How Can You Encourage the Genius in Your Children?

I have Legomaniacs in the house, know what I mean?

These boys would spend every minute of the day building amazing creations with Legos if I didn’t make them stop to eat and sleep. Yes, they are addicted.

After a discussion in the DealingwithLearningDisorders.com community this week about creativity, I looked “creativity” up on Wikipedia to see what it had to say.

Listen to this:

“Creativity has been attributed variously to divine intervention, cognitive processes, the social environment, personality traits, and chance (’accident’, ’serendipity”). It has been associated with genius, mental illness and humour. Some say it is a trait we are born with; others say it can be taught with the application of creativity techniques/ simple techniques.

“Although popularly associated with art and literature, it is also an essential part of innovation and invention and is important in professions such as business, economics, architecture, industrial design, science and engineering.

“…entire industries have been spawned from the pursuit of creative ideas and the development of creativity techniques.”

Here’s what I got from that:

Creativity is a result of:

*The way you think  *Your environment  *Your personality

I have conscientiously designed our environment to give my children the freedom, acceptance and time they need to explore their personal interests.

Often, people wonder if I give them too much time. I wonder that too. But the creations these guys come up with shows me that giving them long periods of uninterrupted thinking time can result in some pretty amazing creations.

Check out this Spartan armor Benji made:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3M8msj3lcY

This kid also has a very easy going personality and loves to tell jokes at exactly the right time.

Because of the way we have structured our family life, these kids are developing a very mature way of thinking.

Is it by chance? I don’t think so.

I’d say it is my design. It has taken a lot of sacrifice for us to find the place where we live and to create the environment that allows us all to work and learn from home.

I think we are starting to identify a gift this boy has. I’m not sure where he’ll go with it but at 15, the possibilities are limitless.

I’m sharing this info and video with you to encourage you to relax and trust yourself and your child and to give your kids more free time to explore their world.

Don’t let them sit idly on the couch watching TV, movies or even playing video games. Those don’t challenge the mind to work and create something useful for society; they only stall the brain in neutral and steal days and weeks of productive time.

Encourage them instead to do something creative. Finance their projects. Give them tools and resources they ask for.

Most of all, give them time to develop their genius.

That boy or girl that drives you crazy may just design the answer to this economic crisis we’re in.

You never know.

So many books, so little time…

Rhea! who sincerely believes that everyone is gifted; we just haven’t identified how

P.S. Don’t forget to grab a copy of the videos from our Entrepreneur Days 2008! They will change your life!

http://www.EntrepreneurDays.com

Why You Need 2 Mastermind Groups

One of the keys to success in anything in life is realizing that you can not accomplish anything by yourself.

Too many people are convinced that others will steal their ideas, concepts, people, resources, everything so they never share their thoughts with others.

That thought comes from fear which way too often, does run rampant through the world.

Consequently, waaay too many men “go to the grave with the song still in them,” as Henry David Thoreau once said.

Because they don’t trust others to help them accomplish their dreams, they never get started.

Wise people, however, realize that building a business is like building a building. You can’t create a skyscraper without a team.

Belong to 2 Types of Masterminds

Unless you’ve jumped into the zany world of home business, you may have never been confronted with the concept of a mastermind group.

Groups are organized for many reasons: religious, business, marriage, friends, brainstorming, whatever.

But ultimately, there are basically two types.

One group is your internal team; those who work with you on projects or business.

The other group is made up of random friends, entrepreneurs or others who do not work with you on your projects on a regular basis.

To be successful in business, I personally think you will be more successful by belonging to at least one of each type.

Team Masterminds

Way too often, business owners and managers don’t ask their team members for their opinions on anything.

Imagine how frustrating that is to a worker who day-in and day-out probably sees hundreds of ways to make their work more efficient but isn’t given the opportunity to initiate change because no one ever asks for or listens to their suggestions.

Yet in the world of small business, entrepreneurs often make the same mistake. We generally know what we want so we work 16 hours a day to make it happen without ever asking any helpers or contractors what they think.

Instead, try forming a small group of people who are involved in the project who can meet together once a week or so either virtually or live to discuss the projects at hand.

It’s like asking the five blind guys to describe how the elephant has changed from their perspective this week. Imagine the possibilities!

Not only will you get some criticism and possibly some good ideas, but you’ll also gain the commitment of the team members who will be more likely to contribute from the heart because of their involvment in the project.

Peer Masterminds

The other type of mastermind group is one where unrelated people share their goals for the week with each other and offer helpful advice from different perspectives.

Everyone needs someone to bounce ideas off who has a positive, educated perspective to offer.

Whether this group is made up only of your peers or includes a mentor doesn’t matter. The benefit is that sharing ideas and problems with others who care about you and who are there to help often stimulates creativity.

Surrounding yourself with wise friends makes it easier to get past inevitable road-blocks that always face anyone who tries to do anything out of the norm.

Create Both

I’ve been in peer masterminds and I’ve met with members of my business team randomly before, but I’ve never seen the importance of designating the time to be in both… until now.

I just finished reading Meet & Grow Rich by Joe Vitale and Bill Hibbler where they explain the difference between the groups and give the reasons for each.

Although I’d personally recommend skipping chapter 16, the book was full of wise counsel from experienced members of successful mastermind groups.

It only makes sense.

If you want the people who are members of your team to be committed to the same goals and be in harmony with each other, spend time at least weekly with them re-evaluating your goals and activities and building those relationships.

If you want to gain perspective from outsiders who see your projects and business differently, meet regularly with friends, peers and other business owners to get perspective about “the other side of the coin.”

Life is not always as we perceive it. Letting others show you what’s hiding in your blind spots is a smart move.

Go for it!

So many books, so little time…

 

Rhea!

who hopes you participate in a mastermind group

 

P.S. Our Entrepreneur Days 2008  videos are now ready:

www.EntrepreneurDays.com

 

Learn to Monetize that Expertise!

Way too many people don’t know who they are. They don’t know what they want so consequently, they usually live frustrated lives just walking mindlessly through the day doing what someone else dictates.

 

They can’t figure out how to find the satisfaction they are looking for because they’ve never asked themselves what they really want to do. They work to pay the bills and usually settle on something less than what they really could achieve, if only they had the vision.

 

This weekend, I am in San Francisco taking my oldest son Drew to a workshop for experts. Even though he’s 27, his education isn’t finished.

 

We’re here so he can gain the vision he needs to see the potential he has for making an impact on the world by sharing his natural gifting and abilities with others.

 

(It’s hard for most folks to get that vision from plain ole Mom. Know what I mean?)

 

Everyone is an expert at something. If you’re not, you can be.

 

And even though you may not be yet, it isn’t hard to become one these days, especially now that the Internet puts all the knowledge in the world at your fingertips.

 

It amazes me when I meet experts who don’t realize they are experts. They think everyone knows what they know. And when you tell them that others don’t have their knowledge, they don’t believe you.

 

It’s crazy.

 

So I am here this weekend to learn how to encourage experts to get the vision they lack and how to help them share their knowledge, wisdom and expertise…

 

Starting with my expert son who can sell just about any property  on eBay in 14 days.

 

In this economy where fore-closures are rampant, that is life-saving knowledge.

 

And not everyone knows how to do it.

 

If you are an expert and want to learn how you can monetize your expertise, join me in the forum here

www.EducatingForSuccess.com . I may have a few ideas of you. I’ll be back soon.

 

So many books, so little time…

Rhea!

who would love to help you discover and monetize your area of expertise

 

 

 

 

 

My Favorite Wedding Present

 

For a wedding present, I gave my oldest daughter and her husband a timeshare.

Now before you decide I’ve lost my cookies and cursed a perfectly good relationship before it even had a chance to get off the ground, let me share the details.

I love to go on vacation. My husband doesn’t.

I’m originally from Florida — the tourist capital of America. My husband is from here — the country.

For years, when I went home to visit my family I would take the kids but since my husband had to work, he usually didn’t go with us.

So I’ve gotten in the habit of taking family trips without him. Now that all of the kids are self-sufficient (and most of them are teens), it’s a lot easier.

Then I discovered that it is cheaper for us to spend a week at a timeshare than it is to stay in a hotel. Plus, resorts are a LOT nicer!

I joined RCI, one of the two timeshare companies that allow you to swap your weeks, and discovered that we can stay anywhere we want to.

So I decided that my daughter needs to have a vacation every year and the cheapest way to do that would be the way I’ve learned to do it.

So I bought them a timeshare.

At first, they didn’t know what to say.

I kept waiting to hear, “No, thanks.”

And the first year they were married, they didn’t use their week. So it rolled over.

But this past week, during Fall Break, they decided to use it. They chose to spend the week in Gatlinburg.

They went to Dollywood and the Dixie Stampede, they climbed Clingman’s Dome and went swimming in the indoor pool.

They didn’t have to wash linens because the resort provided them with fresh towels on demand. They got discounted attraction tickets at the front desk. The playground was just outside their door where they could sit and watch the baby while the girls were in the pool.

They had a GREAT week and came back exhausted but happy and restored.

And I bet they spent less than $300.

Just about every morning during that week, I called to find out what they were planning for the day.

I was so glad to hear how happy they all were! After all, when you work all the time and juggle the schedules of a baby with a working husband and active teens, the routine of life can you’re your out.

Everyone needs a break every once in awhile.

But the thing I couldn’t get over was how happy *I* was to be able to make that week happen for them.

That’s why grandparents love to watch others open presents at Christmas. The joy comes in seeing someone become happy because you have given them something they want.

As you get ready to plan out your new year (which I DO hope you do every year, right?), make sure you include at least one week-long vacation. If you can plan two vacations about six months apart, that’s even better.

In stress-filled times like these, vacations serve a valuable purpose and help keep busy moms stable.

If you can’t financially afford to take a vacation, re-evaluate your life. Something isn’t in balance. Relaxation is a necessity of life and if you don’t plan it in, it won’t happen by accident.

 

So many books, so little time…

Rhea!

who doesn’t expect you to buy a timeshare for all your kids like I do

www.EducatingForSuccess.com

 

 

 

Creating a Great Home Life

One key to success in life is having a great home life. It can be very discouraging to create a great income if you don’t have anyone to share it with.

My husband and I just watched the movie The Bucket List last night and that message came through loud and clear. If you haven’t seen it, watch it.

The movie does have a few crude words in it unfortunately but the message is great.

(I can’t wait for someone to start producing great films with great messages that are suitable for everyone to watch. Why does Hollywood always have to throw in at least one stupid word, scene or concept that ruins the whole thing?)

Anyway, The Bucket List did a great job of showing the elements of having a great home in the life of Morgan Freeman’s character.

Most of the people I hang around with also have great home lives. They focus on their children, the host family-oriented parties, they are forward-thinking. But not everyone is like that.

Too many people these days spend so much time at work that they miss out on the important things. They miss watching their baby or grandbaby take his first step. They miss helping their daughter ride her first bike without training wheels.

And before long, they attend their child’s graduation and realize the end of that phase is over and he’s off to start life on his own… without you.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

Even if you work outside the home, there are things you can do to cement your crucial relationships.

And if you are concerned that your work-outside-the-home may soon be coming to an end, learn how to turn that computer of yours into an ATM like thousands of other folks are doing.

In this day and age, if you don’t figure out how to create your own in come, your security is in the hands of someone else. Sometimes that’s scary.

That’s what I help folks do.

And one of the very cool stay-at-home moms that is in my Inner Circle helps people establish and nurture great home environments.

Her name is Marilyn Woodard and I want you to meet her. More than that, I want you to learn from her how to strengthen your home life.

Visit her site www.CreatingGreatHomes.com to meet her.

Life is too short to live mad at each other, disorganized and unhappy.

 

 
So many books, so little time…
Rhea!

who is convinced that any building can become a harbor for the weary

http://www.EducatingForSuccess.com

 

 

 

My Debit Card Number Was Stolen; Is Yours Safe?

 Just after our Entrepreneur Days conference a few weeks ago, which was one of the best yet; I attended two events in a row, and then took the family and some of our business advisors to the Beach Retreat for a week.

 

When I got home, I realized that someone had stolen the debit card number on my business account. The culprit went shopping at several grocery stores and Home Depot in Los Angeles before I could cancel the card.

 

 

So I spent the next week figuring out what happened, contacting the affected merchants, filing police reports and working with the bank.

 

 

The crook spent almost $6,000 (that was designated to pay bills) and stole one week of my already full life. Then the decline notices started coming in on all our automatic payments.

 

Then the bank said they didn’t think they could cover the loss so we changed banks. Tomorrow I will spend the day changing all the bank info on all the online accounts and explaining what happened to all the companies that were involved.

 

Why am I telling you all this?

 

Because 1 out of 6 people are affected by white collar crime like this – credit card fraud.

 

When it happened, I called several police departments and looked for info online. Nothing I heard and found was consistent. No one knew where to start or what to do.

 

I joined LifeLock and they’ve taken some action but they don’t handle this kind of stuff after it happens.

 

So based on this month’s experience, here is my advice:

 

*Don’t travel with a debit card.

 

*Set up online banking so you can monitor your accounts often.

 

*Monitor your bank accounts often.

 

*Join LifeLock.com. (It’s $10/month per person.)

 

 

If you discover that your account or identity has been compromised, call the number on the back of your credit card immediately to cancel the card and move the money out of your bank account if you can. (With online banking, you can move it on the weekend even though the bank is closed.)

 

 

Compile a list of your credit cards, their numbers and the emergency number on the back of the card to call. File this with your important papers. If they are stolen, cancel them immediately.

 

 

Don’t carry checks with you when you travel unless you need them and make sure you always know where your checkbook is.

 

When the bank resolves this issue, they will charge you a fee of between $50 and $200.

 

This is just the beginning of what I have learned.

 

Even though I may be out a lot of money, the worst thing about this event is the time I have lost.

 

We were just about to announce a few new big projects for our Protégés and this has set us back a whole week.

 

But that doesn’t matter because even though we have been delayed, we haven’t been discouraged or disabled.

 

So don’t let setbacks keep you from reaching your goals. Life is too short.

 

And always keep track of your debit cards!

 

 

 

So many books, so little time to waste …

 

Rhea!

 

Learn to be a Real Estate Virtual Assistant!

If you want to learn how to invest in real estate, one of the easiest ways to do it is by working for someone else.

Real estate investors and agents often need someone to help them with the details and paperwork. As more and more offline businesses are downsizing, serving a company as a Virtual Assistant from home is a win/win situation for both you and the company!

The company or investor doesn’t have to pay overhead to have you onsite so having a VA reduces his expenses. That means, it saves him money.

And as long as you can accomplish all your tasks on time, you have the freedom to work your job around your busy life.

Since I think this is just one more way that folks can work successfully from home, I have asked Alan Brymer to teach a course.

He is the only real estate expert I know who teaches this.

The problem is, his course is for real estate investors and agents. NO ONE has a course on how to BE a real estate VA.

So he and I are creating one!

You’ll get the advantage of being the first people to take the first real estate VA class and you can do it from home!

The class is online so all you have to do is watch the videos, listen in on the phone and ask your questions to get all the answers you need.

And if you love real estate like I do and would love to learn it by doing it for and with someone else, consider taking Alan’s Real Estate VA training. It starts this Thursday, Sept. 25th.

Here’s where to register:

http://www.EducatingforSuccess.com/reva/

 

So many books, so little time…
Rhea!

who loves bringing you Real Education

 

 

 

 

Take Time Off

 

When you work as an entrepreneur, it’s waaaay too easy to work yourself to death and never take time off.

 

Stephen Covey demonstrates how to schedule Time Off into your life in a very practical way.

 

He has a participant from an audience come onto the stage and put little rocks into a container of water. Then he says to add the big rocks which won’t fit. But when the person takes everything out and starts over putting the big rocks in first, they all fit in neatly.

 

So that’s what I’ve learned to do with my time.

 

At the end of December, I look at the whole year and mark off the dates of really big events like my conferences, the few conferences I attend regularly, family birthdays and anniversaries. That way we don’t miss anything.

 

I can also set up the birthday cards for the year to be sent online a week before using www.SendCardsFromHome.com

 

That way, when events try to sneak onto the calendar, I can easily decide whether we can work it in or not based on what else is happening that month.

 

If you don’t learn to control your schedule, it will control you.

 

So the first things I block out are two weeks of vacation in the spring and fall and one annual Beach Retreat in Destin, Florida.

 

And guess what?

 

We just got back from the beach retreat and boy was it marvelous!

We weren’t even affected by Hurricane Ike!

 

We rented a house right on the beach with a pool, 7 bedrooms and Internet access so we didn’t miss anything.

 

My daughter-in-law Carol cooked for us and everyone had simple jobs so the housekeeping wasn’t a chore.

 

I took the girls to get their nails done one morning and took most of the folks out on a boat for the day. Some of the guys went fishing a few times and everyone did what they wanted. We even had company.

 

A few of my advisory team members were there so we discussed strategies for our upcoming projects.

 

Overall, we all had a blast!

 

If you use vacations as a reward, they motivate you to keep going. It’s more than painful to work all the time and never have the time or money to go somewhere special to enjoy life.

 

So I use vacations to motivate me to create good habits so I can achieve my self-imposed goals.

 

Here’s how you can do the same:

 

In December, look at the spring and fall months that have the fewest activities in them with your family and choose one in each season to have a vacation. You may have to start with a long weekend instead.

 

Then contact anyone who could possibly have an event of any kind occur during that week to find out what they are planning and to let them know you won’t be available.

 

Then mark the calendar, shop online to book a place to go and tell your team members that you will be unavailable that week.

 

Then when circumstances and opportunities come up that will prevent you from going that week, just say, “Sorry. I have an appointment with myself and my team and/or family.”

 

Then go and have fun. And don’t worry about what you’re missing. Just be thankful that you are taking time off.

 

If you have your annual business meeting while you’re there, you can also write that off on your taxes.

 

Being an entrepreneur can wear you out because there aren’t a lot of personal perks beside free time and unlimited income. So if you figure out how to build quality Off Time into your life, your great vacations will motivate you to keep going.

 

Plus, it’s just fun to spend a week at the beach… or the mountains!

 

So many books, so little time…

 

Rhea!

who would love to live at the beach

 

Times Will Be Changing Soon, Are You Ready?

 

In case hard times haven’t hit you yet, be thankful. Something is happening in this country and it won’t be long before life as we know it will never be the same again.

 

As inflation increases, the national debt soars out of control, and our country plummets toward socialism, we’d better get ready to make it through the coming storm.

 

If you’re not concerned about all this, you’d better wake up.

 

Turn off the TV. It won’t tell you what’s really happening in the world.

 

Do whatever it takes to get out of the meaningless daily grind that barely meets your needs.

 

Realize that we are heading for hard times and those who are prepared will do a lot better than those who aren’t.

 

We need to become financially free. We need to find out what we are called to do and do it. We need to prepare our children to become leaders in this land, not followers who blindly elect ineffective officials who hardly represent the values of the people.

  

During the Depression of ’29, those who were prepared became millionaires. Others who weren’t, jumped out of windows.

 

We are quickly approaching another time in history when those who are prepared will not only survive but prosper.

 

But to be prepared, we must do something different. And to be able to do something different, we must think differently.

 

It is our responsibility to get back to the mindset of our founding fathers who created this great country.

 

If you want to go with me, come on.

 

 

So many books, so little time…

 

Rhea!

who thinks it all starts with discovering who you are

Help for Kinesthetic Learners

The most important thing you can know about your child, (and we ARE supposed to know them) is how they learn.

Some are naturally visual.

Some learn best by listening auditorially.

And some are kinesthetic, which means they get way more out of life experiences than out of books or audio CDs.

If you have visual kids, surround them with books, art, beauty of all kinds and give them a great real life.

If your kids are auditory, make sure each one has his or her own CD player and a library of teaching tapes and quality music.

And if you are blessed to have a very active kinesthetic learner, engage them in lots of meaningful activities and real life events.

That’s what I am still doing with Drew, even though the boy is married, has a baby and is almost 27 years old!

A few weeks ago, we went to eBay Live in Chicago together. While we were there, we ran into an old friend of ours, Jim Cockrum, who has become quite a respected expert on eBay.

We went to dinner with him and his assistant and Jimmy Z and his girlfriend.

We laughed for hours at each others’ crazy stories and Jim was fascinated by the way Drew sells houses in just 7 days on eBay.

This past week, I got a note from Jim.

Listen to this:

“Rhea, I thought I’d seen it all when it comes to selling creatively on eBay…after all I’ve got a best selling book that is all about just that, but when I talked to Drew about what he was doing on eBay with old ugly houses, a light bulb went off. I thought “that really could work!””So, I tried it out myself. I spent about one hour reviewing the excellent tools and examples that Drew had put together, I took a few pics of one of the old rental houses that I’ve been dying to get rid of for years, and I put it all on eBay.The end result is this:Thanks to Drew, A PAIN IN THE BUTT UGLY house of mine that has sat empty for about 8 months SUCKING THE LIFE OUT OF ME is now going to be making me $200 per month positive cash flow with a VERY HAPPY buyer that doesn’t have to worry about dealing with a bank and I’m locked in for a minimum profit of $10,000 if he ever goes on to buy the house.

“If he doesn’t buy it (or even if he just trashes it) I just do it all again with a different buyer/tenant. Did I mention that I now have $3,500 in my pocket that goes toward the eventual purchase of the home (although we all know that 80% of the time these buyers don’t go on to buy so odds are I’ll just do it over and over again).”Some stats on my very first eBay “down payment” auction:1,500 visitors10 biddersclosing bid of $610 but the buyer asked to “buy down” the interest rate for $3500 and I happily agreed to his terms!”As soon as I sell the other two ugly houses this way I’m going to buy more. I finally know where to find excited handyman buyers for ugly homes!”

Jim Cockrum

Now this if from a guy who literally wrote the book on eBay YEARS ago!

Because all six of us understand the value of good networking and spent some quality time together at a pretty mediocre event, Jim has gotten rid of a huge burden and Drew feels pretty good about making another real estate investor happy.

That’s what happens when you really learn how to network at live events.

So many books, so little time…

Rhea!
who believes the earlier you start attending real events, the sooner you’ll develop the right mindset about life… and the sooner you’ll meet worhtwhile friends like Jim Cockrum

Learn more about our one-of-a-kind event here:
http://www.EntrepreneurDays.com

 

 

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