbey Education every day.

My coaches start to talk Marketing, and before they even get a word out, the excuses start coming from the other end of the phone line…

“Oh no, I don’t know anything about marketing.”

“Gee… marketing’s not for me. I’ve never studied it. I’m not a professional or anything like that.”

“Isn’t marketing expensive?”

And on and on. But the truth is, good marketing is simple.

Just like “LEMONADE” painted in big red letters on a piece of wood is marketing.

When someone asks you what you do, and you say “I help people who are collecting monthly payments form a home they sold receive one BIG lump sum of cash…”

That’s marketing.

When you hand out a business card…

That’s marketing.

When you send a postcard to a note holder…

That’s marketing!

See, simple.

Nothing intimidating about it. Here’s more marketing anyone can do…

If you put a flyer up in a supermarket.

That’s marketing.

When you pick up the phone and talk to a note holder, and tell them what you do…

That’s marketing.

So far, have I shown you anything you couldn’t do?

So, why aren’t you doing it to market your cash flow business?

I have a theory on that too.

Wanna hear it?

If you’re like most people, you want to know more about marketing specifically to cash flow note holders.

You don’t need to know everything, but you need to know enough of the basics to feel confident.

And you want it explained to you as simple as possible. No $10 words. No advanced lectures on right brain/left brain and human nature.

“Just tell me what I need to do, how to do it, and why it will work!”

And that brings me to a new super-basic, super-easy to read… super-easy to follow marketing course we’re working on right now.

It’s called Marketing In Minutes and we’re putting the finishing touches on the course at this very moment.

But I need your help…

I want to make sure we didn’t leave anything out.

So will you please do me a favor and tell me what burning questions you have about marketing your cash flow business?

Or, if just have a suggestion on anything specific you want my new basic course to include, let me know right now.

I will then gather all the input, and randomly select 3 names from everyone who leaves a comment to this article, and those three people will receive the course absolutely FREE when it comes out!

So here’s your chance to not only help me create my marketing course, but to get it for free as well!

All you have to do is leave your comment and tell me your biggest and most pressing questions or concerns about marketing.

That’s it. So leave your comment right now. I look forward to reading your questions.

–Russ

I don't have a crystal ball, but here are my predictions for 2010. Image source: Unknown.

Now that we’ve rolled over the calendar into a brand new year, I’d like to share my predictions for the next 365 days with you.

Now, I’m certainly no psychic but I’ve been in the cash flow business since 1991 and after 18 years I’ve learned a few things about real estate and what it really takes to succeed.

Of course, you don’t need any special powers to make predictions like these.

See for yourself:

#1: I PREDICT that if you write down your goals on a 3 x 5 index card, and review that card constantly and carry that card with you every single day, the odds are overwhelmingly in your favor of achieving your goals before the next 365 days are over.

#2: I PREDICT that if you commit to spending just 15 minutes EACH AND EVERY day building your note business, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you become a “note master”.

By the way, I’m not the only one who believes that. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, “If a person studies a subject for 15 minutes a day, he’ll be an expert in a year and a national expert in five years.”

#3: I PREDICT that if you’ll commit to reading just one new book a month, you’ll read 12 more books this year than many Americans. (No joke: The National Endowment for the Arts conducted a survey in 2002 that found only 56.6% of Americans had read a book in 2002.)

#4: I PREDICT that if you do NOT write down your goals and if you do NOT identify a strong REASON WHY you want to achieve your goals, you’ll quit on your goals (and yourself) the instant you hit some turbulence.

#5: I PREDICT that if you repeatedly “jump ship” and continually seek out the next big “get rich quick” scheme, you’ll have less money after a year than if you had just stuck with one plan and committed to work on it every single day.

#6: I PREDICT that 5% of all the note-finders out there will make 95% of the money because those in the upper 5% work harder and work MORE CONSISTENTLY than the other 95%.

#7: I PREDICT. You WILL make mistakes, but if you can just keep chuggin’ along… I predict you WILL overcome and prevail.

#8: I PREDICT that we’ll all see an INCREASE in the number of new cash flow notes created during 2010.

#9: I PREDICT that we’ll see EVEN MORE foreclosures across the nation in 2010 and I predict many note-finders will have their most successful year ever because of the overwhelming number of foreclosure deals available.

#10: I PREDICT that if you follow my recommendations, you’ll achieve more success during the next year than you did during the previous 10 years combined.

Those are my 10 predictions for 2010.

And now, I’d like to serve you with this challenge:

I challenge you to write down 3-5 of your most important goals on a 3 x 5 index card, carry the card with you at all times and review your goals at least 3 times per day.

Furthermore, I challenge you to do this without missing a single day. Because consistency breeds success.

Will you accept my challenge?

If so, let everyone know by leaving a comment. And feel free to share your goals as well.

– Russ

Ivy Lee -- inventor of the $266,490 productivity secret

The man pictured on the left is Ivy Lee. He died in 1934 — 75 years ago.

But one of his greatest lessons lives on.

And you can use this lesson today to explode your productivity and start accomplishing your goals faster than you ever imagined.

And I’m not just talking about exploding your productivity and success in the Cash Flow Business, but every area of your life.

To help you truly appreciate just how valuable this productivity secret can be in your life, let me tell you the story of how Ivy Lee came to be known as an expert in productivity.

Back in the 1920’s, Charles Schwab was already a legendary businessman. He started out as a stake-driver in the steel business and by the age of 35 he’d already worked his way up the ladder to company president of Carnegie steel.

After Carnegie Steel was sold, Schwab ran the Bethlehem Steel company. With Schwab at the helm, Bethlehem Steel became the 2nd largest steel manufacturing company in the world and Schwab himself enjoyed a massive personal fortune.

But he didn’t rest on his accomplishments. Despite turning Bethlehem Steel into one of the most efficient businesses of its time, Schwab sought out Ivy Lee and asked him how he could get more things done in a day.

As the story goes, Ivy Lee gave him this very simple productivity tip:

List all the things you want to get done tomorrow. Prioritize them #1-6.

Start the day by tackling the first job on the sheet. Don’t move on to #2 until #1 is complete. If you finish the first task and there’s still time left in the day, move on to the next task and continue in the same manner.

The next day, continue to work on your list — focusing on each task until it’s completed and only then moving to the next item on your list.

Teach all your employees to work in the same manner. Try this for one week and then send me a check for whatever you think the advice is worth.

Charles Schwab found the advice so valuable that he sent Ivy Lee a check for $25,000 — the equivalent of $266,490 in today’s money.

Of course, most people will never try this. They’ll tell themselves this is “just too simple.” And they’ll continue to wonder why they never get anything done.

So I want to issue a challenge to you:

Try this for one week.

Before you go to bed at night, grab an index card and write out the six most important things you need to accomplish during the next day. Leave it on your nightstand.

Then, when you wake up the next morning grab your list and follow your plan. When you accomplish all the items on your list, tear it up and make a new one. Try this for just one week and then report your results back to me by making a comment on this blog.

This really is one of the most vital skills you can have as an entrepreneur. I’ll admit, it sounds overly simple. But developing the ability to “plan your work and work your plan” is one of the key principles of massive success in ANY endeavor.

Master this skill and you can pretty much write your own ticket — in the Cash Flow Business and in every area of your life.

So I challenge you to try this for a week. I look forwarding to reading about your results.

– Russ

It's time to give thanks. Image: Bill Longshaw / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Since it’s Thanksgiving, I thought I’d take a moment to “count my blessings”.

Here are 10 things I’m thankful for, or as I call it — my “List of Gratitude.”

#1) God
There is not a day that goes by that I don’t thank God for all the many blessings.

And I don’t only mean the things that I like because that’s easy to see the blessings in.

But rather seeing the blessing in things I don’t like and turning those “lemons into lemonade” and using each experience as a stepping stone to get stronger, better, kinder and more loving, so I am truly grateful for God and ALL the things that happen — good or bad for they are my blessings.

#2) Family

Not a day goes by where I don’t give thanks — not just for my wife Cathy and my son Lars, but for my mom, my aunts (all of whom were in attendance at the recent Cash Flow Summit workshop) and all my other family members.

#3) Health

Most people don’t know this, but I actually battled chronic fatigue syndrome for over 3.5 years. As the saying goes, you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. Now that I’m back in good health, I truly appreciate just how important health is.

#4) Freedom

I feel so blessed to live in a country where you’re free to seek out financial independence and happiness. “We are the land of the free because of our brave!” There are a ton of people over the world born into poor, war-ravaged countries. Many of them have no escape and no way to improve their lives.

So it really is a blessing to live in the land of opportunity.

#5) Goals

This one sounds a little weird, right? But the fact is, everything that I have and everything that I am today is a direct result of my learning to set and achieve goals.

Without goals, I’d never have set the world 1-mile cycling record, I certainly wouldn’t have built a company that generates up to $100 million dollars a year and I definitely would not be as happy as I am today.

#6) Mentors

I learned all about the Cash Flow Business from one of my first mentors, a man named Carl (although everybody called him “Mr. Mortgage). Without him, I wouldn’t be the man I am today. That’s why I’m so thankful and appreciative for all the mentors I’ve had over the years.

#7) My Staff

I’m blessed to work shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the best and brightest people in the industry. I’m grateful for each and every one of my employees and I look forward to seeing them every day.

#8) My Bike

I know this one sounds strange, but I really love my bike. I’ve got a brand new Parlee® bicycle with Campy® equipment and let me tell you: There’s no better way to blow off some steam then to hop on my bike and soak up all the fresh air and amazing scenery in Colorado.

#9) Each New Day

No matter what happened last week, no matter what happened yesterday… today is a brand new day. A new chance to wake up and do something incredible!

So I wake up each day and I count my blessings. It gives me hope, joy, and a sense that everything is right.

#10) YOU!

I saved the best for last. Truth be told, I can’t even begin to explain how grateful I am for you — my students. I built my company by helping students succeed in the cash flow business so it’s important that you know just how vital you are.

We're successful helping others succeed.

As it says right in our lobby — “We’re Successful Helping Others Succeed.”

So there you have it:

My list of gratitude.

I’d love to hear from you.

Please leave a comment below and let me know what you’re thankful for in your life.

Note: Dalbey Education will be closed on Thursday, November 26th and Friday, November 27th. We will re-open on Monday, November 30th at 8 a.m. Mountain Time.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Russ Dalbey

If you want to learn how to fly—talk to a pilot.

If you want to learn how to make money—talk to someone who has made a lot of money—talk to a millionaire.

Unfortunately, most millionaires don’t have time to talk to people who are not millionaires themselves (there’s no money in it).

And that, my friend, is one of the main reasons I founded Dalbey Education — to teach people who want to make money, how to make money.

And because I’ve made money (yes, I’m a millionaire many times over) I think I’m worth listening to.

So this is what I want to tell you…

Long ago I realized that making enough money to just get by is easy—if I wanted to just get by.

But if I wanted to make a lot of money—I’m talking five or six figures, and way more—I needed to change my attitude.

I needed a positive, never-say-die, I-can-win mindset.

I had to believe in myself.

And you, my friend, need to believe in yourself, too—if you want to do better than just get by.

Automobile pioneer, and multi-millionaire, Henry Ford was right when he said:

“Whether you think you can
or you think you can’t, you’re right.”

To put it another way, if you don’t think you can make a lot of money in the Cash Flow Business—you won’t.

But… if you think you can make a lot of money—serious money—in the Cash Flow Business—then you can!

Because where there is a will, there is always a way.

With the right attitude you will leave no stone unturned. You will seek advice. You will study and learn from those who have succeeded.

Your positive attitude and your belief in yourself is everything.

A positive attitude motivates you. It keeps you going. And if you stumble and fall, as everyone does from time to time, it picks you up and dusts you off.

And the other amazing thing about attitude… it’s a choice YOU make.

You choose the attitude you will embrace each and every day.

We cannot change the past. We cannot change the way people act. We cannot change the inevitable.

But we can always change our attitude.

Match your attitude to your goals, and your attitude will bring your goals into reach.

Warmly,
Russ

“The only thing a note-finder has to fear… is fear itself!”

– President Franklin D. Roosevelt

Well, okay, President Roosevelt didn’t actually say it that way.

What he did say was, the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

But either way, the point should be well-taken by note-finders.

Because what I’ve noticed over the years is that the biggest obstacle facing beginning note-finders, when entering the Cash Flow Business… is fear.

Getting their feet wet.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s making that first phone call, writing that first letter or postcard, or mailing out that first newsletter… the one thing that stops most new note-finders cold… is fear.

It could be fear of rejection, fear of embarrassment… or just plain fear of fear.

Even veteran note finders—successful Cash Flow Business owners—can be paralyzed by fear—the fear of new ideas, methodologies and technologies—anything that takes them out their comfort zone.

Sure, anything new or untried can be intimidating—especially if it requires you to do or act in a way that’s unfamiliar and alien to the way you normally approach things.

And that’s only natural; it’s certainly nothing to be ashamed of.

But you still can’t let your fears prevent you from reaching your goals—whatever they may be. That would be self-defeating, and a darn shame.

Listen, remember when you were a kid at the dinner table, and your mother put a plate of “yuck” in front you?  (Yuck being anything you never ate before—and that looked and smelled, well… yucky.)

Now it may have taken you a long time to get over that fear of the yuck—but I’ll bet you anything—the yuck you wouldn’t eat back then, is probably one of your favorite foods today.

And how many times have you stood on the beach, at the water’s edge, or on the edge of a swimming pool, scared to jump in—because you were afraid of how cold the water would be?

And how many minutes—or hours—did you waste negotiating with yourself, trying to convince yourself that it wouldn’t be that bad—only to find when you finally did jump in—it wasn’t that bad, after all!

The water was fine!

Well, it’s the same thing in the Cash Flow Business.

Sometimes you just gotta jump in and get wet and leave all your fears behind.

Or, to borrow a phrase from the famous sportswear company, Nike…

Just do it!

There’s money to made out there—and all you gotta do is get it!

Warmly,
Russ