Are You Paid For What you Do? I Hope Not!!

Did you know there are people who want to be paid for what they do? They say things like, "When this company starts paying me for what I'm worth, then I'll do all the things they want me to do." Ummm, what!! I hope you are not this kind of person. Does this truly make any sense at all? Can you imaging going to your boss and saying,

You: Hey, I want you to give me a raise.

Boss: Based on what? You haven't done anything to merit a raise.

You: Exactly. I want you to pay me more so I will start doing more.

Boss: Yeah, right. No. No raise. Besides, it sounds like you are really asking for a promotion. More responsibility, more money.

You: Ok, I want a promotion then.

Boss: Based on what again? You haven't done anything to merit a promotion. 

You: Exactly. If you paid me more then I would do more.

Boss. Get out of my office before I fire you!!

Get the picture? You won't get more until you give more. Be the type of person that says, "I'm going to be the best I can be because that's how I am and I know that if I give more than expected I will eventually be rewarded." Give more!! Then you can ask for more and have the proof that you deserve it. Something happens when you put gold into the fire. The real gold separates itself from the crap that has attached to it. You can look around your job, your friends, your environment and see who the real gold is and who the crap is. Which one are you? 

How to Trust Someone

Trust is what keeps our society functioning. Speaking from an evolutionary perspective, we must trust to survive. But it can be a slippery thing. What makes us trust people? And more curiously, what makes us trust some people but not others? Trust is based on expectation. You expect something from someone and trust them based on whether they lived up to your expectation. Now, past experiences with a person will determine whether or not you trust them  but here are a few things to help you define how and why you trust or distrust a person.

 Consistency- The more consistent a person behaves, the easier for you to determine a pattern and form an expectation.

Posture- Standing straight and tall gives an aura of strength and confidence and will be more attractive to trusting.

Transparency- When a person seems to be hiding something, we feel as though we cannot fully trust that person. Self-disclosure builds trust.

Discretion- The ability to keep secret the things you share with a person inspires trust. 

Familiarity- The more you know about someone, the more you know if and how to trust them. 

Resemblance- Birds of a feather.....If someone dresses like you, acts like you do or looks like you, you are more likely to trust that person because you believe they are most similar to you. In NLP, this is called mirroring. 

 These are just some of the ways that we form an opinion of trust. Likewise, people are also using these to decide whether to trust you or not. Always remember that what you say and what you do is under constant observation.

Still a Slave? Or Free at Last?

 I'm always hearing and reading of people writing about helping others to be free. Telling people to stop being a slave to others and create financial independence. Guess what? I'm one of those people, too. I know. Some people will say, "But, Scott. I am free. I can choose to do whatever I want." They are right.....to a point. They have freedom of choice but they have chosen to be slaves. Can you believe that anyone would do such a thing? Well, let's have a little history lesson.

 In America, we had slavery at one time. Officially, it ended in the 1860's but it never really went away. It only changed. The old kind of slavery was physical. Slaves were kept in chains, kept illiterate, physically beaten as punishment. Today's slavery is more of an economic bondage. Slaves are kept in low paying jobs, credit debt, and barely educated to do their jobs.

 Let me tell you a story about the slaves who suffered through physical bondage. Back then, a slave would wake up in the morning and have some strange feeling in the pit of their stomach. They weren't sick, just didn't feel right. Have you ever felt like that? Well, the slave couldn't quite determine what was wrong and so they went out for their day of work. Everyday, the same thing...the same feeling. Eventually, some slaves were able to repress that feeling, or to just deal with it as something that would never go away. Others, though, figured it out. What was that feeling inside of them? It was a small ember. A tiny flame...the flame of freedom burning within them. They KNEW they were meant to be free. Everyday they felt wrong because they were living wrong. And so, they ran away. But not being from America, they didn't know which way to go. What areas would be safe? These escaped slaves were easily caught and brought back for tortuous punishment. But did the flame die. NO!! Eventually, they learned of a place called the "north". A slave could be free in the north. So, they would escape again and head north. But where do you think the slave-catchers would be? Yep, hanging out north of the slave states. Again, slaves would be captured, returned and tortured.

 Some slaves would slip through and gain their freedom, though. Out of those, some kept on going and never looked back. They had their freedom and all they wanted to do was make a new life. Others, however, felt a little guilty that they should be free while others still toiled for their masters. The freed men and women began going back south to help others escape safely. The use of certain roads and trails and farmhouses came to be known as the Underground Railroad. Now, the most famous freed person of the Underground Railroad was a little old lady named Harriet Tubman. When she, and others, would pick up another group of escapees she would lead them to freedom. But some escapees would start to have doubts...begin to second guess their choice. They would start to talk about how good they had it back at the master's place. "The master is going to be mad at me. But if I go back now, my punishment might not be so bad. I sure miss what little I had." As  they would stop and turn to head back, they would go face to face with Harriet Tubman. She would tell them they weren't going back. The escapee would say yes they were. Back and forth, back and forth until it escalated. Now, being a petite old lady it was mostly a physical mismatch and when the escaped slaves would try to push their way past Harriet, she would pull out her pistol and put it right up against the head of the slave wanting to go back. You see, going back would mean the slave would be tortured until they gave up all the secrets of the Railroad. For the greater good, nobody could return once they set out for freedom. So, Harriet would tell the escapee, "You're either going forward or you're going down. But you ain't going back."

 What does all this have to with you here in the modern day. Well, you are either an economic slave or you are an escapee. For those of you who have escaped and found freedom, you may be trying to help others do the same. You have found a way, a system to create your freedom. And you have to have that same toughness with people that you are helping that Harriet Tubman had. There must be no going back. And for those of you who wake up everyday with that horrible feeling in the pit of your stomach as you tumble out of bed to get dressed for that job of yours, well now you know what that feeling is. The flame of freedom. It's calling you. It's burning a hole inside of you...creating discomfort, wanting you to act on it. You need to start finding your personal Underground Railroad....your ticket to financial freedom. And when you start thinking about quitting, turning back, saying how good you had it with the little bit that your master gave you every two weeks, go to the mirror and fix your hand in the shape of a gun and put it to your head and tell yourself...."You're not going back. Ever!" Escape from your corporate master and run away from your cubicle plantation as fast as you can. Only then will you be able to live the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr......Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty. I am free, at last!!

How is Your Memory

Memory is a compelling gift. It has the power to help us grow and to encourage us in difficult times. But memory can also engender fear or nurture revenge. What makes the difference? It all depends on what we choose to remember.

 I have been blessed with a pretty good memory. Luckily, I don't remember every negative thing that has happened in my life. Yet, fortunately, I remember many positive events. Sometimes I wonder why I remember any negative events at all. But I remember that I am choosing to keep that memory. I want to remember that particular event so I can use it to help me be a better person. I remember a lot of the abuse I took in my household as a kid. I remember failures from decisions I have made. And I remember these things so as to know how not to do something, which can be as important as knowing how to do something.

 I remember wonderful things such as winning track races and being on a championship cross country team. I remember promotions and overcoming obstacles as a Marine. And I remember the birth of my daughters. I like remembering positive things because they remind me of my value and worth. The remind me of my ability and potential.

 So, I decide to keep some of my negative memories around to remind me to be better. And I focus on my positive memories of my life to remind me that I am better. Have a memorable day.

WHO ARE YOU?

Hello friends. I have a question for you. Who do you think you are? I remember my mom asking me this when I was little. Usually, it was asked when I was doing something that was beyond what she thought I should be doing. "Who do you think you are, young man? You better come down off your high horse." Now, my mom was the disciplinarian of the house and I knew not be smart-mouthed with her so I never was brave enough to tell her who I thought I was. I thought I was awesome. I thought I was king of the world. I could do whatever I felt like doing. Remember those days? At this stage of your life, this question is going to take some deeper thinking from you. Most of the time you would give an answer that tells what kind of job you have or what country or state you are from, maybe you would reveal what your religion is. But I want you to go a little deeper. For some of you, this is going to be uncomfortable.

You see, many people wake up in the morning and think...Geez, here I am again. Still stuck in this same life. Dull. Boring. Unhappy. Mediocre!! Now, some will attempt to justify their mediocre lives by saying that life could be worse. Well, it could also be better. In fact, life is supposed to be better than mediocre. You were never supposed to be a mediocre person living a mediocre life. You were created to be excellent. Excellence  is the normal state of affairs in the human heart. When you pursue excellence, you know you are doing the right thing. And this excellence is not an accident. God programmed it in your heart so that you would feel good when leading an excellent life. Mediocrity is what is abnormal and doesn't feel right.

Excellence has been embedded into your heart. If you have been beaten down into mediocrity, then you need to listen up. Ears open!! Eyes focused!! YOU have the ability to achieve excellence in at least , AT LEAST, one area of your life. What area is that? I have no idea. You'll have to discover that for yourself. But you have been created with certain gifts and talents that you are to use for excellence. To use to create your masterpiece.

In our society, we use the word success when we really mean excellence. We want to have a  successful life but what we really desire is an excellent life. We try to define what success is and so often we hear that it is being the best that we can possibly be. Folks, that's excellence. You have been created and programmed to be happy and you will only feel that when you have achieved excellence in some area of your life. Mediocrity doesn't feel right. When you are living in mediocrity, you feel as though you are wasting your life. Don't waste another day. Pursue excellence today!!

Empower Yourself

 Who is responsible for your lot in life? Well, most people will answer, correctly, that they are. But then they point their finger and blame other people and circumstances as holding them back or causing them harm. Folks, you are responsible for you. You cannot control what others do or control events but you can always control how you react. You can control how you use events and people's negative words to your positive advantage.

 Many people give advice. And they are usually very well meaning. They have your best interest at heart. So, you take their advice and it doesn't work out. Who's to blame? You are!! No one forced you into your decision. You are free to choose any advice or no advice. Stop being a blamer. Take ownership of your life. Empower your own self. How do you do this?

 First, listen to what your heart is telling you. Some might call it their intuition. Or maybe their inner voice....or gut feeling. Whatever you call it, listen to it. Hear what it is telling you. Sometimes, what you will hear from inside yourself makes no sense whatsoever. But you will be better served by following what you are hearing and feeling.

 Secondly, when you do go outside yourself for advice and guidance, only seek out those people who are succeeding at what it is that you are struggling with. They have the knowledge through proven experience that will help you. In the end, though, you are still the one responsible for your life. You are the creator. You are also the destroyer of your life. You have a choice in the direction you want your life to go. Someone I look up to says, "Stop being a whiney-hiney thumbsucker." Take ownership of your life. Empower yourself!!

Contract Assignments

Hello everyone....Today I want to explain a little of what I do in my real estate investing business. When I tell people that I invest in real estate, they assume that it takes a lot of money. But, really, it doesn't. I use a technique called assignment of contract to make money without putting up any money or very little money of my own.

 When I assign a contract, I am putting a property under contract with the seller. I am then finding another buyer for the property and assigning my contract to the new buyer. I then charge the buyer a fee, an assignment fee. This fee might be a set amount or a certain percentage of the sale price. It might range from $1000 to $10,000. The contract is now between the seller and the new buyer and I have now stepped out of the deal while still making some money.Who can do this? Anybody!! No real estate license is necessary.

 My favorite type of property at assign is a bank owned property. These are properties that the bank has taken, usually through foreclosure. They are then listed by a real estate agent on behalf of the bank and usually sold at a price that is much lower then its appraised value. The bank is motivated to sell the property to make some cash, the buyer is motivated because they are getting a great deal and the investor is motivated because they see an opportunity to provide a service and make a profit as well. Many people will balk at getting involved with assigning a bank owned property because banks will use language within the contract that states that the contract cannot be assigned and that whoever buys the property cannot resell it within a certain timeframe. This timeframe is mostly between 60-90 days. This becomes unattractive to investors because now the investor has to come up with the money to buy the property and make 2-3 months of payments before selling.

 However, there are ways to get around the banks contract language and still make money at the closing. The first way to do this is to simply form a shell LLC. This can be done by going online to state attorney's general website and filling out some forms. There will be a relatively small cost for this, sometimes a few hundred dollars. You then put the property under contract with the bank using the LLC's name. Then, when you have found your buyer for the property, you sell the LLC to that person for the amount you would have gotten for an assignment fee. Voila!!! You have legally and expertly gotten around the bank. But, there is an even more attractive method to use.

 The best way to invest in bank owned properties and not have the banks contractual language prevent you from making money in a timely manner is to do a double closing. A double closing is when there are two, back-to-back, closings all in the same day between the three parties involved....you, the buyer and the seller(bank). There is something called a simultaneous close which does the same thing but uses only one close between all three parties. But when you use a simultaneous close all three parties can see the deal made among the three. In a double closing, each party can only see the contract made between them and the party they are dealing with. Why is this important? Well, let's use an example. The bank owns a property that is worth $250k. It is selling the property for $220k and we negotiate a deal that will allow us to buy it for $200k, not an unrealistic scenario. We enter into a contract with the bank to buy the property for $200k and we find our new buyer. We show this new buyer how much the property is actually worth and in our negotiations, we agree on a price of $220k. Now, we have bought the house for $200k and resold it for $220k AND we are not going to have to use any of our own money. Here's why....at the day of closing, the first person to arrive at the title company is the new buyer. They bring in all the money required, the $220k plus any fees and closing costs. They then sign their paperwork and are done. The next person to come in will be the bank's representative. They will sign their paperwork and pick up their check for the $200k they agreed to sell the property for. Then, I come in last. I sign my paperwork and collect any money due to me, in this case the $20k in difference between what I bought the property for from the bank and what I sold it for to the new buyer. Now, during a simultaneous close the new buyer would have seen my deal with the bank and not been happy. The bank would have seen my deal with the new buyer and not been happy. But with a double close, the bank on;y sees the deal they made with me. The new buyer only sees the deal they made with me. And everyone is happy with their deal. The bank sold a property that they owned and made some money. The new buyer bought the property they wanted at the price they wanted and have instant equity in the property. And I sold a property for a $20k profit instead of maybe $5k if I had just been able to assign the contract. Oh Happy Day!!

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