SO you’ve made it, that “pie in the sky, pipe dream” your friends always said would never amount to anything. You know when you went out to talk with your associates, close friends and family for input or advice. All of your hard knocks, bloody knuckles, sweat and tears combined with the frustration and hours spent finally amounted to a sustainable source of income for you and your family. You played smart and invested wisely the funny thing is that once you finally reached success, you felt disoriented and out of sorts. Lost like a Captain without his compass lost at sea. Faced with new challenges that you have never dealt with before. Yes this sounds so funny that “I’m now super successful and I don’t know what to do.” It’s more common place than you think.

To help resolve the issue we need to look at some simple ways to keep your head above water even when it’s smooth sailing ahead. Keep in mind a couple of my favorite sayings as we move forward. 1) “Life happens when you are making plans.” 2) “When in doubt work it out.” That’s some pure unadulterated simplistic advice just like everything I am about to share with you now. If you are looking to keep up on top of success then you need to pay close attention to these words of advice. First you need to stop planning and paying attention to all of the details with your finances and entrepreneurial ventures. This assures no distraction while you are off spending your money foolishly, buying up everything under the sun your little heart desires.

Then after you have burnt out all of your credit cards and worn off the magnetic stripes, you return home for an evening of unpacking and opening gifts as if it were Christmas. It surely is great and this year you got EVERYTHING you have ever wanted. Once you finished touching and experiencing all of the wonder from the opening and cleaning of the gigantic mess, you retire upstairs for an evening of relaxation and pampering from an expensive resort spa with all of the extras and a 20% gratuity for every service. You feel like a million and only spend a few thousand what a bargain. Next you head off to the bank and grab some cash for a day trip to the city, wining and dining with friends and close family. A little boutique window shopping but you can resist the temptation since you just got over the holidays, yoou pick out a few things for frinds adn finish the evening with a brilliant theater production.

You meet your loved one and head on over to the local upscale lounge for some R&R before you head off to your vacation destination. Your Chauffeur arrives and drives you to your private runway where the jet has been fueled and prepped. The pilot is arriving on scene and it’s time to board the plane. You and your family hit the skies, heading off to your destination unknown paradise, (It’s the Captain’s choice this weekend). When you arrive at the destination you quickly corral up your family and get to your village. Your private hut is waiting, furnished with food, new bedding, clothes and all of the luxuries you would ever need to enjoy your trip to paradise.

It may seem as if I am rambling on about the extravagence of your ventures over the past period of time here. However what happens next will totally be the result of your past actions. Suddenly he door bursts open and people are stunned and confuzed as they stare into your eyes. The angst adn confusion start to escalate when The resort management comes to inform you that your credit card has been declined, your room rented out. The pilot shows up and states that your bank declined the charges for the trip and now he’s suing you. You’re thrown out of the resort, your children scared and remembering back to how life used to be. Then the inevitable question comes out… your child asks “Mommy, Daddy are we poor and out of money like how life used to be?”.

You wake up screaming, covered in sweat, shaking wondering if everything you just dreamed about was actually going to happen. Then you relax, take in a deep soothing breath and smile knowing you are safe and secure. You fought to be on top and you surely aren’t going to do anything foolish to jeopardize your self now. Sure no one is guaranteed to not have financial challenges in their life. Yet we can do so much to prepare and hedge against life, to protect and shield us if we just follow the rules and plan ahead. This is what got you here and this is what will keep you here to stay. Don’t be fooled by phony success. It’snot the size of your wallet or where you choose to destine your self once in a while or even the clothes you wear that make you successful.

It’s doing what’s right and walking on the straight and narrow that gets you there and keeps you moving onward and upward. “Leaders, by definition, ARE ALWAYS THE FIRST ONES OUT OF ANY PERDICAMENT.” “Perhaps it’s because their vantage point is unobstructed by anyone in front of them. They are not held back by those who cannot keep the pace. They find opportunity where some can only see danger and doom. When others are frozen with fear, they find strength. Though their organizations are often small, their resolve is immense. In simple terms,leaders lead. As a result, they will chart the uncharted in today’s challenging economy, slip the stream of negativity and deliver to the front lines of business. At RW30, we are proud to provide the full range of tools for true leaders.

We salute these champions of business. After all, they are the ones who will blaze the path to prosperity.” This article was inspired by Flying Magazine & Cessna, I find it apropriate to note the leaders speech was written for Cessna aircraft, what a truly inspirational piece of work. Ever since I was a little boy I’ve wanted to fly, today I put this goal on my list. I plan on obtaining insrtuction to gain my pilots license before the end of 2010. I’ll keep you posted. Until then keep dreaming and achieving.

• How to strategically plan for your retirement When it comes to planning for retirement you really have only a few choices to make for your future. Strategically speaking many people take the approach of “I hope it works.” People really never give their retirement a thought until it's to late. When they decide it's time for retirement......
• Investing in your online accounts with automatic bill pay Many people have tried to systematize a method for automating their investments and although it takes a human touch make the buy and sell calls in the stock market you can charge your investment accounts with your dollars automatically. Set up your account and then when you have all of......
• Low and no interest capital for investment purposes When it comes to the value of your dollars in today's economy or any other time your ability to purchase, return income on your investment has been something that eluded many would be great entrepreneurs and investors. The lack of resources to keep the fire slowly going while your momentum......
• The breaking point in your action steps You know when you hit that brick wall and you feel stuck. Everything that you do seem like it has impact or bearing on your goal achievement. That moment when you feel like you're stuck in a mud puddle and can't gain any traction or forward momentum? You move......
• Snowball your way to financial freedom Debt is like a plague that eats your hard earned money faster than you can earn it. You work for your bills and your bills take everything you work for. Soon it becomes a stressful vicious cycle that makes people bitter and angry. Your outlook becomes bleak; you see no......

• How to Pay Down the Mortgage If you’re one of those few families who are lucky enough to have found your way out from under the mountains of credit card debt that plague so many people. You may be wondering what your next financial step might be. Free from monthly credit card payments, you have the......
• How to Avoid the Three Worst Financial Traps No matter how wealthy or poor you are, there are financial traps that are waiting to disrupt your lives. Many people end up finding out too late that they are in the depths of one and it is nearly impossible to get out. However, there are specific steps that you......
• Love and Marriage - Impress Yourselves, Not Your Friends. I met my wife 4 years ago this month through some mutual friends. She says it was fate, but I believe it was some sort of a freak accident. Whatever anyone believes, we met while standing next to a creepy clown blowing up balloons for some 5 year olds. But......
• Reward For Tickets to MTV's The State (and Personal Finance Links) I'm looking to get tickets to the reunion of one of my favorite shows... MTV's The State at San Francisco's Sketchfest. This is the first reunion in 12 years for the comedy group. The bad news is that I found out about it after the tickets were already sold out.......
• guest post at "Cash Money Life" I've got a guest post up over at Cash Money Life, so head over to Patrick's blog and take a look around. I won't tell you any more about it, just to encourage you to head over there! If you aren't familiar with his blog I would highly recommend checking......

There was only eight day until Christmas and all through the house everyone was scurrying about. Plans of parties, family frolic and cheer, soon Saint Nicholas was be here. Children with excitement and anticipated fun from the gifts soon to be here and parents on lookout for snoopers and sneakers.

Christmas in California

The stockings all hung by the chimney with care, the sweet smells of ginger bread, mulled spice wine and eggnog fill the air. If you are here working hard during this hectic time of year I wanted to say thank you for being here and wish you some Christmas cheer. My good friend Erin shared this amazing display of Christmas Guitar Wizardry and I though how fun to kick off Christmas Break with. Are you an online gaming fan or Guitar Hero enthusiast? Sit back and enjoy the show.

I hope you really enjoyed the show. I wil lbe back soon with more great updates and new developemnts in many arenas. SO much has happened and I cannot wait to share every last minute with you.

Turn Up Your Speakers!

• Why we dance around the money situation at hand You can look at this in another perspective, why do we dance around the subject of finance, financial stabilization, security, why because it's uncomfortable for the masses. Many people are challenged and distraught about their current state of affairs. Constantly complaining about their situation at hand,yet instead of doing......
• Using the power of the Internet and social media for a challenge I haven't been posting regularly for the past week and a half, in fact the last article I wrote was posted about using social media to enhance your real estate business. Since that writing I did after attending that seminar I have had rapid changes come to me in the......
• Grimm forecast on retiree finances. I love the news the contradictions are often so plain to see they could get over looked. For example these next two posts are about retirement living and the differences of opinion about money. For example in this article the writer opens up and states that approximately 60% of......
• There are affordable health care solutions for every bracket of income Why on Earth would a real estate professional be talking about medical access? It's very simple you see no matter who you are and your social status we all need to see a Doctor from time to time. I have found in my adult life I have been in situations......
• What areas of finance are you looking for assistance with? Product launch date 08/19/2008 Internationally respected company launches new Tranquil Sleep Now program to help people get a better nights sleep. Financial marketeer Ryan Wegman has released his third publication titled "The Pillars of Wealth". For the first time Ryan is revealing his story of triumph over adversity and challenge.......

• Visions of Winchesters: Supernatural Blog Carnival, June 26 So, it's summer, and we're all like loosey goosey and relaxed, so I'm not going to force us into rigid categories for our Supernatural news. In this post, we've got the news items and fun stories. Then, we have a separate page of spoilers. Don't visit it if you don't......
• Foolproof (2003) How do you feel about heist movies? I personally have a weakness for the good ones. I love all that planning and gadgets, the adrenaline and excitement. And if the movie has characters that we can relate to, even better. Here we have Kevin (Ryan Reynolds), Sam (Kristin Booth)......
• Christmas Wish List Remember how, when we were kids, we used to get excited at the mere thought of Christmas? And for some of us excitable lot, it's not even because of the heartwarming story of nativity. I mean no disrespect, of course, but when we were kids, the nativity story holds as......
• Yes, You Can Still Retire Comfortably! - A Book Review I read a lot in the areas of personal finance.  As a baby boomer, I make sure to include large doses of reading in retirement planning.  Regardless of your age, you should do the same.  I recently finished reading "Yes, You Can Still Retire Comfortably!" which was authored by Ben......
• Friendship Hi: Got your message - and visited your blog. Actually, my friends are like my family. Had another thought - on the computer, a friend is only a word away! I'm enjoying writing this! Maybe it recaptures the old days of written letters. I used to think that pen and......

Impending such a strong and terminal word. The pure fact that something is impending (meaning to happen in the future) is a dark and ugly shadow over many people. Especially in this crazy economy we are in. You see when that word impending is used it’s in conjunction with foreclosure, bankruptcy, death. You know what I am saying it’s going to be final.

Why is it that so many people are impending financial disaster within their own lives even when they have seen the signs all around them warning them of immediate change that needs to be taken in and implemented. It sounds so crazy to me that people would still rather live in a shadowed word where they are behind glass walls, just waiting for someone to throw a stone at you.

So forget the impending problems we need to focus on the impending solutions instead. What are you faced with? Foreclosure? Not a problem. Over Leveraged Debt? Again no problem. Are you behind on taxes? Still no problem. No matter what the financial outlook seems like it can always be altered. You do not have to wait for the worst impending situation to prompt you to get help. You have leeway and lead time to get all of your ducks in a row, so to speak.

You know it feels like you are all alone when these types of financial uncertainties take form in your life, however it’s not like you just woke up one day and there was a problem. You had some insider information that warned you about this some time ago. Maybe you just need to step aside and get out of your own way.

Have you ever felt trapped by your fear or emotions? We have all been victimized by it in one way or another well it’s time to get over it. For many positive reasons. For starter imaging eliminating tons of undue stress in your life. How about the increased cash you keep from eliminating debt and start carving out a brighter future? Nothing in life is for certain except that you have to stand up for what matters most.

• Wealth And Wisdom Go Straight To The Dogs A dogs keen set of senses and perception are amazing, whether you believe in it or not, the old story; "Everything I Ever Needed to Know About Kindergarten, I Learned From My Dog"  applies to much more than just kindergarten. A dogs unique set of senses are an extraordinary example......
• Stress Free Wealth Creation Made Easy Part One Creating wealth eludes the majority of the populous for various reason. Lack of knowledge, lack of proper guidance and even lack of motivation. When it comes to money people are generally unmotivated to change even when disaster lurks on the horizon. Why is it that the worlds wonders are only......
• Using college education funds for real estate Many people aren't aware of the little laws in the IRS tax code that states not what you can put into these types of accounts, they state what you can't put in their instead. So while people are using stocks and going mad with the market place activities, others are......
• Independance day; are we really free We sit amongst our family and friends celebrating our Nation's greatest achievement; our independence. This day celebrates freedom from the ties that bound us. Waiting in anticipation for the sun to go down and for the show to begin. We find ourselves making and playing fun activities as well......
• Why we dance around the money situation at hand You can look at this in another perspective, why do we dance around the subject of finance, financial stabilization, security, why because it's uncomfortable for the masses. Many people are challenged and distraught about their current state of affairs. Constantly complaining about their situation at hand,yet instead of doing......

• How Financial Planners SHOULD Act Due to my position at work, I get a ton of trade magazines on a daily basis.  It just so happens that "trade" in this case means law, money, financial planning magazines so that is pretty okay with me!  In my daily flipping to find out if anything life......
• Tell Them To Support Your Financial Wishes This article is by Adam from Money Relationship. Subscribe to his site to get updates about his journey out of $150,000 in debt. We all have those friends that always want to head out on the town and spend. Whether it’s taking large vacations or wanting to eat out every......
• Network marketing Network marketing is very popular for last time. More and more people are involved into this business with every day. From one side it’s chance to create your own though little business and get some financial security, and from other side it’s also hard work and great efforts. Network marketing......
• Soggy Hotdog Story. the Sequel The following guest post is from Ashley of Wide Open Wallet.  Ashley was inspired by my own "Soggy Hotdog Story" posted a couple months ago, which detailed the point of my financial meltdown and subsequent turnaround.  Be sure to visit Ashley's site, and subscribe to her feed for more great......
• Sunday Conversation #2 with Frugal Dad Welcome to Sunday Conversation #2! This is the first of many conversations between readers and yours truly. Any subject is on the table (remember, keep it family friendly). Simply ask your question in the comments section of today's post and I will respond next Sunday. Pull up a chair, grab......

How does one truly measure success? How does one measure wealth? Is purely by their achievements in life? Does that mean that if you never reach the fame and fortune levels that you weer never truly successful? Have you ever thought about what what it really meant to be success and wealthy?

Obviously most of dream of greater things in our lives, we wish for more happiness, money, fame. More of the new and exciting aspects of life. Then there are others who simply want the simple life, no hassles, no added responsibilities and no real expectations in life.

Surely there are those in the middle who have plenty and seem content as well. Yet we still do not know which one of these social profiles are truly successful. Possibly it’s due to the reason that you have simply never thought about. I don’t spend lots of time wondering what success is in itself. I do however spend lots of time achieving greater success in my life.

I can say that because of the growth in momentum and laser focus of my connections while meeting others has become effortless. I have started increasing my own productivity levels and my intellect has increased as well. What used to be seemingly daunting interactions has become effortless.

What about you? Have you ever measured your levels of success and wealth. I want you throw everything you think you know about success and wealth out the window. We all know wealth is not merely monetary and success is not just the highest rung on the ladder. It’s the combination of many areas of life that create balance, security, comfort, and quality in our lives. This is how we measure success and wealth.

Most people know that life is hard on its own, we also know that family & friends often make the influence in peoples lives. How are your relations? Are they upbeat and positive, negative or challenging. I am finding that the more I have to work towards a goal the benefits are greater, this includes entering new circles of influence.

It’s time for self evaluation and checking to see how you measure up to wealth and success. Get out your thinking cap and soak all of these words of truth and wisdom in. Then get out your check list. Start taking an account for everything good great and positive in your life. The spend a short moment looking at your obstacles in front of you, find the brightness in every difficulty.

Then and only then will you be successful. You can not see the bottom of the abyss, so why would you worry about hitting it. Just look back up at the sky, keep your chin up and know that you are truly a great success.

• E-Waste Plus Wall Street, Times The Mortgage Market Equate To A Toxic Mess E Waste, mortgages, Wall Street, credit derivatives, rising credit deficit and the bet against America. I was watching 60 Minutes last night, it was very disturbing to learn exactly what has been going on both in the technology sector as well as the financial markets. Both topics showed me......
• These 29 Tips To Help Save You Money Funny how when we look at money, financial affairs and wealth we often overlook some of the most simple things. For example what about cutting back on items or finding ways to save on the purchases of the items or services, I read this article in Readers Digest a couple......
• How to Overcome Adversity [display_podcast]When the chips are down and there is no light at the end of the tunnel people tend to become frozen with fear, contemplation and indecisiveness with the choice they are faced with. Many times the simplest way out of a situation is for most people stop right in their......
• Finding Wealth in a Title Leads to Great Success Here we are again back at the stage of mindset and ownership of one's positioning. I ran across this brief article and I thought this may bea great eye opener for you.Calling Yourself a Family First Entrepreneur is a Guiding Light | Marc WarnkeCalling Yourself a Family First Entrepreneur is......
• Are your rewards really rewarding or are you just in a vicious cycle of spending? You hit the stores in search of that something special that you’ve always had to have or you just can’t live without, you search high and low for that most important possession. You spot it on a shelf tucked way inside behind other merchandise. You grab it and you can......

• Blogging Goals: What You'll See Here in 2009 Thanks to Green Panda Treehouse for pointing me to Visionary Blogging's 7 Strategic Blog Improvement Questions. That article serves as an outline for my blogging goals for 2009. What will I accomplish with my blog in 2009? How will I make my blog more valuable in 2009? There are a......
• Sometimes in Life You have to Ignore the Costs This post is inspired by my Dog�s 5th Birthday - I love my dog, and I don't care if she is the right or wrong personal finance decision.  Sometimes, you have to ignore the right thing, mathematically, and live your life.  So please meet my dog, Tinkerbell: No, she is......
• Wealth, Greed, Envy and Shame The title sounds a bit like a shady law firm, doesn't it? Actually, it's meant to convey the emotions of this post's topic. A topic I've thought a lot about recently, and one that another blogger covered in a recent post, The Guilt of Wealth. It deals with the emotions......
• Personal Finance Resource Links 04-26-09 Finally the weather is starting to level out and get a bit warmer around here! Our garden is starting to com back to life.  We have some tulips growing for the first time and the rose bushes are sprouting.  Next step for us is to hit the gardening store......
• Boomer and Retirement Weekly Reader - Back to School Edition Son # 3 is winding down his internship and has us all thinking about his return to campus for his junior year. Time continues to fly by. I read a number of interesting articles this week: The Simple Dollar puts its spin on Dave Ramsey's Money Makeover book, in this......

I was reading an empowering article this afternoon which really helped me to spark an amazing idea. You know when you hit the wall in your day and you just feel burnt out and complacent in your mundane routine? You just accept it and deal with life as it gets served up on a daily basis.

This is where you get a lesson from the school of liberation. Yes liberation, you see so many people have become stagnate and displaced from their original goals and intentions that once in a while people need a giant wake up call.

If you are suffering financially in your personal life and or business then you should be getting excited. This is a moment in time you should get down on your knees and be thankful and forever grateful that you got to experience this first hand. You see you are about to get liberated from poverty, challenge and above all else get the power to take back control of your life.

You know when you used to have it all. Wouldn’t it feel great if you could have it all once again? Go ahead and take a trip back to school. The school of liberation through hard knocks. It will do you some good I promise.

• Protect yourself and your family from the fastest growing crime in America Your no stranger to theft in America, it's always been around you in one shape or another. For many that live in crime infested areas across the globe you become numb to the frenzy of gun shots, sirens, and all of the commotion that takes place in your normal atmosphere.......
• This Is The Last Blog Post I'll Ever Write It's actually over. All of the time invested in creative, research, years in business experimentation. All for nothing; you know when you finally throw in the towel and hang up your boots. Have you ever had one of those moments where you just say forget it time for change......
• Death often brings new life My father died today and this is not a cry out for support or sympathy, rather when death comes to visit the stay cannot be too long. It's swift, fast and sometimes can linger on. I spoke to my father just last evening, he was witty and wild on the......
• What areas of finance are you looking for assistance with? Product launch date 08/19/2008 Internationally respected company launches new Tranquil Sleep Now program to help people get a better nights sleep. Financial marketeer Ryan Wegman has released his third publication titled "The Pillars of Wealth". For the first time Ryan is revealing his story of triumph over adversity and challenge.......
• The fate of the world is in Obama's hands We have made history in this great nation called the USA. Our 1st African American Presidential Elect has made the grade. Emotions have been soaring over the outcome of our 2008 Presidential Election, people from across the globe have poured out into the polls for their first time. The voting......

• How to Qualify for Mortgage without a Credit Score Many Americans are absolutely fixated on their credit score. They believe that they have to do whatever it takes to keep their credit score in good standing. There was once a woman who called into the Dave Ramsey show who had not eaten in two days, but was current on......
• Subscriber Swap Saturday With No Debt Plan Happy Saturday my friends.  I want to introduce you to a fantastic blog called No Debt Plan.  My friend Kevin runs this blog and has a been doing a great service to personal finance readers for some time called the Subscriber Swap Saturday. No Debt Plan is about getting and......
• Are You Stuck In A Rut and Need To Move On? Sometimes in life we can get derailed either by something happens, which is totally beyond our control and for whatever reason we end up in a psychological rut. It's as if the wheels have fallen off, and we are going nowhere.  So are there any telltale signs to tell us......
• Oprah's Stanford Commencement Speech Yesterday I had the unique opportunity to celebrate a friend get her doctorate degree from Stanford University. It was the result of many years of hard work. Though it was her day in the sun, I found myself looking more towards Oprah's commencement speech. After all, there was little question......
• Why Are We Lonely? Loneliness is an interesting topic though at first it might seem quite shallow. We all feel we experience it and we are all right, but the question is why? Why in this great heavily human populated world do we feel lonesome? Any ideas? Fear? Fear to open your soul? We......