Audacity’s Worth

By Peiying Peng

Wednesday, Jan 20, 2010 11:06

San Francisco MOMA just celebrated its 75th Anniversary.  On that day, the museum is swamped with people.  I, too, went.

I am no friend of modern art.  While I have personally produced quite a bit of “modern art,” for me, they require a lot less energy to produce.  So going through the museum, I found myself criticizing a lot of the art pieces.

While looking down on those artworks, I do know about quite a lot of the modern and contemporary artists and their works.  Some of the artists’ pieces have been sold for tens of millions and even hundreds of millions of dollars.

If there’s a common theme that runs through the MOMA, it’s audacity.  The Mac dictionary defines audacity as: 1. The willingness to talk bold risks.  2. Rude or disrespectful behavior; impudence.  Either definition fits, depending on how much you love or hate modern and contemporary art.

The artists who exhibit in MOMA stroke out boldly and made statements.  In return, the world heard them, and rewarded them handsomely.  There’s something here we can pay attention to: audacity has its worth (and sometimes, a lot of worth), and are you up for it?

Pink Hair, All Eyes On Me

By Peiying Peng

Monday, Jan 18, 2010 01:44

I got a pink wig last Christmas.  Being mild-mannered, this wig might never have been seen other than on Halloween.  So as a small challenge to myself, I wore it to a movie last Saturday.

Here’s what happened…  Everybody who walked passed me on the street was looking at me.  Some pretend they weren’t looking, some stared, some snickered, some talked among themselves.    If you have ever been in a position of being looked at or judged, you will know it’s not a comfortable feeling.

And this is just a wig, something I can always take off and tug away.  What if you became someone who’s big/famous/infamous/wealthy enough to cause controversy?  What if what you’ve got cannot be so easily tugged away?  What would you do?  Will you be thriving on all the attention?  Will you be shriveled away under the weight of people’s comments?  Or will you calmly continuing your path?

We are so easily swayed by others because we are social animals.  To know how we react may help us to keep our own emotion in check.

Perhaps you have a pink wig you want to put on today?

“You don’t know what you don’t know”

By Peiying Peng

Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 10:44

Above sentence is borrowed from Landmark Education, Inc.  It was made case in point today over my rumination over a hot topic–Health Care Reform (henceforth HCR).  We are not going to discuss HCR here, but we are going to talk about what to do when “you don’t know what you don’t know.”

I have been tracking friends’ comments on Facebook on HCR.  Opinions are pretty predictable since most of them are made by educated middleclass Americans.  Yes, from both parties.  But still (or maybe because of that), the spectrum of opinions is pretty predictable.

So what’s that has to do with the post today?  What got me thinking is that we, the educated middleclass, really won’t know what others think because we just don’t have those experiences.  To offer our opinion is a very valid thing to do, but we can’t say we know about the whole matter.

What?  You say that you grew up poor (or rich), and you really know what you are talking about.  Good for you.  But just on this topic, right?  There are other things you don’t know, right?

The topic of today’s post really applies to everything.  “You don’t know what you don’t know.”  And you don’t even know that you don’t know.   So what to do?  Because “you don’t know what you don’t know,” you can’t read about it, you can’t take a class on it, you can’t even google or wiki it. It’s like a blind spot that you don’t know that it’s there.

You can, however, get a coach, such as us (shameless self promotion here), and let the coach shine a light on your blind spot.  It’s also like letting us turn the mirror you are looking at just a bit.  Suddenly you see what you didn’t see before.  And voila,  once you know it’s there, you can read about, take a class on it, google it, wiki it, and more so, do something about it.  Or change.  Case closed.  Contact us.  Today.

It’s All About Perspective

By Peiying Peng

Saturday, Oct 31, 2009 01:48

One of my favorite perennial topics is on perspective.  Events and circumstances just ARE.  There’s nothing good or bad about them.  It is through difference perspective people decide whether something is good or bad.

Let’s look at the dollar as case in point.  Since the financial downturn, there has been lots of rumors and speculation about the dollar.  The dollar’s value has been declining.  Now is that good or bad?  And why does that has anything to do with this blog?  Well, if you have been saving in dollars for the last few years in hope for a European vacation; it’s probably bad because your money does not go as far as it used to, since lodging, food and tickets all become more expensive.  But if you are a real estate agent working with foreign investors, you might suddenly see a surge in your business, as foreign investors rush in to buy the now cheaper properties in the US.

This is, of course, dicing the micro and macro economy to some extreme simple concepts.  But you get the idea.  How you look at things will determine your state of being.  Let me give you a simpler example.  Let’s say that right now, in autumn, two people are looking at the same tree.  One is depressed about the falling leaves on the ground and the bare branches.  The other is excited about the building up of nutrients of the leaves that foretells an awesome spring.  Events and circumstances are like that tree.  You don’t get to choose the state of the tree.  But you do get to choose who you want to be.  You can be the one who’s depressed, or you can be the one who’s excited.

Which one do you choose?

When Lady Luck comes a-knocking, will you be ready?

By Peiying Peng

Friday, Aug 07, 2009 10:45

Paul Potts shot to stardom when he auditioned for Britain Got Talents a couple years ago.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k08yxu57NA  Since then, he has launched a successful career as a singer.  His song has been No. 1 in 10 countries, and top 10 in eight more countries.  If you read his story, you would find out that he was weeks away from bankruptcy and that he decided on going for the audition with the flip of a coin.   And the rest, as they say, is history.  He made a great performance, and everybody cheered for the underdog.

HE WAS LUCKY.  VERY LUCKY.

But he also has the talents.  If he could not sing, will the flip of coin help?  Will the audition help?  Will he maintain his success?  Doubtful.

Lady Luck may not be showing up on your doorstop yet.  When she does, you better not open the door empty handed.  Even she cannot help someone like that.  Be prepared, be ready, practice, have faith, and trust the process.

A story of a leaky faucet and the moral of that story

By Peiying Peng

Friday, Jul 03, 2009 12:38

For three years, I have had a leaky faucet in the bathtub.  For three years, I have tolerated it.  But yesterday I fixed that leaky faucet.  I have never fixed a leaky faucet before.  Yet with the help of the man at OSH, I was able to do it, even though it took me three trips there to get the whole thing right.

So what’s the moral of the story?

First, don’t tolerate little irritants, for it might erode your soul.  I have wasted a lot of good water.   And that’s shameful for a person who supposedly cares about the environment.

Second, get a coach for un-familiar stuff. Every step along the way, I was able to get help from an expert, who told me step by step how to get the work done.   And remember, there are more than enough tools to take care of your problems.

Third, just because one never has done something does not mean one cannot do it.  It was not smooth sailing, and at times I was on the verge of giving up and even called “Mr. Handyman.” But back to point 2, and I did it.

And finally, it’s never too late to change for the better.

Is 50 Years too long a time?

By Peiying Peng

Sunday, Jun 21, 2009 08:32

Recently I visited our nation’s capital, Washington DC.  Among all the emotional moments, one event stood out for me.  While visiting the Rotunda at the National Archives, alongside of our Constitution, I saw records of woman’s suffrage movement.  The pioneers of that movement: Elizabeth Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and Susan B Anthony, had advocated for women’s right for over 5 decades.  50 YEARS! They never witnessed the fruits of their labor.  Those courageous women died before the passing of 19th Amendment.

What keep a person going for 50 years on a seemingly impossible mission?  Is it the burning desire for freedom, the indignation of the inequality, or a belief so strong that nothing can sway it?

I wonder how long it will take me before I give up on my dream?  And how long will it take you?  For those unbending women, they kept going, and kept going.  They dedicated their whole lifetime for that cause, and we get to enjoy the fruits of their labor.  I bow down to their dedication and perseverance.  I bow down to those courageous women who walked before me 100 years ago.  And may I, and may you follow their footsteps and never give up on our dreams.

Baby Steps, Baby Steps

By Peiying Peng

Thursday, Apr 23, 2009 11:11

Have you ever found yourself in the stronghold of procrastination?  Well, I have.  In fact, this procrastiation has been going on for at least a month.  A piece of info that needed to be editted and revised has been sitting there for so long that I loath to even think about it.  It’s getting me down.

Oh, what to do?

I just gentlely talked myself into editting one paragraph at a time.  This seems to be working.  Because one paragraph leads to another, the whole thing will be done in no time at all.

So back to the ancient wisdom: “Baby Steps, Baby Steps.”

Follow Your Dreams, and with Tenacity

By Peiying Peng

Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 11:13

A post on Facebook lead to a video on YouTube about Susan Boyle on Britain Got Talents http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY. She of very homely face and lacks of finesse. When Susan said she wanted to be a famous singer and stated that she’s 47, you can see the snicker on people’s faces.  But when she started to sing, the audiences turned ecstatic. Her voice was incredible.

Another group on Britain Got Talent is called “Flawless.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GrOMLylvhQ&feature=related  It’s a hip-hop dance group of young black men, who have been practice everyday for the last four years to get on the show.  They, too, made the audiences wild with applause.

Against the Grain

By Peiying Peng

Thursday, Apr 09, 2009 08:27

What does it take for you to go against the grain?

Going along with the grain, if there is such a saying, does not take much thinking.  Look around, people often have been on the same groove/grain for years.

But going against the grain gives you an edgy.  It takes some serious thinking, and it requires courage to stand out from the masses.  You, who take on the challenge to go against the grain, just might be the very next person who will cause a paradigm shift for the whole world.

What is your cause to go against the grain? Are you up for that challenge?

Ode to White Men

By Peiying Peng

Tuesday, Apr 07, 2009 02:47

They created the steam engines that propelled us into Industrial Revolution/

They invented trains, tracks, and telegraph/

Light bulbs light our nights/

Planes that fly across the sky/

Telephones that keep us connected/

Televisions and Cinemas that keep us entertained/

Towels that absorb water /

Air Conditioners that make houses livable/

Let us not forget the refrigerator, too/

And cars that we depend on daily/

And other comforts that billions of people count on daily/

Thank you, WHITE Men/

Thank you for your innovation and inspiration

Just A Shift In Attitude

By Peiying Peng

Thursday, Mar 19, 2009 12:42

One of the people I advice on weekly basis is quite a good questioner.  Today we talked about the movie “The Secret.”  The validity of the points of the movie were discussed, and I was doing a lot of explaining and interpretation.

While talking, I realized that what matters most is not what the point is, what matters is the person who choose that point/believe.  Let’s say Amy choose to believe “life sucks, and then you die.”  Jo believes “life is joyful.”  They are both right about their view points.  And because what they choose to believe (and it’s all make believe anyway, this LIFE that we are living), they will lead vastly different lives.

This re-realization shifted me out of my current slump.  While there’s always comfort to wallow in some funky mood, it’s up to me to live the life I want.  I can choose an attitude that will get me where I want to go, and then visualize the heck out of it.

Guiltfree weekend

By Peiying Peng

Saturday, Mar 14, 2009 01:28

Weekend is here.

Big decision.

I am going to have fun, and fun only, this weekend.

I usually don’t get much done on weekends anyway, but almost always going into the weekend with some work related plans. The result?  Guilt.  A plan without action usually causes quite a bit of guilt in me.

So I come to this enlightened : ) idea just now.  Since I usually don’t get much done on weekends anyway, I am going to enjoy it totally.  No plans!!

If you are easily attached by guilt, perhaps you can follow suite.

Happy weekend!!

Welcome, Criticism

By Peiying Peng

Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 09:03

We are so lucky.  Really.  Do you realize how many good resources are out there for you, and they are free?

Just did a training and as usual, afterwards there were evaluations.  The evaluation form was very simple.  It consists a couple of questions asking whether the participant liked the topic, the presenter’s presentation, what they like or not like about the training, etc.  The answers for each question range from “poor” to “excellent.”

Guess what I was looking for in their evaluations?  You got it.  I was looking for “excellent,”  which I got mostly from all the evaluations.  But, but, there’s a couple of “good”s.  Hmm…  And someone wrote that they felt the presentation was “choppy.”  Yikes.  My first reaction was “I did not do a good job.” But further processing brought a different state of mind.  I got happy and excited.  I became happy and excited because now there’s something to improve.  I now have one more check point to go through before I finish preparation for any future training.

Regardless of whether that criticism was presented in a good or ill will, without it, I would not have the clear awareness of the flow of a presentation.

So criticism is fully welcomed.  It a propellant to further my professional development.

Take Advantage of Free Resources

By Peiying Peng

Saturday, Feb 14, 2009 09:02

You can attend lectures, get books, and obtain information all for free.  This was impossible in the past.  But because the advance of internet technology, they are all just at your fingertip.  Why not take advantage of that?

Case in point.  Watch this free video by Tony Robbins on Clarity and purpose. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JId2XeteKYg

Mixing it up will help you grow

By Peiying Peng

Saturday, Feb 14, 2009 12:41

Many of us have been herded into areas of specialization, niches.  As a result, outside of what we learned in our field, we know very little.

I am an advocate of mixing it up.  That is, mixing up different knowledge.  You might sell real estate for a living, but that should not stop you from reading stock market reports.  Or perhaps you pride yourself in your achievement in the academia, but that should not stop you from reading financial papers.  Or how about the bankers, should they not read Walden and put it into practice?

Learning things from other fields stimulates us and gives us fresh perspectives that otherwise we would not have had.  I dab into readings of macroeconomics, spirituality, creative endeavors, psychology, and business.  I found useful information in all those areas and utilize knowledge from different fields frequently.

What kind of knowledge are you interested in, and how are you using it to serve you?  Let us know your comments.

Take Care of Yourself

By Peiying Peng

Monday, Feb 02, 2009 12:53

Do you know that stress will cause wrinkles?  This might seem a tad trivial, but that wrinkle could be an indicator that you are stressed.  Many people are fallen into the worry mode.  They read too much news, watch too much TV, talk too much of their fear of job loss, loose too much sleep over what might happen.  All these cause a tremendous amount of stress.  Perhaps you’ve notice the wrinkles creeping up on the corners of your eyes.  Some spots?  Acne?  Those might be caused by free-radicals that are caused by stress.

So what to do?

Take care of yourself.  Take a walk, go to sleep early, drink water, listen to (relaxing) music, take some tonic or health drink that will fight free-radicals, hug a friend, a dog, or a cat.

Take care of yourself.

Tardiness will tarnish you

By Peiying Peng

Saturday, Jan 24, 2009 08:59

Various cultures have different perceptions on what is “on time.”  In Switzerland, being on time is extremely important.  If you see someone mad dashing, she’s probably trying to get to her appointment on time.  On the other side of spectrum, I have read (forgot the country) that long distance bus picking some poor souls waiting at the bus station the day after the scheduled time is considered the “on time.”

So what is “on time?”  On time means honor your word.  On time means being there at the time you said you would be there. Being a consistently on-time person, you project yourself to the world that you are reliable, trust worthy.

If you are on the journey of creating a successful life for you, be ON TIME.  It is a requirement.

It’s all about value

By Peiying Peng

Monday, Jan 19, 2009 02:05

Liz and I are all about value these days.  We believe that it is the starting point before you do anything.  If we are not clear about our values, the result we get might be spectacular, yet still unsatisfying.

These values are not moral based.  Rather, it is what you hold most dear.  And to figure out your values might requires some digging.

Let’s say that you think you value money or wealth.  Let’s go one step further; what will money do for you once you have all that you ever wished.  Perhaps then you will travel?  But what does travel offer you?  Maybe traveling will give you a sense of wonderment?  Or a fulfillment of an adventurous spirit?   Or perhaps freedom?

You see, what you thought originally as your value might turn into something else.  By being clear on your value might get you off your feet and start some actions that seemed in the past so difficult to take.  And follow the above hypothesis, can you be an adventurous spirit right now?  Can you call upon a sense of freedom?  If the answer is yes, then you are already on your way to live a successful and satisfying life.

We usually have more than one value that we hold dear.  So what are your values?  And don’t forget to dig just a big deeper…

Don’t judge, analyze.

By Peiying Peng

Monday, Jan 19, 2009 02:02

A while ago, I was making a fuming statement about something political about another country, I was told by a wiser older guy: “don’t judge.”  Today on a different topic, he told me again: “Don’t judge, analyze.”

Well, this is a wise statement that deserves some contemplation.  When we are presented with something unfamiliar, uncomfortable, or unusual, an untrained person often goes straight to judging.  It’s right, it’s wrong, it’s not fair, it’s fair, it’s good, or it’s bad.  Well, the list can go on and on.  But are those judgments useful?  Short of feeling one’s own righteousness, there’s really little purpose of judging.

Instead, analyze.  Analyze what is really happening.  For that investment deal, don’t jump into the conclusion it’s good or bad, analyze whether it make sense for you to make such investment at THIS TIME for YOU.  Short of those two things, an investment can be the deal of the century, and still won’t make sense for you to jump into it.  One can argue the opposite, too.  Just because you have an adverse reaction to something does not mean it’s bad for you.  Some good advice often first appears that way.

So ask yourself, am I judging or am I analyzing?  It make a huge difference for the quality of your life.

You have a choice

By Peiying Peng

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 11:00

2009 is a year that was never thought about by me.  Now it is staring at me square in the face.  So welcome, 2009.  Shouldn’t we be in the “future” already?  Shouldn’t the world peace already be accomplished and people are flying in their own personal saucers?  None of that has happened.  What we have instead is: banking system malfunctioned, big time.  World’s financial system is facing a meltdown.  Conflicts and wars erupt all over, people lost vast amount of assets.

I know, you did not cause any of these.  But the world still is in shambles.

So now what?

Quote attributed to Lincoln

By Peiying Peng

Monday, Nov 17, 2008 01:33

Someone posted this in his facebook comment as his reason to stay voting as a Republican.  I don’t care which political party you belong to, the following quote is as relevant as any time in history and should be claimed by liberals and conservatives alike.  It’s MyMoneyDoctors’ moto, too, although we like to always state our opinions in the positive.  So, for the first line, how about: “you can help the poor by becoming rich.”  And so forth.

Here’s the quote:

• You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
• You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
• You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
• You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
• You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
• You cannot build character and courage by taking away men’s initiative and independence.
• You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.

Send in your positive restatements of the above quote.

Dream comes true

By Peiying Peng

Thursday, Nov 06, 2008 09:32

I cried when Obama gave his victory speech.  Not because he has won the election, but because the mention of the “dream of our founders.”  Most pressing on my mind, was the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Merely forty years ago, he gave that famous speech, and now his dream is a reality.

What this has to do with MyMonedyDoctors?  This is a manifestation of one’s vision.  And we have been talking about vision and visulization since the get-go.  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. decleared his dream and the answer came.  Yes, it took forty years, but it is just a blink of an eye in history.  I am moved by the overcoming of seemingly inmovable obstacles, and heartened by the renewal of hope among my fellow world citizens.

Obama is history’s witness on the fulfilment of one man’s dream.  Let us not forget the power of one’s words, and one’s dreams.

Liquid Creativity

By Peiying Peng

Monday, Nov 03, 2008 01:25

Liz told me a while back that “money is liquid creativity.”  I have always remembered that.  If we can take away the negative conditionings from our families, our society, and our culture, we can truly boil down the whole money thing to its very essence: liquid creativity.

What does that mean?

Liquid:  fluid, flowing, moving, and conforms to any shape of the vessel that holds it…

Creativity: playful, creative, new concepts and ideas, artsy…

Put those two words together, that’s what you can do with money– anything you fancy!

Yesterday I read an article about a new trend of the wealthy British.  They are buying farm lands (we are talking about hundreds and thousands of acres) and old properties.  What’s heartening about this trend is that those people went back to crop rotation and organic farming, thus the depleted soil are being renewed and re-fertilized.  They are also restoring the countryside back to what it used to look like, and inviting the community into their estates by getting rid of old “keep out” signs erected by the previous owners and they host local events.

What refreshing, wonderful ideas!!!  This is what money can do!!  People with less resources have succumbed to the oppression of factory farming, but these wealthy individuals are making a difference–for themselves, their children, and society at large.

I am so inspired by the trend and looking forward to my bigger contributions to the world by follow these worthy individuals’ footsteps.

The Cheapest Thing in the World

By Peiying Peng

Sunday, Oct 19, 2008 12:24

While waiting in someone’s office, I pulled a book from the shelf.  The title of the book is Q & A with Dad.  The book covered many, many, many questions.  And since Daddy knows best, he strides confidently forward offering advices from Affirmative Action to ways to fix our tax system.  All questions can be answered in one word or a couple of paragraphs.

Amazing.

No, not amazingly good.  It’s amazing that people can dole out that much “advice” so fast, so concrete, so sure.  No wonder Napoleon Hill said that the cheapest thing in the world is people’s opinions.

This comes down to a fundamental idea: use your own head when listening to people, including us, I guess, since I have been offered many opinions since my blog got started.  When you listen, are you looking for an affirmation for what you already know?  (a valid stance, no less.)  Or are you looking for evidence that the person talking is just plain wrong?  (not so valid a stance, you gain nothing in this way)  Or are you looking for more information or seeking advice?  Know why you are listening is a good start.

I know, that’s an opinion, too.  But what do you think?

Planting carrots?

By Peiying Peng

Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 02:17

Just in case some readers might think what I wrote yesterday is a call for ignoring the problem,here are some clarifications.

As the financial market continues to tumble, everyday it seems like a deja vu.

Didn’t I already seen a trader covering his/her mouth, covering his/her eyes, tearing out hairs, yesterday, the day before, and the day before the day before?

… The various reactions of shock and disbelieve seem to repeat itself on a daily basis. Anyhow, some react to all this madness by planting vegetables.

Since people are so worried about the market, suddenly it seems like a good idea to plant your own food. Seeding companies is seeing big growth in their sales.

Carrots have been a popular choice, since it’s easy to grow. It became a go-to veggie to plant for the novice gardeners, whom might still recovering from the duck and cover stance of the market. I full-heartedly support veggie planting.

Why have lawns where you could grow food? You own food is also much healthier for you anyway, not to mention the environmental contribution. But we are not a home and garden site, so cabbage and carrots aside, we still need to focus on

your financial health. Since we are already on the topic of planting, may I suggest that right now is the perfect time to plant your financial seeds? They come in the forms of financial education, putting a advisory team together, protecting your assets, relocate your assets, etc. These seeds will bear great fruits (or veggies). Right now is also a great time to prepare the soil, which in this case is your mind. Your mental blocks to abundance is like the weed in the soil, getting rid of them will ensure a heartening harvest. Liz and I are happy to assist you to getting the planting and preparing started.

Positive attitude is not equal to burying head in the sand

By Peiying Peng

Monday, Oct 06, 2008 05:17

Positive attitude is not burying head in the sand and not paying attention to what is going on in your surrounding.  It does, however, require one to be choosy in selecting which information to process.  There is a wide range of speculation going on right now about the economy.  I personally don’t think it will only affect the bank sector, as some smart guy has predicted.  I think the effect of current financial sector will reach far and wide.  With that said, it is still up to the individual to choose how to process all the information.

As the proverb goes: you can’t direct your wind, but you can adjust your sails.

Or to put it more bluntly, a lot of people will be broken and never stand up again, and a lot of people will be really wealthy, they will all be coming from the same economic cycle.  Which side are you on?  A lot of plans and actions can be put into place to make the latter happen, let’s use our brain and work on the solutions.

Email me your creative ideas.

It’s a personal Choice

By Peiying Peng

Sunday, Oct 05, 2008 12:08

Due to some Microsoft Word problem, I missed the chance of continually commend on what’s been happening in the financial world.  Last three weeks or so we are seeing a lot of hoopla, starting with the downfall of 158-year-old Lehman Brothers.  Then one bank after another takes a tumble, taking the stock value with them, too.  EU’s finance are on the brink, Japan is heading for recession, New Zealand is already there.  The world is wrapped in a whirlwind, and none too stable.  Political events are happening all around the world.  We are facing one of the most interesting elections.  The list goes on and on and on…

So gentle readers, where do all these lead you?  First, ask yourself, is what’s happening relevant to you, and to what extend? People watching news or reading newspaper can hardly refrain themselves from making comments, riding emotional roller coasters, with little action ever taken by themselves.  All in all, if you are not going to take action, don’t fret over anything.  Being upset over what’s happening while do nothing on your end only leads to ulcers.  That is not suggested.

We have stated that abundance is an attitude, and it’s worth repeating here again.  You always have a choice in which attitude to take.  Be sour or be sweet, be positive or be negative, it’s within your reach.

Enough of my preaching, my action items are: filing away all paperwork, continue to tighten the screws on various venues, and moving forward with a plan and a positive, cheerful attitude.

Join me.

Goodbye, negative self-criticism

By Peiying Peng

Monday, Aug 18, 2008 11:51

I was in the dumps for the last two days. Not today, thankfully, because I applied what I knew. What I knew was -no negative self-criticism ever helped anyone with anything-. True. Is it not?

I was wallowing in my negative self-criticism over something I have been doing for the last few years. Years!!! And if that did not get anyone down, I don’t know what else could. So what was it? Suffice to say it was my own in-action, blaming, and apathy. Once I truly realized the impact of my behavior, or lack there of, I was really bummed out. For a good two days. But as stated at the beginning of this post, guilt, pain, and any form of self-criticisms really did not get me anywhere other than pulling me further down. So now I have come to the conclusion, which is to take action. It has already started, thus also started the upward momentum of feeling better. By golly I am going to stuck to my guns and keep on moving.

High Energy Is A Good Thing

By Peiying Peng

Friday, Aug 08, 2008 02:39

Going to sleep early and getting up early might not look so important until you drag yourself up after a short night of sleep and try to get the day started.

Let’s follow the good old saying:

early to sleep, early to bed, makes a human : ) healthy, wealthy, and wise.

I know these are good for me. and I am going to do them

By Peiying Peng

Thursday, Aug 07, 2008 11:55

Ok, so the title is not the best you have seen. But you get the jest. Here is the list:

Go to sleep early

Get up early

Be present

Meditate

Exercise

Eat right

Eat on time

Smile

Art for art’s sake

Be loving

Chant while being present

Say what I’ll do and do what I say

See the lighter side in everything

Reward yourself AFTER the task is done

By Peiying Peng

Wednesday, Jul 30, 2008 01:42

We all have some tasks at hand that we don’t want to do.  Recently, I fell into the bad habit of lollygagging and do fun things before getting on with my stickier tasks.  Well, that did not turn out so well, as you can imagine.  Why should anyone proceed to do difficult stuff if they are rewarded beforehand?  So now I need to have a total revamp of my strategies and trick myself into completing difficult tasks.  A bit more self-control is needed, but I can do that.  So from now, I will lollygag and do fun stuff after the task is done.  It’s that simple.

Take A Break

By Peiying Peng

Sunday, Jul 27, 2008 03:46

I hope you are having some time off this weekend. Some of us work way too hard and forget to recharge. What’s the saying? “All work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy.” So even you work on building wealth this weekend, don’t forget to take a break. Take a walk around the block, water the lawn, do whatever strikes your fancy, have fun.

Give Yourself Permission To Play

By Peiying Peng

Saturday, Jul 26, 2008 06:32

You might have figured it out already; I am easily driven by guilt. Self-imposed guilt. The good news is that the stronghold of guilt is cracking in many places and in an accelerated rate recently, and that gives me plenty to talk about in my blog.

Case in point, let me tell you about my art making. I am quite an artsy person, but an utilitarian artsy person. I am good at different media and can pick up new techniques quite easily. So what does an utilitarian artsy person look like? An utilitarian artist is one who considers the values of different art, and do the ones with the highest potential prices. For people who are not familiar with the art world, it looks like this: oil paintings at the high end of monetary value, and crafty things at the low end of monetary value. With the price spectrum clearly in mind, I have been concentrating on painting oil. Recently, I re-discovered the joy of craft. That was alarming. Craft is not considered quite artsy, and it’s potential of finding a high paying buyer is very low compare to paintings. So my self-imposed guilt lets me know that perhaps I should get back to my original focus. But as I said at the beginning of this posting, the stronghold of guilt is cracking. This time, I was able to allow myself the pleasure of creating something just for the heck of it. And readers, creative activities make your brain secretes more endorphins which will give you even more pleasure. Well, that’s a win-win situation. I just have to let my hair down and give myself permission to play. I encourage you to do the same.

Focusing on the positive

By Peiying Peng

Friday, Jul 25, 2008 02:00

I have been moaning about the negative news that were permeating my morning reads. Well, the news paper at breakfast table perhaps will continue. Actually, this new self-inflicted tradition will continue for the time being. But I have decided to counter balance that, I will add positive stuff in my daily living. A friend just sent in a link on www.wherethehellismatt.com, which is about this guy Matt dancing in different parts of the world. Then, there’s the free hug youtube movie, which I found quite inspiring. You can search on youtube to find those heartwarming videos. Then there is this magazine call Ode that has caught my attention. It supposedly offers good news and solutions to our world’s banes. I am also intending on creating daily powerful, positive personal choices regardless of my circumstances. Watch me.

Willingly putting myself in a bind

By Peiying Peng

Wednesday, Jul 23, 2008 02:20

I don’t know about you, but I tend to slack off when there’s no outside pressure, or, perceived outside pressure.  To say it more clearly, and sadly, inertia tends to be my natural state.  Well, inertia is not the way to go if you want to run a business or be involved in life.  So how to take care this major problem?  I let my obligation be my drive : )

Let’s take the cooperation with Liz for an example.  Liz and I meet often, and in between biz meetings, there are other things to attend to, therefore, slacking off on working on this site is becomes a major issue.  However, willingly putting myself in a bind is my saving grace.  We work out a to-do list before we part and gather again with things done between meetings.  I tend to get more done when I know others are counting on me.

This trick can be utilized in other ways such as losing weight (have an exercise buddy whom you know will be showing up at the gym) or achieving goals. I also encourage you to send in your comments and ideas on what has motivated you.

Of course, the down side of this approach is that it’s only effective for those who are easily driven by guilt.  Or, to gild my own face, as the Chinese will say, it’s effective for those with a conscience.  : )

Finding opportunities amidst challenges

By Peiying Peng

Monday, Jul 21, 2008 02:07

I am on the topics of news again. News is on my mind. These days, it’s hard not to get depressed when reading newspaper. Every page you turn is doom and gloom. But here is my saving grace…Flipping through my notes, I discover this piece of gem: “Rich people focus on opportunities; poor people focus on obstacles.” And further: “Field of focus determines what you see in life.” These two quotes are in my notebook, from some vast amount of reading I’ve done on the subject of money (sorry, don’t know the exact source of the quote). So here’s the ah-hah moment, I could be totally swept away by the “awful” news that permeates everywhere, or I can choose to look for the opportunities that lie in the gloom. Liz and I seem to be on the same wave length. No surprise here, that’s why we are business partners.  Hmm, the reason of that sentence alone warrants another post, but I will focus on my current topic right now. So what are your challenges? And what opportunities can you find amidst those challenges?

How You Look Counts

By Peiying Peng

Thursday, Jul 10, 2008 01:33

I always remember this little story that is supposedly attributed to Abe Lincoln. A general recommended someone to Lincoln for a position. Lincoln replied, “I don’t like how he looks.” The general was surprised, “Well, he can’t do anything about that!” “Anyone who’s over 40 is responsible for how he looks,” Lincoln said.

More new insights after playing games

By Peiying Peng

Thursday, Jul 10, 2008 05:15

Ok, I have to confess that just because I have turned away from Spider Solitaire, it does not mean I have swore off online games. You might recall I talked about my Zenechi playing. I am still at it. And since I have not finished all the levels yet, I found myself going back to the game again and again for wanting to crack the current level I am in.

What makes video games addictive? I think it’s the definite goal. The goal is to finish the game. And it’s definite. If you keep on at it, you will finish it sooner or later. It’s addictive because besides the clear and definite goal, it is also broken down to many levels. You can’t go to the higher level until you finish the current level. And at the current level, it’s always just challenging enough that you are always hopeful that next round you are going to finish that level. And your skill of playing that level just adds up. That kind of strategy keeps you in the game.

Now, can we use what make video games addictive to our advantage and use it to get more money, more energy, more health? I think we can. It’s all about setting a clear goal, breaking it into doable pieces, and get started. Keep your eyes on the current level and get that done before moving on to the next thing. This way, we will never be overwhelmed. Life is a game, isn’t it? Happy gaming.

Let’s talk about not giving up

By Peiying Peng

Thursday, Jul 03, 2008 12:28

My trusted Financial Times had an article on a Chinese Tycoon named Shi YuZhu. I found his story inspiring and want to share it with you.

Shi currently has a net-worth of $3.7 Billion, all of which he made from RMB 4,000 (500 dollars at the time). He started with rmb 4,000 to open a software company named Giant in his late twenties. The company got so successful that he ventured into garments, real estates, etc. Eventually he wanted to build a twenty story company tower named Giant. Local government wanted to make it a landmark and sold the lot very cheaply to him but requested him to build a 70 story condo tower instead. In the late 90’s the Asian economy tanked, Shi’s various businesses tanked along with it. The condo tower was not built although all the units were already sold. Shi found himself with a rmb 250 million debt. He fought in the Hong Kong court to stop the bankruptcy process. He reasoned that once he “bankrupted”, he would no longer be able to pay back his investors. All the while, Shi became THE example of the evil of capitalism in China. Shi did not accept defeat. With borrowed rmb 500,000, he started a new company selling melatonin. Aggressively advertised on the CCTV, his brand became a household name. In three years, he was able to pay back all of his investors. After a decade of selling his melatonin tonic, he sold half of his business which was worth rmb 700million. With time on his hand, he started playing online games. Being a business person at heart, he found new opportunities in developing online games. His new online game is named, incidentally, Giant, just like his first company. At times, there are two million players on line playing his game at the same time. And now Shi is worth $3.7 billion.

I wonder what kept Shi going after owing hundreds of millions to people who invested in him. This story is not too different from what Trump went through in the 90’s. They both prevailed. Perhaps Shi is even more admirable, consider the fact that he truly started from nothing, in a climate not accustomed to entrepreneurship. What looked like an unbelievably difficult task became a new launching pad for new heights. I bow to such GIANTS.

Keep the momentum

By Peiying Peng

Wednesday, Jun 25, 2008 03:54

Keep the momentum I have been doing a lot of artworks recently. Some days, there is little creative juice though. In stead of put down the brush, I look through art books, do sketches, and copy the great masters. All this is to keep the momentum going so I won’t be idle. There’s virtue in keeping the nose to the grindstone.

Be Nice!

By Peiying Peng

Thursday, Jun 19, 2008 03:55

Have not read any US newspaper for a long time. Today I was waiting for someone and had a chance to flip through the Mercury News. The letters to editor are always of interest to me, in this case, people send in their email responses and then picked by the editors to be published. So I read the letters.

Boy, what acid tunes! What cynical views! And what senses of self-righteousness! I can imagine those poor souls’ lives are poisoned by the same thoughts. They cannot possibly be well adjusted and at ease. So dear readers, I encourage you to be thoughtful, calm, and nice : ) when writing to someone. Who knows, one of those days, your words can appear publically and stay in that space forever.

Benefit of playing online video games

By Peiying Peng

Tuesday, Jun 17, 2008 03:55

Benefit of playing online video games

If you remember, I vowed not to play solitaire since May 20, and have kept my paws from clicking the solitaire icon. Today I was idle (remember what they said about being idle?), and went to yahoo online game. To make myself feel better about playing games, I picked a game call Zenerchi, a puzzle game. To make the game Zen like and Chi like, it has a “Journey into the Wild Divine” type of music and gives you inspirational quotes after each level. Here are what I got that I want to share with you:

“What you think you create, what you feel you attract, what you imagine you become.”

–Author unknown

“The mind is everything; what you think, you become.”

–Buddha

Hmmm, seem that everywhere I turn, I am getting the same message. I will ever pay more attention to what I am thinking.

Well, that’s about it for the merit of playing games.

Self-discipline

By Peiying Peng

Monday, Jun 16, 2008 03:55

Has it been two weeks since I last posted a blog entry? Goodness. Readers, please hold me accountable!!! I understand daily living can get in the way of you achieving your goals, and in this case, mine; but keep a healthy dose of self-discipline will do all of us wonders from losing weight to boosting our wealth accounts. Let’s all turn up the volume on self discipline.

Kung Fu Panda’s Ethos

By Peiying Peng

Saturday, May 31, 2008 03:56

Watched Kung Fu Panda last night. A great show. Definitely got the recommendation from me if you have not watched it. What I want to talk about is the ethos that runs through the movie, that is, your belief makes the difference in life. I want to elaborate more on this in the article Liz and I are collaborating. Meanwhile, if you have watched the movie, let us know what you have gotten out of the movie that relates to this community. Post it in the Rant’N Rave or below.  Lova Ya.

Good for me

By Peiying Peng

Saturday, May 31, 2008 03:56

Alright, perhaps this is no big deal. But I still want to report that I have been mind numbing computer solitaire free for the last week. Good for me!

One for all, and all for one

By Peiying Peng

Saturday, May 31, 2008 03:57

Robert Mondavi recently died after a long life in the California Wine Making history. Mondavi changed the statues of California Wine. Through his initiative, Napa appeared on the world map. Because of him, Napa not only attracted wine aficionados, but sightseeing tourist also. I am not a connoisseur of wine, so this article is not about Mondavi wines. This is about becoming successful without tramping anyone down, and building others up. Admiringly, Robert Mondavi has created an open atmosphere for his fellow wine makers. People tends to protect their trade secrets and territories. Mondavi believed that what’s good for one winery is good for the whole region, what’s bad for one winery is also bad for the whole industry. In this mindset, Californian wine carved out a niche and stride into the wine scenery. I applaud that approach, and encourage our readers all take the same stance, and help each other out.

Being happy when others succeed

By Peiying Peng

Monday, May 26, 2008 03:58

I have been dabbing into Buddhism these days. One of the Buddhism teaching is about offering. There’s the monetary offering, of course. There’s also the dharma offering. Then there’s the offering in Chinese called “tong xi”, meaning when others do a good deed, one who praise that deed has the same merit. Tong Xi means being happy together. Being happy together is what I want to talk about today. I have been talking about the attitude toward the wealthy for a while. It is often a deep rooted believe that money is evil, wealthy people are stingy (you can add your own deep rooted believe here in the blank…). It is no surprise last week Financial Times reported a survey that comprised of data from eight countries reports that the vast majority of those countries believe that the rich should be taxed more heavily. In response to that article, Anson J Glacy Jr from Evanston, IL wrote to the editor that “taxes are civic obligations we all pay to finance the legitimate operations of government. Without specifying the use of tax proceeds this becomes nothing more than an exercise in tyranny.” The topic here is obviously beyond tax. But the whole survey express the common sentiment that is prevalent in any culture–rich people shall be punished. We gleefully watch the down fall of the wealthy, and point a righteous finger at their shortcomings. Here I propose a different approach, the tong xi approach. In congratulate on the wealthy folks’ achievement, we, too, focus our attention to the achievement and prosperity. We, too, let go of our resentment and inferiority complex, and rise to their equal, and declare: “Good job, I am right here with you, too.”

Guard your mind

By Peiying Peng

Monday, May 26, 2008 03:58

For the last two years, I did not read newspapers. Concluded that almost all reports are doom sayers and stirring up fearful emotions, I discarded newspaper for seminars and books (which have always been a staple). Last month, my husband re-subscribed to Financial Times, which is a British Newspaper, I am back to daily newspaper reading. It is definitely an overwhelming experience. All of a sudden, all the dooms and grooms are back here again. Amidst all of these, it’s easy to be swayed by the biased opinion. What I have done is to put on a pair of special “objective” glasses, and looking at the news between the lines. Not taking everything written as the truth, but with my own thinking. Duh, you say, of course this is how you read the newspaper. But, have you actually been done this? If not, start this practice today. Guard your mind carefully, if you don’t, someone will take residence in it.

Challenge yourself to self-discipline

By Peiying Peng

Sunday, May 25, 2008 04:00

I have a bad habit. When I am on the computer, which is often, I play spider solitaire on a very frequent basis. It started with looking for something to do so I will take a small break, then eventually, it became a habit. I really spend quite a bit of time nursing that bad habit. So on the 20th of May, I vowed to play that anymore. So far so good. Day five. However, on the 20th, I gave myself an escape clause. I let myself to play free cell, which I play much less than the spider solitaire. Unfortunately, now that spider solitaire is no longer allowed, my playing of free cell has sky rocketed. So now everyone, I am going to go cold turkey on that one, too. Progress will be announced on the blog post. Since bad habits are hard to get rid of , I am putting in its space a different activity. Every time I hover my curser to the game, I will shift either to mantra chanting or art activities. That bring me to raise a challenge to you, dear friends, what bad habit are you willing to give up? How’s your self-discipline? Post your insights and answers below or the rant’n rave. Love ya.

“Don’t Fence Me In”

By Peiying Peng

Monday, May 19, 2008 04:01

Since we are on the topic of Chinese saying, let’s talk about a novel/myth every Chinese knows–Journey to the West. The main character is the Monkey King, who has been given a task of protecting his master on their journey to obtain the scrolls which contain the ultimate truth. The Monkey King has been said by some scholars that it’s a metaphor for the Heart. The Monkey King wants to protect his master. Being all powerful, he drew a circle on the ground. This circle is able to protect his master from all evil spirits and demons, whom constantly want to eat the Monkey King’s master. There’s a problem with this all powerful circle, however. While it protects the master within the circle, it also prevent his master from going anywhere. The Money King’s master is trapped. Since they are on a long journey, not able to go outside the immediate safe surrounding defies the purpose. Have we also drawn a circle around us in order to feel safe? How many times have we been met with rejections and cynicism thus we vowed not to venture out again? We stay within the wall we built for ourselves, and shun challenges along with opportunities. While safe, we are not going to places. Venturing out might pose as a threat, but this journey need not be a lonely one. Here, we can find likeminded people. There is safety in numbers. We reach out to our fellow travelers and in so doing, we find that we do not need that fence, or circle, after all.

Spitting on Donald Trump

By Peiying Peng

Saturday, May 17, 2008 04:02

It’s fun to make fun of the rich and famous. Let’s pick some. How about Donald Trump? Along with his trademark hair style (hair piece, perhaps?), everything he does was met by cynicism and criticism. His choices of wives, his children, his properties, his quirky way of saying, “you are fired.” Everything has been criticized. It is so easy to pick on the rich and famous. How’s so? Perhaps that’s a safe way to feel superior and self-righteous. Isn’t it easy to make fun on how stupid, arrogant, or lack of moral those people look and act. While judging the rich and famous, it’s so natural to feel how humble, content, and righteous of “ME.” It’s “them” who are acting out of line. When there’s someone acting out of line, Chinese predicts that person will be drown in people’s spit. That’s not a good feeling. But playing safe helps one to avoid that awful fate. Playing safe also keeps you small. I hope you dreaming big, my dear readers. But to dream big will require you to step out of the line. Hence you are tempting with the possible fate of being drown in others’ spit. Now you are faced with a decision. What is your dream? What is your fear? What is your decision? I am curious. Post your comments and answers below. Oh, by the way, spit is a funny thing. One can ignore it if one chooses to do so. Donald Trump and cohorts of such are thriving regardless of our criticism. We can take heart that we can thrive also by following our own chosen path.

It’s OK to change your dress, style, persona, ideal…

By Peiying Peng

Thursday, May 15, 2008 04:02

I keep an eye on fashion sometimes. It is said that no matter how fit you are, even if you are in a better shape than when you were in high school, you still need to update your look. Agreed. To wear the same style of cloth for decade is, uh, stale. Similarly, to hold on to your old idea of yourself, is, uh, stale, also. Don’t be afraid to change your concepts of what you can do and cannot do. It’s a concept. You made it up. You can keep it, or discard it. Is it useful for getting you to where you want to go? If yes, keep it. If not, discard it. Simple, huh? Not easily done. The first step is to be aware. But how? Some of them are so embedded in our psyche that we have no idea that they influence everything we do. We have forgotten that we, or others, have put them there in the first place. To become aware of those concepts and its impact on you, one good place to start is to take an inventory of those concepts. This is beyond the concepts of money. It’s an inventory of yourself. So this is a bigger task than the one I called for a few weeks back. Where to start? How about first write down who you are? Perhaps you start your inventory of who you are with the kind of job you do, or perhaps your nationality, ethnicity, family, etc. Pay attention to the order of your list. Why does each item appear in that order? And why does each item make to your inventory? Go through each item think through. A lot of answers to why you do what you do lie right there. (More later) Don’t forget to post your insights and comments here or at the Rant’N Rave.

Keeping your ambition alive!

By Peiying Peng

Sunday, May 11, 2008 04:03

Met with an acquaintance for coffee yesterday. He’s in his mid-thirties, with wife and a young son. Recently being laid off from a major paten law firm, he is looking forward to changing his career to work for a VC firm (for those live in the Silicon Valley, VC is venture capital). While somewhat apprehensive to the new challenges, his ambition is obvious. I like that. A lot of people in their thirties and forties have already lost their ambitions. Life have thrown them a few curve balls, they now choose to live in complacency. You can pretty much predict how their life will turn out until the kingdom come. I equal ambition with hope. One has hope when one has ambition. The fact that you are reading this means your ambition is alive. Bravo!!! Keep it alive. It’s this human spirit that set us apart from those whose fire in the belly has died. But even for those whose ambition appeared to be gone, their hope can still be rekindled. Hope is never too far from our reach. You have an ambition? Or better yet, a few of them? Great! Post your ambition below and get supports from your fellow members.

Get Your Spouse’s Support

By Peiying Peng

Saturday, May 10, 2008 04:03

While my husband and I have been together for over a decade, I have realized that our money values are often different. More often than not, I assume that’s the case. I have written a short book review on “Money, A Memoir” by , in which the author explore different roles partners play when it comes to money. This is a big topic, much larger than one blog entry can cover. But I ask you, our dear readers, when was the last time you sat down and had a thorough conversation about money with your partner? If it’s been a while, or that topic has never been raised, tonight just might be the perfect time to explore it. Don’t forget to throw in the fun stuff. What do you want? What’s your dream vacation like? How about his/hers? Post in the forum about your discussion results.

Building a Support System

By Peiying Peng

Monday, Mar 24, 2008 04:04

Did you make an inventory of your concepts about money? Did you download the visualization and get started on your journey to build wealth? Today I would like to talk about building a support system. Often, after we made an inventory of your concepts about money, we found that there were quite a few negative concepts. In finding those negative concepts, the first reaction usually is to trying to get rid of them. However, that is not always easy to do. The negative concepts have been with you for a long time, a lot of them stem from your childhood, your original family system, so to uproot them is often quite a challenge. That’s when building a support system comes in. Are your family supportive of you being on this journey of acquiring wealth? How about you friends? While it’s wonderful to have supportive family and friends, that may not be the case for you. But, don’t lose heart, this happens. Humans like to keep their surroundings the way it is and if you embark on a new journey, that could be perceived as threatening to others. When that happens, you will look for a support system elsewhere. This online community is your support system. You might have already found someone you resonate. Local wealth building club, mentoring club will be another place to look for support. If you don’t have those resources locally, how about building one yourself? That way, you are building confidence and leadership skills along with a system what will propel you to move forward. Have fun!

Women and Wealth, and money phobias

By Peiying Peng

Monday, Mar 10, 2008 04:04

Town & Country’s February 2008 issue has a special section on women and wealth. Here are the lessons according to the author Joanna L. Krotz:  Lesson One: Put money in your own name  Lesson Two: Identify your money phobias  Lesson Three: Part of learning is losing  Lesson Four: Share the decisions  Lesson Five: Don’t settle for so-so advice  Lesson Six: Inspire your children  Lesson Seven: Stay up speed You can get some ideas on what the special section is about by just contemplating on the lesson titles. And we will elaborate our opinions on some of the lessons in another blog. Since we are the money doctors, I would like to follow yesterday’s blog and expand a little on Lesson Two: Identify your money phobias. More than a few people, through their hard work and intelligence, were able to accumulate a sizable amount of wealth. Then something happens. Business could stop growing, unfortunate coincidences start to appear in their lives, in short, they sabotage their own success. What happened? Some negative concepts about money have been lurking in their subconscious and have never been identified or dealt with. You might have some of those: ” money is the root of all evil,” “rich people are miserable,” “rich people got their money because they are stingy,” “money does not grow on trees,” “……” . If you did not spend some time yesterday to identify your concepts about money, do so today. Without dealing with your own negative money concept, it will stop you at a critical growing point.

Taking an inventory of your concepts about money

By Peiying Peng

Monday, Mar 10, 2008 12:36

Just finished my third weekend training as a business coach for small business owners. Contrary to most other trainings about sales and marketing strategies, I, along with other participants, went through a vigorous inquiry about ourselves. Inquiries were focused on how do we perceive ourselves, others, life, and business. Similar to that process, let’s do an inquiry on our concepts about money. Spend 10 minutes to jot down what come cross your mind when you think about money. And then take a look at the list. Do you see how some of the negative thoughts just automatic come up? Some of the concepts/perceptions are deeply embedded in your subconscious. Maybe it’s time for a spring cleaning.

Napoleon Hill said in his Think and Grow Rich, ” Poverty consciousness will voluntarily seize the mind which is not occupied with money consciousness. A poverty consciousness develops without conscious application of habits favorable to it. The money consciousness must be created to order, unless one is born with such a consciousness.” So most of us, because of our up bringing, social and cultural environment, have been deeply influenced by poverty consciousness. And without an honest inquiry, mostly we are not even aware how the poverty consciousness are blocking our access to abundance and freedom. Isn’t it time to let go of those negative thoughts? So first order, to do an inventory of your concepts about money. Second, see if you can find out where those concepts come from. Third, create new, useful concepts that will forward you in the journey of acquiring wealth. Because you, or somebody created those negative concepts, and you can let go of them and create new ones. If you have not download our free visualization, doing that now will help you to take the first step in creating money consciousness.

Still about the Rich

By Peiying Peng

Monday, Dec 03, 2007 04:05

Last week, I wrote about Paris Hilton, and a member sent in this link: http://www.forbes.com/billionaires/2006/07/27/billionaire-heiresses-hilton_cz_lk_cv_0727heiresses.html Apparently, Paris is not the only one endowed with the family gene of making a fortune. So what’s the common thread among those rich and talented, and how can we benefit from that information? Before we get into that, first, we need to debunk a myth: “it takes money to make money.” Because I can already hear some of you from the Forum eager to voice that opinion. Where is this ” it takes money to make money” idea coming from? And what’s the consequence of believing that myth? Well, here is the consequences: it takes away your power and leaves you nothing to work with! If you want to make money and don’t have money right now, and you believe that it takes money to make money, then why even try? you don’t have a chance. And what a marvelous excuse to never get started on anything. What is a myth? A myth is an unproved or false collective belief that is used to justify a social institution. “It takes money to make money” is a myth. In science, it only takes one contrasting test result to disprove a theory. And I personally know a few people who have created money out of nothing. So just my experience alone disapprove this myth. . I know a high school band teacher who qualified for food stamps because he was making so little, and now he is a multi-millionaire. He had no money, but he went out and created opportunities for himself that attracted money to flow to him. If you remember the tip of the week from last week, we talked about perseverance. Perseverance and the believe that he would be wealthy got him to where he is now. He turned thirty this year. You can find other examples around you, too. Share that in the Forum Don’t cheat yourself out of success that you wanted so much by believing things/opinions/criticism that will sucked the winds out of your sail. May you believe in yourself and sail on.

What can we learn from Paris Hilton?

By Peiying Peng

Monday, Nov 26, 2007 04:05

Paris Hilton, this is a name many of us love to hate. She’s not particularly good looking, her fashion sense is doubtful, and for heaven’s sake, I will never buy her perfume. However, Paris is the topic of today.What can we learn from Paris? Paris could just “survive” very well on her inheritance. There were rumors that she was in line for about $8 Million dollars. Other sources estimated her inheritance from $30 million to $350 million. The specific number aside, one thing is clear, she has money. The lesson we can learn from Paris is how she creates her money. If you look at her yearly income, there’s one trend: UP. Many people I know would have said, ” if I have millions in the bank, I will just live happily ever after on the interest.” Paris Hilton, on the other hand, did not depend on the interests in the bank. She’s out there creating money. I know, I know, some of you out there have already dismissed her long ago because of her “wayward ways.” However, I ask you to reconsider. There’s no learning in dismissing someone. For now, let us at least look at Paris as a mental exercise. Let’s count the ways she made money for herself. Feel free to pitch in. Here are some of the ways I have counted Paris made money for herself: TV series to tap into people’s curiosity and disdain of the rich Marketing herself right before the opening series of her TV series (thus the sex video) Followed by her autobiography, which became a New York Times bestseller Used her face and her fame to promote her perfume Made records Appeared in several movies and landed some upcoming leading roles Modeled and signed contracts with top model agencies. And I predict, she is going to have a clothing line soon. So dear readers, members of the mighty MMD site, our little naughty heiress is doing very well indeed for her tender age of twenty-six. I’d say she is a very smart business woman and know just how to package herself. Did I miss some other smart moves of Paris? Let’s open the forum and hear from you.