This week’s motivational phrase is:

Excuses are pain killers for inaction.

The year is new and you should have at least one New Year’s Commitment. Take action and quit with the excuses this year.

This book is gold. It took me over a month to finish reading the last book. I finished Speedwealth by T. Harv Eker in one day. The previous book was 176 pages and this one had 75 pages of content. But I just could not put it down.

The book states on the front cover “How To Make A Million In Your Own Business In 3 Years Or Less.” I believe that if you practice the principles set forth in this text, that it is possible. It will take commitment to the principles. But I believe it is doable.

T. Harv Eker, lays out some simple, no nonsense principles to learn and follow. They are the same principles that he has used over and over to earn him millions. He teaches that everything is learnable, including success and the ability to generate wealth. I am following his principles and suggest that you get a copy of this book and do the same.

T. Harv Eker wrote another book that I wrote about, Secrets of the Millionaire Mind. This text is not required to understand Speedwealth. But it does work well in conjunction with it to give you a better overall understanding. Both books have made profound changes in my professional and personal lives. I have no reservations recommending that you read them both.

I just finished reading How to Buy & Sell a Business by Garrett Sutton, Esq. He is a corporate attorney that writes for the Rich Dad’s Advisors series of books.

If you plan on buying or selling a business, this book is a must read. It is clear, concise and setup logically to easily find the information you are looking for. You will find all of the procedures, pitfalls, and information you need whether you are approaching the endeavor as a buyer or a seller. The appendices have detailed checklists, sample letters, and useful websites.

In my opinion, this book should be viewed from the perspective of usage like a dictionary or encyclopedia. In other words, I wouldn’t recommend it for casual reading. But I would have it on the shelf for utilization as a quick reference.

If you are planning on buying or selling a business, buy a copy of this book first. A few dollars invested in your education beforehand can save you a fortune and a lot of heartache down the road.

The end of the year is upon us and a standard USA practice is to have a New Year’s Resolution. To proudly state that you are going to do or stop doing something and change a behavior in the upcoming year. A majority of resolutions are forgotten before the end of January. So I am here to tell you to throw that tradition and replace it with a new one.

Say hello to the New Year’s Commitment. To some of you, the change of one word may seem insignificant. But words are powerful as are their meanings. For example, “you’re hired” and “you’re fired” have completely different meanings, outcomes, and emotions associated with the change of one word. As do “I love you” and “I hate you”, “I do” and “I don’t” and many, many other phrases that are differentiated by one word.

Resolution: something that is resolved ( to reach a firm decision about).
Commitment: the state or an instance of being obligated or emotionally impelled.

To draw an easy and distinct difference I will use the breakfast example. The chicken is resolute when it contributes eggs to the breakfast. But the pig is committed in its contribution of bacon or sausage to breakfast.

A resolution is simply to make a decision. A firm decision. But a decision none the less. There are 3 levels of choice: want, choose, and commit. When you make a commitment, you are internally compelled through obligation, emotion, or both. True commitment requires the highest levels of dedication. And if you are going to make significant changes in the coming year, you will need the highest levels of dedication and support.

So this year, make the change and make a New Year’s Commitment. Want some help with it? Stand up in front of your family, a group of peers, or your entire office and make a declaration of your commitment. Declarations are out loud where as affirmations are silent. Declaring your commitment out loud allows it to resonate through your entire body which will enable your body to truly feel what it is you are committing to. And by declaring your commitment in front of a group of people that you will see often, should engage the sense of obligation to carry forward with the commitment. If you surround your self with positive, like minded people…viola! You just developed your support group to help you achieve success.

I am printing my commitment here where the entire world can see as well as declaring it to my family, friends, and peers. No one is an island and the more support you have, the better your chance of success.

My 2009 New Year’s Commitment is to convert one of my current entities into a passive income generating machine that completely covers all of my monthly expenses thereby granting me financial freedom.

That is a tall order and I could not accomplish it with a simple resolution or without the assistance of my support team (family, friends, peers, and professionals). Hold me accountable and check in with me through our contact page to find out about my progress. Also, if you do not have a reliable support team, declare your commitment in a comment below and I will check in on you throughout the year and provide support when needed.

Have A Safe And Happy New Year From All Of Us At Barfield Management, LLC!

This week’s motivational phrase is:

Getting by is like kissing through a screen door.

That quote is courtesy of MMI Master Trainer Doug Nelson. When you just get by, you kind of get the effect or the the feeling but you fall short of the entire experience. As entrepreneurs, we go after things with fire, passion, and determination. In our professional endeavors we refuse to just “get by.” If you will exert the effort in your professional life, your private life deserves the same respect. This week, make up your mind to do more than just “get by.”