A lesson in tenacity from a tennis match

I’m not the world’s biggest tennis fan, but there was a recent match that made worldwide headlines and FORCED me to sit up and take notice.

As you might have guessed, I’m talking about the longest tennis match in history — which took place just a few days ago.

Two evenly-matched athletes went head-to-head and battled tooth and nail… neither man willing to give an inch or accept defeat.

When the dust finally settled… John Isner defeated Nicholas Mahut 70-68 in a match that lasted 11 hours and five minutes, spread out over 3 days.

The lesson I learned? Sometimes the key to success is simply a matter of wanting it MORE than the other guy.

Take this record-setting tennis match, for example. I think it’s safe to say that these two men were about as evenly-match as you could hope for. I’m sure they both saw their share of lucky bounces and bad breaks during the 11-hour match.

But one man wanted to win just a little bit more. One man held out just a little bit longer. And at the end of the day, success showed herself to the man who wanted her more.

Here’s What This Record-Setting Tennis Match Has To Do With YOU And The Cash Flow Business…

If you’re a long-time blog reader, I’m sure you’ve heard me tell the story of man who came within 3 feet of a fortune.

As the story goes, way back in the 1800’s during the great California gold rush, a man set out west to search for gold and find his fortune. As luck would have it, one day this man was panning in a river bed when he discovered a few small gold flakes.

Quickly and quietly, he marked his spot and snuck off to secure the high-powered drilling equipment he’d need to extract his underground fortune.

When he returned and started drilling, everything went according to plan. The drills went down, the gold came up and the man had dollars signs in his eyes. But then something unusual happened.

Without warning, the gold vein seemingly dried up. So the man moved the drill around, testing different spots, hoping to pick up the underground gold vein again.

But it was no use.

Finally, the man abandoned the site, sold the drilling equipment to a “junk man” and returned home with his hat in his hand. However, that’s not where the story ends.

Because the “junk man” called in a mining engineer, who pointed out the first prospector quit drilling a mere 3 feet from a million dollar underground gold vein.

The lesson is simple: Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up. Because right at this very minute, you could be closer to success than you can possibly imagine.

Now it’s your turn: What did you learn this week about overcoming adversity and “sticking with it?” Please share your stories in the comments.

– Russ

If you haven’t seen those blog posts, check ‘em out. Be sure to read through the comments too because a lot of your fellow students added some really smart points.

Today, I want to change things up a little bit.

Because all the education in the world won’t make a darn bit of difference if you don’t TAKE ACTION.

And sometimes, we all need a little reminder to take action. We all need a little reminder to stop making excuses… and start getting things done.

So I want you to watch this video. Because this video features a man with no arms, no legs… and no excuses.

Take four minutes to watch this video. Then look at yourself in the mirror and make up your mind to stop making excuses and start taking action.

No Arms. No Legs. No Excuses.

If this video helped you in any way, let me know by leaving a comment below.

QUICK NOTE: We just wrapped up our 2010 Triple Crown Workshop Event. And Wow — it was incredible! I’m still trying to get back in the swing of things after that amazing weekend so I’ll have a full recap for you next week.

– Russ

Sometimes the road to success is NOT hard to find.

It’s actually the most OBVIOUS thing to do… but most people miss the obvious because they’re searching for exotic solutions.

So here we go, the most obvious path to success in any area of your life:

Find someone who’s already achieved what you want to
accomplish and do what they did.

Pretty simple, right?

I mean, if you want to get in shape and lose 50 pounds than the most OBVIOUS thing to do is find someone who’s already lost 50 pounds and then simply do what they did.

If you want to boost your bowling average by 20 pins per game… then seek out someone who did just that and copy what they did.

But what if you want to make more money? Well, the most obvious thing to do would be to pay attention to what wealthy individuals are DOING NOW.

It’s no secret that many wealthy individuals created their wealth in real estate.

And you’re already on the right track — because you got my information which shows you EXACTLY how to make money in real estate without every risking a cent on property.

But let’s take this one step further:

What are wealthy individuals doing RIGHT NOW?

Well, the Wealth Report of the Wall Street Journal reports that right now many wealthy individuals are on the hunt for foreclosures. Yes, foreclosures are STILL red hot.

In fact, some wealthy individuals are actually signing up for foreclosure tours — traveling around by bus, boat or even private jet to view dozens of foreclosure properties in a single day.

And there are some incredible deals to be had — because even the rich and famous are filing for foreclosure.

Case in point: Recently, a mansion in Bel-Air that once belonged to actor Nicholas Cage was featured in a foreclosure auction.

So if you want to become wealthy… and many wealthy individuals are currently checking out foreclosure properties…. then the most obvious thing to do is follow the lead of these wealthy individuals and start checking out foreclosures for yourself.

Now, you don’t have to book a private jet to see foreclosure properties. You’ve probably got quite a few in your own neighborhood. And best of all, you don’t have to risk any of your own money purchasing or fixing a foreclosure because you can use your knowledge of the note business and actually apply that to the foreclosure market.

At my upcoming Triple Crown Workshop, my team and I are actually going to show you a way to make money in the red hot foreclosure market without buying, selling, fixing or investing in property.

And… some of my most successful students will also be there. So this is the perfect opportunity for you to rub shoulders with regular people who are making money in this business, find out exactly how they achieved success and “do what they did.”

If you want to join us at the upcoming Triple Crown Workshop, call 1-800-693-4032 now to reserve your spot. (Use priority code O5100E.)

But even if you can’t make it out, I still want to see you succeed. So don’t forget the lesson of this blog post — to achieve any goal you want in life, sometimes the most obvious thing to do is find somebody’s who already accomplished your goal and do what they did.

I Want To Hear From You! Do you like these kinds of inspirational, success-minded blog posts? Or would you prefer more educational and instructional posts about the note business? Leave a comment and let me know.

– Russ

How to defeat fear

I’m completely blown away by the number of comments you’ve been leaving on each blog post. I love reading your comments and hearing from each one of you.

Many of you chimed on my last few posts and posted comments concerning a certain “four letter word.”

F-E-A-R.

So in this blog post, let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Let’s talk about fear.

Let’s get it all out in the open. Let’s hash it out in broad daylight… and let me give you a few things I’ve learned over the years about dealing with fear.

Fear Is A School-Yard Bully

Like most bully’s, fear backs down when you stand tall and hold your ground. Too often we sell ourselves short because we’re so concerned with what MIGHT happen.

For example, in my last post a student made a comment where he listed out 7 things a note-holder MIGHT ask him. And he was worried about how to respond to those 7 questions.

Here’s the thing: It’s highly unlikely that a note-holder would ever ask this student all of those questions.

But the thought of what MIGHT happen was preventing this student from talking to note-holders. That’s fear.

Luckily, there’s a simple (but not easy) solution:

Just do it.

Just do the thing that you’re afraid of.

Even if you fail, it doesn’t matter. Because the simple act of standing up to the bully is enough. When you stand up to fear, you’ll show fear that you’re not afraid.

And when you do that — you’d be surprised how often fear magically vanishes.

Let me leave you with this.

It’s a quote from the movie “Evan Almighty” starring Steve Carell and Morgan Freeman:

“If someone prays for patience, do you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient?

If someone prayed for their family to be closer, you think God zaps them with warm, fuzzy feelings? Or does he give them opportunities to love each other?”

– from the movie Evan Almighty

So when you feel what you think is fear, perhaps what you’re really feeling is an opportunity to be courageous.

If this article helps you in any way, please leave me a comment and let me know. Also, if you have any tips for defeating fear, feel free to share those with everyone on this blog.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Watch your email this week because I’m going to be sending you an invitation to join me and some of my most successful students at my upcoming Triple Crown Workshop.

For many of my students, getting together with other students and meeting real people who are making real money in this business was exactly what they needed to defeat fear and get started in the Cash Flow Business. So please watch your email this week and I urge you to join us at this exciting event.

– Russ

How to make money in tough times. Image source: Unknown.

Last week, the Federal Reserve Board released the minutes from their latest meeting and it looks like many of the top financial minds in the country believe the recession is far from over.

So if you’ve been waiting for things to turn around, I suggest you stop waiting and start taking action.

Because you do NOT need to wait until the recession is over to pursue your dreams. In fact, many great fortunes have been created DURING recessions and even during the Great Depression.

In a good economy there are people who struggle. In a bad economy there are people who make a fortune. The point is “there are ALWAYS opportunities for those who pursue their dreams…

Let me show you a few examples:

#1) During the stock market crash of the Great Depression, many lost entire fortunes. But not everyone lost money. Floyd Bostwick Odlum turned $39,000 into over $100 million by purchasing undervalued companies for pennies on the dollars.

#2) John Maynard Keynes didn’t have much success with his investments before the Great Depression. He actually became financially successful DURING the Great Depression by investing in cheap utility companies.

#3) Jesse Livermore became a legend when he shorted the market in 1929 (which means he would make money if the market went down, and would lose money if the market went up.) As we all know, the market crashed big-time in October of 1929 and Jesse Livermore made nearly $100 million.

Now, what do all three of these examples have in common?

With the benefit of hindsight, the answer is simple: When everyone else was focusing on doom & gloom, these individuals kept their eyes open and searched for OPPORTUNITIES and pursued their dreams.

Right now, you’ve got a similar opportunity. Most real estate “gurus” are preaching gloom & doom at the moment.

It’s easy to see why: In the past few years, house prices have dropped, foreclosures spiked and investing in real estate is now viewed as risky business.

And while it’s easy to focus on the negative aspects of this current real estate market, doing so probably won’t earn you a fortune.

So I encourage you to keep your eyes open and watch for opportunities as they present themselves — just like Floyd Odlum, John Keyes and Jesse Livermore did during the Great Depression. In fact, some of the biggest opportunities of all TIME are all around us,

If you’re a Dalbey Education student, keep a close watch on your email as this week I’ll be sending you some specific instructions on how to make money in foreclosures without risking a cent of your own money on property.

– Russ

Image source: Unknown.

Did you know that certain behaviors repel money… and certain behaviors actually attract money to you?

I know, the idea of attracting money almost sounds like “voodoo” but once you put these practices into action, I think you’ll be amazed.

You see, money doesn’t have a brain.

Money doesn’t get to decide where it goes.

Money is governed by certain laws — just like gravity. And those who know the laws will attract money, while those who ignore these laws will always have empty pockets.

I’ve been studying the laws of money for quite some time now and today I’m going to reveal how to attract money.

Secret #1: Money Is Attracted To SPEED.

I’ve noticed that wealthy and successful business owners and entrepreneurs don’t waste time when it comes to putting new ideas to the test.

When they get a new idea, they act on it immediately. If it fails, they move on. But they don’t dilly-dally.

Here’s an example of what I’m talking about:

Years ago, when Lee Iacocca took over the failing Chrysler company, he was walking the factory floor when a couple workers stopped him and suggested that one of their current car models might look better as a convertible.

Iacocca told them to grab a blowtorch and cut the roof off one of the cars so he could drive it around and see what kind of reaction he got from people on the street.

No focus groups. No committees. No meetings. A blowtorch.

Takeaway point: If you want to attract money, get started. Do something. Anything is better than nothing.

Secret #2: Money Is Attracted To CLARITY.

How much money do you want to make this month… this year… this decade?

If you can’t answer those questions down to the penny… then you probably don’t have a set of financial goals on paper.

And you really should. Because money is attracted to people who know EXACTLY what they want.

Another story to illustrate my point:

Back in 1990 when actor Jim Carrey was just a struggling comedian driving a busted up car, he wrote himself a check for $10 million dollars. He wrote on the check “For Acting Services Rendered” and dated the check for Thanksgiving day, 1995. He carried the check in his wallet and just before Thanksgiving day, in the year 1995, Carrey found he was going to receive $10 million dollars to act in the movie “Dumb & Dumber.”

Like I said, some of this stuff can really blow your mind. It almost seems too easy.

But one thing is certain: You can’t achieve what you want if you don’t know what you want.

Takeaway point: “When vision is clear, abundance is near.”

Secret #3: Money Is Attracted To Bold Actions

As the saying goes, “Fortune favors the bold.”

Perhaps you’ve also heard the famous quote from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe — “Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”

If you want to change your life and achieve massive success, you’ve got to do something different than what you’ve always done. You’ve got to do something BOLD.

Case in point:

You’ve seen the movie “Rocky” with Sylvestor Stallone, right? But did you know that when he first wrote the movie, he was so broke he had to sell his dog — sell his best friend for $25 — just so he had money to eat!

So when a movie studio offered him $125,000 for his script — Sly said “Only if you let me star in the movie.”

They thought he was crazy. And that was certainly a bold move.

But then they called him back and offered him $250,000 — on the condition that Sly would NOT star in the movie.

He turned them down again.

Finally, they offered him $325,000 for the script — again on the condition that some other actor would play the part of Rocky.

But again, Sly turned them down. As I’m sure you know, Sly eventually found someone to let him star in the movie and the film went on to win an Academy Award and make over $200 million dollars worldwide.

Takeaway point: To achieve massive success, make a bold move.

If You’re Ready To Start Attracting Money, Then Here’s What You Need To Do Next…

Since you’ve read this entire article, it’s obvious that you’re ready to start attracting more money. So today, I want to help show you how you can attract money in the note business.

Here’s what I want you to do right now:

Step #1: Think of EXACTLY how much money you’d like to make on your first note deal. Be precise — down to the penny!

Step #2: Think of EXACTLY when you’d like to receive your money. Be ambitious but realistic here. I recommend you choose a date between 30 and 90 days from now.

Step #3: Plan your first move. What are you going to do in the next 24 hours to bring you one step closer to your goal?

Leave your answers in the comments below.

I always write down my goals because it’s a great way to take a stand and make a commitment to yourself. Posting your goals in a comment on this blog is a great way to inspire yourself and other readers.

– Russ

Because as the old saying goes, “success leaves clues.”  And if you can find out what books successful people read, you can read the same books and train your mind to follow in the same path.

Today, I’d like to share a couple of my favorite books.  I can say in all seriousness that these books changed my life.

You may not have heard of these titles before, but if you get a chance to pick these up over the holidays I strongly recommend it.

Man's Eternal Quest by Paramahansa Yogananda

My all-time favorite book is “Man’s Eternal Quest” by Paramahansa Yogananda.

As you may have guessed from the name, Paramahansa Yogananda was one of the first people to introduce Westerners to teachings of meditation and Yoga.

In this book, Paramahansa explores and explains many little-known subjects such as meditation, life after death, health and healing and the unlimited powers of the human mind.

I also love the book, “The Richest Man Who Ever Lived:  King Solomon’s Secrets to Success, Wealth and Happiness.”

The Richest Man Who Ever Lived: King Solomon's Secrets to Success, Wealth and Happiness

In fact, I like this book so much that I’ve bought a copy for every single one of my employees here at Dalbey Education.  This book details the strategies of King Solomon — a man who lived nearly three thousand years ago and created a fortune worth nearly a trillion dollars in today’s money.

Those are two of the books that changed my life.

But I want to hear from you.

Which books changed your life?  Please leave a comment and let me know.  If everyone leaves a comment suggesting just one life-changing book, we’ll have the makings of an incredible reading list.

Oh, and one more thing:  Merry Christmas!

– Russ

No matter what you do in life, whatever goals you may set for yourself…

Whether you want to be successful in the cash flow business… or if you just want to be a better person…

These are the attitudes that separate winners from losers:

When a Winner makes a mistake, he says, “I was wrong.”
When a Loser makes a mistake, he says, “It wasn’t my fault.”

If you acknowledge your mistakes, you can correct them and learn from them.

If you blame someone else for your mistakes—you’ll repeat them.

A Winner works harder than a loser and has more time.
A Loser is always “too busy” to do what is necessary.

If you expect life’s greatest joys to be handed to you on a silver platter… you’ll rarely, if ever receive them. And if by some miracle you’re made a present of life’s bounty… you won’t appreciate and value it—you’ll be too busy trying to get more.

A Winner goes through the problem.
A Loser tries to go around it, and never gets past it.

If you don’t tackle your problems head on—and fix them once and for all… they’ll always be there in the background, haunting you, dogging your every step… waiting for another chance to stop you from reaching your goals.

A Winner makes commitments.
A Loser makes excuses.

If you keep your promises… you’ll be relied on, trusted and turned to in times of need.

If, on the other hand, you make excuses for not keeping your promises, your failures will be magnified and the problems you were called on to solve—will only have been made worse—and blamed on you.

A Winner says, “I’m good but not as good as I could be.”
A Loser says, “I’m not as bad as a lot of people.”

If you aim for the stars, though never reach them, you’ll still soar higher and achieve far more success than someone who never lifts his head or dares to look up.

If you take comfort in knowing there are always people far worse off, far more miserable than you, and you never see those who are above you—how will you ever find the desire or the will to achieve more, and be better still?

A Winner always listens.
A Loser just waits until it is his turn to talk.

If you think of others first, you’ll be far more liked and admired than someone who always wants to have the last word—believing only he or she is right.

A Winner respects those who are superior to them
and tries to learn something from them.
A Loser resents those who are superior to them
and tries to find chinks in their armor.

Stand on the shoulders of giants and give credit where credit is due. If you build on the efforts of those who came and succeeded before you, your future successes will be built on strong legs.

But if you cut down and belittle the achievements of others, and are unwilling to learn from them, you cut off at the knees your own chances for future greatness and success.

A Winner feels responsibility for more than their job.
A Loser says, “I only work here.”

If you are only for you, who are you… and who will stand beside you when you need a helping hand? If you take to heart that no person is an island, and that we all sink or swim together, and that behind all achievement is the work of many working together—we will benefit together, and we will have far more successes… than if we work alone.

A Winner says, “There ought to be a better way to do it.”
A Loser says, “That’s the way it’s always been done here.”

Without the energy and desire to be better than we are, to work smarter, and to achieve more than we have, we’d all still be living in caves—fearing the dark, suffering in the cold, and dying alone.

It is in our best interests, individually and collectively, to always try to do more, to be more, to have more—to find a happier place and a better time for ourselves, and our families.

So what do you think… are you a winner… or a loser?

In the final analysis, it’s really just a matter of choice. The thoughts you think and the actions you take… are always under your control.

So be a WINNER… do it now… do it for yourself… and for all of us willing to stand beside you.

Warmly,
Russ

This is understandable, and on the surface of things, it makes sense. But, in terms of starting up a new business, it really depends on what it is.

Is this the best time to start a retail business offering luxury items or services… like pet grooming, or a high-priced specialty-cuisine restaurant? Maybe not.

But if you run a business that always provides what people need… and need MORE of when times are tough, you’re likely to succeed. And, you could do really well for yourself – while you contribute a lot of good to society in general.

So, what’s the NUMBER ONE thing people need more of in a bad economy? Well, money, of course.

And that’s exactly what you can provide to people when you act as a cash flow note finder. You help people who need money now access it… by enabling them to trade their small future payments for an immediate, lump sum amount!

The other half of the equation is this: Most of the people who had the money to buy notes (that’s how you’re able to get that check to the people who need money) are still financially secure. BUT, in a downturn economy, they’re looking to take advantage of the great deals available, so in some cases, they’re even more interested in buying notes than before.

Lastly, remember that in the cash flow note business, you don’t need to invest even a dime of your own money on real estate… rent an office space… buy inventory… or hire any employees. All you have to do is let people know that you can help them trade future payments for cash now.

Even spreading that message can be done for free or extremely inexpensively – just start with word-of-mouth marketing, or make some business cards or fliers with your contact information. Many individuals have closed their first profitable note deal without even that!

My students are reporting MILLIONS of dollars in earnings combined, and I have never seen a better time for the cash flow note business. Winning in the Cash Flow Business is a fantastic opportunity for anyone looking to achieve financial success. Winning in the Cash Flow Business could be the perfect chance to change your life.

Happy Holidays to you and your family. I’ll see you in the New Year.

Warmly,
Russ

If you could use some inspiration for what you want to accomplish in 2009, this story about one of America’s greatest minds and inventors might help.

It is has been said that Thomas Edison tested more than 10,000 ideas and prototypes before he hit on a working example of an incandescent light bulb. At one point, one of his financial backers suggested that he give up.

Edison replied:

“Each time an idea did not work, I got feedback on how to make it better. I now know 10,000 ways it does not work, and I get closer and closer to success.”

Edison was able to eventually triumph despite thousands of setbacks because he had the right mindset: He saw each “failure” as simply a step towards success!

There’s another lesson to be learned in Edison’s life, too: Don’t be concerned if others don’t believe in you. Edison was actually thrown out of school at an early age because a teacher felt he was “too stupid to learn anything.”

No one other than you can determine what your future holds.

Here are some other examples of people who achieved great success after meeting resistance or defeat earlier:

• Henry Ford declared bankruptcy before going on to found one of the largest automotive manufacturing companies in the world.
• R.H. Macy made several failed attempts at retail business before his New York department store chain took off.
• Bob Dylan was booed off stage during his performance at a high school talent show.
• Oprah Winfrey was once fired from a television reporter’s job and told, “You’re not fit for TV.”
• After Elvis Presley’s first (and last) performance at the Grand Ole Opry, he was banned and reported told: “You ain’t goin’ no where, son.”

None of these people let these early discouragements stop them from realizing their potential. The path to achievement and well-being is often far from easy, even for those blessed with raw talent or rare genius.

But no one makes it very far without determination and the ability to roll up their sleeves when faced with a challenge.

So go ahead – make that New Year’s resolution. And then set out a plan to do it. If you have the right attitude… and refuse to let a setback stop you… you too will achieve amazing things, just like other great people have.

Warmly,
Russ