Focus on What I CAN Control

Ok, I admit it. I have gotten distracted. I have allowed the pundits on TV and the ________'s in Washington seduce me into getting involved in politics instead of focusing on business and what's REALLY important in my life...maybe not REALLY important, but what I can REALLY directly control.

Right now, I see that there is a battle taking place between government and business in which government is limiting business and the prosperity of this country, if not financially bankrupting my country. I had never noticed this before, but I also have read Atlas Shrugged now, at least to the point that the warning in the book and the drama on the TV became the same (in my eyes). I don't see "liberals" or "progressives," I see "socialists" and "communists." When I hear "tax the top 1%," or "the wealthy must pay their 'fair share,'" I hear "wealth redistribution" a la "The Communist Manifesto." I also see this as morally incorrect and an infringement on the freedom to succeed in business and in life, even though I am currently far from being in the top 1%.

When I first discovered Klout.com, I was influential about entrepreneurship, a subject that is near and dear to my heart. After a couple of political tweets, I find out that I'm influential about "prison" (Klout.com is based in Nancy Pelosi's district, lol). I've never been to prison however a few people with my name have, as I discover after "Googling" myself. After getting involved with the current political debate (and recently there have been many), I found myself taking a breather from my business life and getting angry about things I cannot directly control.

Here's the deal from my perspective. I give something power by the amount of thought and attention I give to it. If I give a government that has a history of spending beyond it's means more attention than it deserves, I give it power and I take away power from what I can do to contribute to the business world and the world of entrepreneurship. Where the two cross in my world is my love for the foriegn exchange markets and the government policies that are in the background. I need to remember that I cannot directly change government policy as I also cannot directly control how the FOREX market trades.

I CAN control my attitude and keep it a winning attitude. I CAN control how I invest my money and making it increase in value. I CAN control my business education and make sure I'm learning something new everyday about business. I CAN control my FOCUS and stay focused on what's REALLY important.

By staying focused on entrepreneurship and business, I make the best contribution to the world I can make...one more happier, wealthier and more-educated individual.

Why I'm Doing Better Than I Was Three Years Ago

This is a note to all the politicians and the people that think that government will help you out.

First, the question that is a campaign tool for many politicians is "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?" I am a fiscally conservative single heterosexual man who is doing better than he was four years ago. I even had to spend a weekend or two at a local homeless shelter here in downtown Atlanta as early as August 2007 and April 2008. So now, it's July 2011. How did I accomplish this miracle of improving my life in the midst of a financial crisis that is actually still going on?

The government didn't have a thing to do with it. I didn't get a stimulus check and I had business losses that gave my Federal tax benefits. I did not and do not see how the government did anything towards my personal progress except giving me the freedom to do it.

Perhaps, one of my best friends said it best: "You pulled yourself up by your bootstraps and pulled your head out of your ass."

1) I stopped drinking alcohol
2) I stopped smoking cigarettes
3) I took responsibillity for the results of my life
4) I invested in my mind and my continuing education
5) I read positive things, listened to positive things and started exercising
6) I started using Quicken software to better control my expenditures
7) I stopped wasting money on pipe dreams and "businesses" that I didn't have time to execute on.

Philosophically speaking, I came across "The Art of Exceptional Living" by Jim Rohn and "The Psychology of Winning" by Denis Waitley. I listened to them. I took notes. I red Atlas Shrugged because Jim challenged me to. I started pushing the limits of who I was into a new definition of Who I can be. I quit investing in a business that was doomed from the get-go and investing into more productive areas. I started paying off my debts and investing in me.

The bottom line is that I started accepting responsibility for my life. It's the only way to create change in your life.

My challenge to you is "Are you taking more responsibility for yourself than you wre four years ago?"