2008.5 A.D.

The year is half over and where am I in my New Year's Resolution? Yep, I really did write New Year's Resolution...I know...I know...who do I think I am bringing up those three words so far into the year or so far from the start of the next one? Call me crazy but I am gonna do it.

When we started 2008, you may remember, I made a couple of resolutions. They were to read one book a month, run in a 10K race, Finish 2nd Draft of New Book by end of March, Drink less coffee, Drink more H20, and Volunteer. These were some pretty ambitious resolutions and as real life has a tendency of having its way with us, I am nowhere near where I should be by now. However, I am still fighting through and hopefully make it to the end of the year in one piece. Seriously, let's take a quick look at how things are progressing.

Reading: Not exactly one book a month. By now, you know I am working on my MBA full time and that takes up about 80% of my reading time. Still managed to sneak in a book here and there. This time it is The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon. WOW! What a book, I was not expecting what I got out of the Energy Bus. This book while did not rock me to my core, it certainly made me think about how I am doing things and how I am NOT doing things. So I got on the Bus and became a Chief Energy Officer. Thanks 800CEOREAD.com for including this AWESOME book to the Mystery Box offering, best $20 I ever spent.

Running: I am still hovering at the 5K mark and that's a good thing. Things have not progressed but with a little more focus and waking up a little earlier everyday I will start increasing the distance.

Writing the book: This is falls under creating my channel. I have been fine tuning the document and at some point I just need to stop fine tuning, otherwise it will never be finished, and get it ready for the world. Anyone out there care to recommend a Literary Agent that specializes in Business Leadership and Management books?

Drink less coffee & Drink more H20: I have been drinking so much Water that I am growing gills. As for the coffee, well all I can say is: I might need to rethink this resolution.

Volunteer: This one I am still trying to figure out where I fit in. Of course, I give money to charity and would like to do something more. Just have not found the right one. Of course, there have been some local charities that I have talked to and have done somethings for in the past but nothing nothing has panned out into a permanent situation.

That's about it for catching up on how things have been going with my 2008 New Year's Resolutions.

How are your resolutions doing?

tag this:
Dave Guerra, New Year's Resolutions, Updates, 2008, 800CEOREAD, Mystery Box, Focus, Opportunity

Father's Day 2008: Tim Russert style

By now all of us have heard of Tim Russert's untimely passing. Here was one of the good guys. Though I never met Mr. Russert personally, I have a few close friends who did.

They were giddy the first time they told me who they met. Back then I was not too keen on politics, politicos or anyone who dealt with then on a consistent basis, and neither were my friends but meeting Tim Russert was a high point in their young lives.

I never thought much about Russert and why my friends were so thrilled to meet him until one day I read the book "Big Russ and Me" by Tim Russert. It all changed then. He was now on my radar and I took notice.

Russert could have written about anything or anyone instead he wrote about his father. He gave his father the highest honor any child could give his or her father. It's is unfortunately, an honor that most fathers very seldom get when they are alive: Recognition from their children that their father raised a better person.

So now, Tim has left this world, but he is not gone. Today on Father's Day we take time to think of our fathers and by how Tim Russert and his two books on fathers changed how we will always see them.

For all the good and for all the bad, they are our fathers and nothing can ever change that fact. Of course some were better than others, still they remain tied to us and who we are now. Some fathers leave us too soon, whether by choice or by act of God they still made us stronger and better people.

Over the past couple of days since Mr. Tim Russert left us, someone said that if there was a time to lose Tim, it should be just as we start the Father's Day weekend. I could not agree more. Had he been around just a little while longer he would have been the picture we'd see when we lookup Father's Day in the dictionary.

To all you Kids out there: Tell your Dads HAPPY FATHER'S DAY (no matter where they are or what they are doing)

To all you Dads out there: HAPPY FATHER'S DAY


Technorati Tag:
Tim Russert, Big Russ and Me, Father's Day, Dave Guerra

Ever wonder

Ever wonder about an organization that courts you when they want something?

They will call you, they will send you some of the nicest emails, basically a lot courtesy on their part. The when it comes time to repay the courtesy and respond to that organization and/or it's representative that you are unable to commit or attend or just to just give a courteous "No, Thank You" you get the big blow off. This just re-confirms what they really thought of you; a name on a list that could make the numbers bigger thus hoping to make what they do relevant. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be relevant.

However, there is something very wrong with this shortsighted approach to doing business.

Organizations and individuals that work this way are not only burning bridges but don't see the big picture for what it is. They fail to see that this time next year, for example. The big annual gala is looking for sponsors but cannot court the ones that they dismissed last year and now have to scramble find new sponsors for their event.

While it is prudent to court existing sponsors and as well as those that were unable to deliver last year for the next event. Burning bridges prevents that from happening and could spoil any future relationships. Who knows, the next bridge that's burned may have very close ties to a High Profile individual that you may one day want to court.

As a word of advice to those organizations that burn bridges especially the kind that can deliver the $$$$ next time, try a simple "sorry you weren't there but here is what you missed" email. In my book, a message like that would all but seal the deal the next time they came calling.

Any thoughts?

tag this:
Dave Guerra, sponsorships, Bridge Burning, Burning Bridges, Marketing, Advertising, Missing the Boat, Opportunity

Rip-off Company Gets Ripped Off?

If a company is in the business of ripping their customers off, can they really be surprised when their own employees rip them off?

Seems that a local company, who is great at giving people the shaft by selling them a product they need but will go about financing the product at the highest interest rate possible and added unneeded extras only to jack up the amount being financed. Then they cite that the reason for the high interest rates they get for their customers is that their clientèle is more subprime than prime and therefore can only get "these kind of rates" from the lenders.

Then when it comes time to provide warranty support for the product, anything short of a federally mandated recall is the customer's fault and therefore is not covered under warranty. So there they go shafting the customer, again.

Well to make a long story short, a couple of the company's employees started ripping the company off, probably skimming off the top of the extra bill padding the company was already ripping off from the customer.

Well as all good things, the management discovered this and promptly fired the individuals and then, get this, issued a public statement that basically said they were shocked and appalled that something like this could happen.

You know it's Karma when thieves start stealing from thieves. As for being shocked and appalled, now you know how your customers feel after you give them the shaft.

Be Careful What You Wish For...

Last week, I posted how there were almost no advertisements for people to spend the Economic Stimulus Rebate money. Now, the money is pouring in and the I stand corrected, the advertisings are coming out of the woodwork, as well. Heck, I got an email from a Telescope vendor to specifically use my Economic Stimulus money to stimulate my imagination and buy a real cool telescope. Then it's like someone opened the flood gates, because the ads just keep coming. I will go on record as saying they arrived a little late but they are here none the less.

Unfortunately, there is no more economic stimulus money here...it has been spent and it's stimulating the economy (I hope). Besides, I already have a real cool telescope.

Let's Tell Technorati To Tag This:
Dave Guerra, Economic Stimulus, Money, Economy, Marketing, Advertising, Missing the Boat, Opportunity, TV Ads, Radio Spot, Web Ads

Another Missed Opportunity?

I don't know you or where you live, but where I live I have yet to see anyone do anything to promote spending the Economic Stimulus Money on any goods or services. No TV ads, no radio spots, no print ads, not even an online pop-up. If I am out of the loop, someone please clue me in.

I'm sorry but I just can't see why no one is taking advantage of all this money? During Tax season, here in the U.S., we have endless 30 second spots calling for people to bring in their W-2s and get a new car or in more recent years to use your tax return as a down payment on a new house. Don't forget about those nice people over at the payday loan place. They are forever, advertising on the radio.

Opportunity is knocking and yet again, no one is answering. This would be a prime opportunity for those mega-marts, that sell home improvement supplies and solutions, to get on the ball and take advantage of an opportunity. Think about it, using your Economic Stimulus check to buy stuff for around the house, fix things, or start a new DIY project. Personally, I am looking at tearing up that Berber carpet in the bedrooms and putting down laminate wood flooring. That way when it comes time to sell, I will not have to be scrambling to rip out that ugly Berber and scramble to put something down.

If advertisers around the country decided that it would be in bad taste for clients to promote their products and services during this state of economic noisy and confused activity then why didn't someone tell me? or was there just too much noise out there that the message got lost?

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Dave Guerra, Economic Stimulus, Money, Economy, Marketing, Advertising, Missing the Boat, Opportunity, TV Ads, Radio Spot, Web Ads

Yikes!!! It's all about GOLD, again

Yes, it's time to revisit the latest happenings with GOLD. As of this writing, the closing price was $855.60. That sure is a long way from the $1000 high. Remember, my friend that wanted to ride the Gold wave as it was closing in on that magical 1K value. Good thing, someone knocked some sense into his head. Now he is putting his focus on finding the next big thing.

Good for him! What about you? Are you looking for the next big thing? I do hope you are. Just remember, that the next big shouldn't come at a price that you are not prepared to pay. Also don't forget, the economy is not what it used to be. So don't let the next big thing put you in a financial bind. As I am not telling you anything new, it does not hurt to say it again.

While I do not profess to know what the next big thing is, I do know that the only way to determine what the next big thing is is to do your homework. It is no secret that I am a big proponent of doing your homework, getting yourself informed, and taking responsibility for your actions. Take a little time and study the markets, they are not that difficult to understand once you get a few concepts under control.

Back to our topic. So Gold is down and has been going down since hitting it's high earlier this year. On the 1st of May, Gold closed up from what was a 30 day low. So where is the price of Gold going? Up or Down???? The popular theory has Gold going down to the $800 mark before any kind of notable up swing. Of course there are analysts that agree that the price of Gold will continue drop, however, not as far. They are favoring a $850 leveling off point (which we are close to now). I can pretty much believe this to be true. As I have written, it might be time to pull the trigger and get in on commodities trading (I mean if you ever were interested in doing so). However, there might be something to consider. Please read on.

Whether it's next week or next month, if you are planning to pull the trigger on a Gold buy, then you best be ready and the same thing can be said for Silver. Silver closed at $16.36/oz. which puts it up after closing April at the 30 day low of $16.15/oz. Does this signify a time to buy? Probably not. Historically, since the summer of 2002 and every summer since then Silver remains within the same price range at the end of August that it started off the beginning of May at. Check out this cool chart I made just for you.



Will Summer 2008 be any different?
I really don't think so. Then again, we did start May '08 on the upswing, so if anything we might just be able to make a couple of dollars. As for making the big bucks, if the lack of any real activity in the summer is any indicator, this may be the time begin creating a position in any commodity. By the way, here is the chart for gold.


Very Interesting, as Gold and Silver prices appear to be taking the summers off. They both start strong but lag throughout the summer months. I'll say it again this is a perfect opportunity to accumulate positions in securities thus building a strong portfolio exists and that is a good thing to do during the summer months?

Still not convinced?
Check out this chart which depicts the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing figures for the first and last days of May, June, July, and August of 2002 through 2007. By the way, these were the same dates used to create the Gold and Silver charts above.


I do hope you are bit more informed as to what might or might not be happening in the markets. Still, don't let this stop you from doing your home work. I know I will use these next four months to create a stronger portfolio.

As always, please know and understand: Past performance is NOT an indicator of future performance.

Let's Tag This With:
Dave Guerra, Gold, Silver, DJIA, Commodities, Stocks, Bonds, Economy, Portfolio, Money

In Defense of Food (or the Neverending Book)

Over the past two months I read Michael Pollan's book: In Defense of Food. It has been a great read. While lately I have been reading business books that are part of my MBA courses. I had to push back the leisure reading or snuck it in when I could.

Before I start, you should know that I have failed on my reading a different book each month New Year's Resolution. While I don't feel bad for failing, I do feel bad that at this point I will have 10 books under my belt instead of 12. Oh well, maybe next year.

Anyway, I read this book and found it to be quite interesting. At first I thought, this guy is going to give lip service to the modern fad diets and then sneak in one of his own. Well technically he does, he does in a very interesting and thought provoking manner. We are given a history of the current dinner table, Pollan does so in a way that allows us to know where to place the blame.

Now this is not to say that one person is guilty of the dietary situation of the citizens of the United States or the world for that matter. The blame goes to all of us. We are all to blame for this because we did it to ourselves and Pollan tells us so in a way that is in our face but doesn't make us want to runaway. Pollan offers us some great ideas on how to recapture what we lost the moment we our first sip of high fructose corn syrup.

On the cover of the book are seven words or three sentences that sum up the entire book: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." That's it, that's the book. Michael Pollan delivers a recipe for good food, good health, and good living that one wonders why didn't somebody else think of it before now?

Just because I took a long time to finish the book doesn't mean I didn't try things along the way. The first week of March I ate food exclusively from the perimeter of the supermarket. Think about what you will find in the perimeter of the supermarket. That is where you will find the fresh vegetables, fresh meat, dairy products, and eggs. Hmmm, this reminds me of a logic question I had in college "why are eggs found in the dairy section of the grocery store?" Eggs are not dairy products, cows don't lay eggs, and certainly eggs don't taste like milk. But I digress.

So how did my experiment go? I will have to say it was a great success. While I did not lose a lot of weight, I did start to feel better. You could say I almost felt lighter. It was interesting to eat salads as opposed to eating starches (Rice, potatoes, corn). After the first week, I was craving rice and potatoes, so I gave in. I did not completely submit but I did give in, in that I flipped my starches and vegetables. Meaning that when I would normally eat a lot of mashed potatoes I have now flipped that and eat more greens thus less of the starches.

The book is actually now helping me achieve other of New Years resolutions, that is to lose weight and lower my blood pressure (without medicine). Please understand that In Defense of Food, it is not a heavy read it does have a lot to offer. if you're looking for something to quickly sink your teeth into, then this is the book for you. Looking for recipes and quick fad diets this is not the book for you.

I can finally begin, microtrends by Mark J. Penn. You may recall microtrends was the book that I wanted to buy and read before In Defense of Food. However, an NPR interview with Pollan got me hooked and I bought his book first. Luckily, it was the good people over at 800-CEORead that had an awesome offer that I could not refuse. They were giving away three books for $20 which was donated to the Room-to-Read organization. Call it karma, I bought into the Mystery Box program over at 800-CEORead and when my box arrived right on top was microtrends.


Taking a quick peek of the books read so far:

• Join the Conversation by Joseph Jaffe
• Be, Know, Do: Leadership the Army Way, Adapted from the Official Army Leadership Manual by J-B Leader to Leader Institute/PF Drucker
• In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
  

Let's tell Technorati to tag this with:
Dave Guerra, Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food,
Green Leafy Vegetables, Microtrends, Mark J. Penn, 800 CEOREAD, Room-to-Read

Mediocrity in Mergers?

By now, if you have not heard about XMRadio & Sirius Satellite Radio's planned merger, or the Delta Airlines & Northwest Airline two-step, or the proposed shotgun wedding between Microsoft and Yahoo then you must be living under a rock that does not have reception Sprint/Nextel's data service. While the news is exciting, especially when we hear about hot a proxy battle is on the horizon, or how the federal government has to give its blessing on a merger, or how two airlines will become the biggest airline in the world. That is the stuff of underdogs; you know that David & Goliath kinda thing. That makes for not only an interesting story but also keeps people on edge wondering how these mergers will play out.

In the end:

• will Delta/Northwest give us improved Customer Service and more on-time departures?
• will XMRadio & Sirius Satellite give us more reasons to turn off AM & FM radio once and for all?
• will Microsoft-Yahoo give us anything better than what little they give now?
  

I don’t think so!
It will be the same old thing all over again, this time with a new name. It will be the same mediocre companies all wrapped up in new packaging, a new marketing plan, and a new image for the public to be blinded by. The flash of newness will last at least for a while and then when the SHINY NEW WRAPPER is tossed aside mediocrity will return to these organizations.

Will the newly merged organizations see the light; demand that great change, along with great innovative thought and great design be born out of these mergers? Unfortunately, I firmly believe that they will not see the light.

I MAY BE WRONG BUT I DOUBT IT!

let's tag this with:
Dave Guerra, Mediocrity, Merger, Innovation, XM Radio, Sirius Satellite Radio, Delta Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Microsoft, Yahoo

Mediocrity...yet again

In a blog post over at Fast Company's FC Experts Blog titled, Innovation for Beginners posted by Richard Watson. The post describes what makes innovation and change happen and how innovation and change can be stifled. As the blog mentions this is because things and people get old and settle for the "that's how its always been done" excuse as the way of doing business.

Over time, the organization's newbies become veterans and the veterans don't want to rock the boat. So what happens next is that resistance to change is born. The deeper individuals and organizations become rooted in what they do, the less chance for innovative production and change to occur. "In other words, when it comes to innovation, organisations can be disabled by experience and specialisation" and that is definitely not a good thing.

Thus reinforces the fact that "the longer you work for an organisation, the more you adopt groupthink and the further removed you become from real life (how customers think, feel and behave)" and that continues to be NOT a good thing.

So does this mean organizations and its staff, because they are no longer new (by new I mean FRESH OUT OF THE WRAPPER) are doomed to an eternity of MEDIOCRITY? Unfortunately, I'd like to think so.

However, not be all doom and gloom the Fast Company post does offer a few points to consider when trying to bring about change through the development of an innovation team. One of which I have to question: "Think like a kid yourself sometimes – keep asking why?"

My question: Why Sometimes?

Thinking like a kid should be all the time! Not when the mood fits or when it will make us look cool. It should be that childlike wonder that pushes us for more and more change. Constantly being Innovative. Continually seeking Improvement.

CONTINUALLY BUSTING MEDIOCRITY IN THE GUT!!!

let's tag this under:
Dave Guerra, Lessons Learned, Mediocrity, Innovation, Change, Fast Company

Learning a Valuable Lesson

Over the past few weeks I conducted an experiment which came to an end today. The unpleasant outcome of the experiment came to me as a lesson, one that I welcome and one the I wholeheartedly value and appreciate that I learned the lesson now instead of later, certainly at a greater expense.

This is how it all started. Not so long ago, I do not recall exactly who wrote on their blog about listening and being heard, specifically about what to do if no one is listening or hearing?

The post got me thinking and I responded with "If all one hears is static, is it time to change the channel?" Well, needless to say I got no response. That silence spoke volumes and it helped me in deciding to launch my experiment. Over the course of the past couple of weeks, I have created multiple attempts at initiating conversation to a controlled number of individuals and organizations. Various approaches were taken to start conversations and only one method did deliver an effective response.

It was at this point I created another test group using that effective method to ensure that it was not a fluke. This group contained close to 3000 individuals and organizations, well, needless to say the response has been overwhelming. The lesson here is that learn your lessons early, find what works, and make the best of it.

So, Dave to answer the question that someone decided was not worthy of answering: YES, if all you hear is static, go ahead and change the channel or better yet create your own channel.

let's tag this:
Dave Guerra, Lessons Learned, static, Change the Channel, Change

An opportunity missed?

Tonight, one of my favorite TV shows had its season premiere: The Deadliest Catch. If you haven't seen it, where have you been? It is a reality show focusing on Crab Fishing in the Bering Sea. The episode starts like as in previous seasons; documenting the opening of the King Crab Season.

In preparation for departure, Josh Harris, son of The Cornelia Marie's Captain (Phil Harris), purchased what appeared to be a Toshiba Regza 26" Flat Panel LCD TV. While the younger Harris said it was a 24" TV, the Toshiba website says different. But I digress.

This was the perfect opportunity for Toshiba to get on board with the premiere episode of what many consider the hottest show on Cable Television. However, this was not to be, the first LCD TV commercial was from Panasonic. Here was a prime time opportunity to exploit product placement and it was not to be. I wonder how many more missed opportunities will there be as the rest of the season unfolds? Guess we'll just have to wait and watch and I certainly will be watching.

let's tag this with:
Dave Guerra, Deadliest Catch, Toshiba, Regza LCD TV, Phil Harris, Cornelia Marie, Josh Harris, Marketing, Opportunity

Mediocrity Strikes Again

This past weekend, Jennifer Navarrete of MorningBrewCast brought to the attention of many of us that someone was selling their Twitter.com account on eBay. For those that don't know what Twitter is; plain and simple it is a microblogging website where participants can post comments, remarks, questions, just about any text message provided it is 140 characters in length or less. These messages can be sent as direct message to other Twitter members, replies to general postings, and general posting. Participants acquire "followers" and they themselves follow others, over time and a lot of trust, the number of "followers" can grow into the hundreds and thousands.

Back to the issue at hand, Navarrete posted on Twitter "So @andrewbaron is selling his Twitter account on eBay. http://tinyurl.com/3zs6kl It seems weird to me. Wrong somehow. But is it?" At the time of this writing Andrew Baron's Twitter Account had a bid of $1525 and his "followers" which numbered 1397 followers at the start of the auction, now are at 1651. I wonder why the increase in followers?

My question is: Has Twitter reached a level of mediocrity that people must resort to auctioning their account in order to make it relevant or to gain a little notoriety (experiment or not)? Is there no more originality in regards to what Twitter is or can be? I fear that by selling the account, Twitter now takes its place beside the toast with the face of Jesus on one side or the corn flake in the shape of Illinois that sold for $1170 not too long ago. As people will see it as a opportunity to exploit the trust they have developed for a quick buck.

This is not a bash against Twitter. Personally I really, really like Twitter. It serves a purpose and a darn good one. However, I agree with Jennifer’s comments in a more recent Twitter post that it is time for the Twitter people to step in and act. Act before Twitter becomes another great idea that got beat down because of its own success.

Jennifer gave us her take on the of selling Twitter accounts on eBay, I invite you to read it @ http://tinyurl.com/5emcya"

let's tag this:
Dave Guerra, Jennifer Navarrete, MorningBrew Cast, Twitter, eBay, Auction, Corn Flake, Trust, Mediocrity,

A List....

Someone recently recommended that I throw in a list or two on this very blog every once in a while. So here I go my first list of 2008. It's almost the middle of April and I am still doing first somethings of 2008...Geez.

So tonight my friends, in Dave's ever continuing quest for you to get to know him, here are a few of my Favorite Artists/Group of ALL TIME and ALL GENRES in no particular order.

• Duran Duran
• Elvis Presley
• David Bowie
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Prince
• Richard Wagner
• The Doors
• Grace Jones
• Dave Brubek
• Sting (solo and with The Police)
  

So how does your list match up with mine?

Tag this:
Dave Guerra, Mozart, Duran Duran, Richard Wagner, Elvis, The Doors, Grace Jones, Dave Brubek, David Bowie, Sting, Prince

Playing the course

Last night, I wrote the post about staying the course, which focused on buying into the real estate market. One option that I did not mention was another form of real estate investing: Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). Investopedia defines REITs as "a security that sells like a stock on the major exchanges and invests in real estate directly, either through properties or mortgages."

This is not a bad thing. There are different kinds of REIT or better yet specialty REITs such as those that focus on Hotels, Apartments, Retail Centers, Health Care, Offices, and Shopping Malls. These REITs allow you to buy into an organization that buys and maintains facilities to either lease or sell to qualified operators within the specialty. The REIT gives the investor an option of buying into a larger operation without the headache of day-to-day management and operation. Personally, I will buy and manage the small properties but for the big stuff I would rather have someone else take care of it, so the REIT allows me to get in on the big real estate moves.

If this sounds interesting to you why not Google "Real Estate Investment Trust", do your homework, and when you are ready pull that trigger.

Of course with all financial transactions there are risks. Invest at your own risk.

DISCLAIMER: I do hold a position in a Health Care based REIT.

Let's tag this:
Dave Guerra, Asset, Liability, Real Estate, Economy, Play The Course, Real Estate Investment Trust, REIT

Staying the course

By now you are more than familiar with my friend and his struggles to get into the Gold trading market in hopes of getting rich quick. While this might not be a bad idea, it's just not how I am built. Don't get me wrong, I will take advantage of a situation when I can. This by no means I am out to cheat anyone, what I do mean is that while stock prices are falling I will continue to buy because of the low prices. Remember that old adage, "buy low and sell high" well that's how I roll.

Unfortunately, my friend is still so enamored with getting in on the new Gold Rush that he is letting opportunity pass him by. He is not seeing the forest for the trees. Right now, his biggest complaint is that stock prices are down and his mutual funds are dropping in value and he needs to get into gold because it is rising.

I asked him if he was living off the return on the stocks or mutual funds.

He responded with a "No."

So why is he worried about the falling stock prices and the need to get in on the rising gold commodity? He is worried, because, the media is making him worry. They are all about doom and gloom...that is what sells newspapers. When was the last time a 3rd grader winning a local spelling bee made the front page of a national newspaper? Hmmm, maybe never...I may be wrong but I doubt it.

Lately, it has been all doom and gloom: who is sleeping with who, who embezzled money, who committed murder, and which celebrity is off to rehab, again. As well, almost daily on the front cover of any newspaper are stories about rising oil prices, falling stock prices, gold going through the roof and people losing their homes.

With headlines like that it is understandable for my friend to fall for all the bunk. He may never come to his senses and realize that it is best to stay the course, accumulate, and, above all, NOT panic. Now is the time for him to increase his mutual fund and stock holdings. Now is the time to scrape up some cash and buy some real estate, it doesn't have to be a house but it certainly should be some dirt. Dirt? Dirt as in earth, an acre, a farm, anything that is more dirt than development.

Why? Just like gold, there is only a certain amount of surface space on the planet. So, why not own a little piece of it? It makes good sense to own land. It can be used as collateral in future projects. Unlike gold, it is a little more difficult to steal. Carry your gold in a brown canvas bag, pretty soon a modern day Robin Hood will be helping himself to your gold. While, Robin will certainly rupture a disc if he plans on taking all your land, one tractor load at a time.

Right now, real estate is at a good place for investors. There are a lot of foreclosed properties and more on the way to choose from. While I understand that it may not appear as a good thing to profit from other people's misery, remember you are not the one who forced those people to get themselves into a situation they knew fully well they were not prepared to handle. If you can relieve a bank from holding on to a worthless property (it is worthless for as long as they hold it).

Trust me it is a liability for the bank to hold property, it only becomes an asset when they get rid of it. Just like the homeowner, no matter how you slice it, until the mortgage is paid off that castle is a liability.

I am certainly not saying anything new. I am just saying that there are still plenty of people out there that run for cover the moment someone cries that the sky is falling. That's why it's worth repeating every once in a while. Especially in these near uncertain times. My friend has been warned.

Let's tag this with:
Dave Guerra, Gold, Asset, Liability, Real Estate, Economy, Stay The Course, Stocks, Mutual Funds

Sweating the Small Stuff...

In last Thursday's Wall Street Journal (03/27/08) a small article on the front page caught my eye. The article, titled "Freedom's Ring: Kosovo Covets A Dialing Code", is about how the newly independent country of Kosovo (formerly of Serbia, which is formerly of Yugoslavia) is quite adamant about getting an international dialing code. Right now they share it with Serbia.

At this time the only way to get an international dialing code is not by calling AT&T but by joining the United Nations. This might not seem like a big deal, it is when you have to wait to join the U.N. and your newly formed country's credibility hinges on getting all the T's crossed and I's dotted as fast as possible. Why does this matter to the new Kosovars?

Imagine something as little as an International Dialing Code being just as important as the Kosovar national flag, Kosovar national anthem, or the Kosovar Independence Day. All symbols of national identity, yet if one wants to call the Kosovar Parliament, they still have to dial a Serbian phone number. So much for true independence?

Yet, these new Kosovars are willing to endure just about anything for the opportunity of getting an International Dialing code. The WSJ story mentions an incident of Anton Berisha, chief telecom regulator of Kosova, along with his daughter and aunt came under gunfire by people he believes are part of a Serbian telecommunications company that lost a mobile phone license auction to a Slovenian company. That was not all, two weeks after the gunfire; attackers assaulted Mr. Berisha again, with one firing an RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade) at him and his security detail, luckily it caused no grave damage or injuries.

So, for the foreseeable future, if you find yourself in Kosovo and want to order some of the local cuisine from the Pristina Grand Hotel Cafe in Pristina (Kosovo 's Capital) then dial the Serbian International Dialing Code of 381 plus the number (38-20211).

There you have it, when people tell you not to sweat the small stuff. Always remember in Kosovo's case, the small stuff is what countries are made of.

So sweat away!!!

Let's tag this with:
Dave Guerra, Kosovo, Kosovo Independence, Pristina, Kosovar, Telecom, Anton Berisha, International Dialing Code, United Nations,Wall Street Journal,Sweat the Small Stuff,Pristina Grand Hotel Cafe

Gold (not that I told you so but...)

Just a quick follow up to my last post on GOLD and my friend. Well just when I thought I was going to have to eat crow out of a golden pie pan, I was denied. Seems that the quick upswing in gold prices (over $1000/oz) was just that: a quick upswing. Gold closed today at $916.35/oz.

So does this mean that the bottom is about to fall out on the gold market?
NO, it means that a chance for my friend to get into the game may be not that far off. Still anything over $900 is riding a wave that will crash. I say pull the trigger on your buy order when things start to stabilize and the up-swing returns. Hmmm, why does this sound a lot like channeling stocks? Uh, because it is.

In the end, I still say find the next wave and there is always another wave. Do your homework and don't let the media do it for you. 'nuff said.

let's tag this post with:
Dave Guerra, Gold, channeling, stocks, commodity

Always believe in, because you are GOLD!!!

Gold (another 80's reference)....a guy that I know came up to me on Thursday and said, "Gold!" and I said what? He then proceeds to tell me that the price of gold was close to a thousand dollars an ounce and how it is time to buy. I looked him right in the eye and asked him if he was serious and with a serious face he said "Yes."

It was with a heavy heart that I asked him why was he riding a wave that everyone else is going to ride? He gave me a puzzled look. I restated my question, why do you want to get in on something that everyone else has gotten in on? His response was a priceless puzzled look. I told him, "Right now you see the price of gold is at the top of a wave and like every wave it will come crashing down. Now, don't get me wrong GOLD will never be worthless but if you go in now with a minimum $10K block at the current price (approx. $980/oz.) and when the price corrects itself, it will be lower than the starry eyed price you see now and your $10K will be worth a lot less."

He responds, "but they say it will go up."

I say, "Just like 'they' said to the Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) holders that the interest rate will go down and now look at them," again another puzzled look, "What I am trying to say is that those that are talking are the ones that want you to dump your money into something so they can get out, make a profit, and leave you holding the bag."

So what did I recommend?
I recommend to my friend. Find the next wave and jump on while it is still growing and then get out just as the news media starts to leak the story to the public. He again gave me this look of utter confusion. I asked him if he had been tracking the price of gold or did he just happen to hear about the price of gold in the press? Reluctantly, he stated that he had just heard about it. Well my friend, it is time for you to start doing your homework and quit thinking like everyone else. Remember, $984 is the price of entry, the price to play. You have to give up $984 of your money just to get in the game, the last best time to have gotten in the game was on Monday, April 2, 2001 when Gold closed at $255.95. Guess what? That Gold ship has sailed!!!

I told him to look at other commodities such as foodstuff, other precious metals, and pharma. Find the next big hit, get in, and ride the wave for the long haul, get out just as it is starting to crash, which usually occurs when the media gets a hold of what is happening. Good Luck (after all isn't that what playing the market is truly all about?)!

FULL DISCLOSURE: I do not hold a position in Gold as a commodity. As of this writing, the closing price of Gold was $972.50 per troy ounce (London Fix).

and now the actual 80's reference:


let's tag this post with:
Dave Guerra, Gold, markets, Commodities Trading, ARM, rates, Spandau Ballet

Resolution Revisit

Yeah it's that time of the year again. OK, the third time out of twelve times. Today, here in Texas it is Super Tuesday and I do so hope you exercised your right as a citizen of the United States of America, that's all I am going to say about politics and the political process.

Now on with the show...Where do I stand on my resolutions? So far, I would have to say 50-50. I have been running and eating better still somehow managed to gain a few pounds (well 2) however, I am not discouraged.

As for the reading here is where I am at:
- January: Join The Conversation by Joseph Jaffe (which I started reading over the holidays in December)
- February: Be, Know, Do by Frances Hesselbein (Introduction), California School of Organizational Studies at Alliant International University Staff, Richard E. Cavanagh (Foreword by), Eric K. Shinseki (Introduction)
- March: In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

I know that I said in February that Microtrends was on deck but when it came time buy the book, NPR had an interview with Michael Pollan and I was hooked, so Microtrends never made it into the shopping cart. Good thing for me, because two weeks ago 800-CEO-READ was offering something really cool. If I sent them $20, they would give the money to the ROOM TO READ organization, and 800-CEO-READ would send me three books from their vast holdings. Cool idea so they got my $20, well ROOM TO READ got my money. About two weeks later three cool books arrived at my door in the classic 8CR box. When I opened the box "with unbridled avarice" (to quote one of three favorite Christmas movies) what did my eyes see, right on top???? You got it...Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow's Big Changes along with The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy, and Don't Gobble The Marshmallow...Ever!

So that pretty much sets me up, with reading, all they way to the end of June. None of this is taking into consideration any of my MBA reading requirements and I assure you they are quite hefty.

Enough about me, how are you and your resolutions doing?


A Nice Thank You Note from 800-CEO-READ


The books in my 8CR Mystery Box:


let's tag this post with:
Dave Guerra, MBA, Reading, Join The Conversation, Joseph Jaffe, Be, Know, Do, In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan, 800-CEO-READ, Room to Read, Microtrends, The Energy Bus, Don't Gobble The Marshmallow, 8CR Mystery Box, New Years Resolution

Clock on wrist = Watch

This past weekend, something interesting happened. My son learned what a watch is. He turned three years old this week and he had previously known what a clock was and what it did. Of course, he cannot tell time but he understands the concept of what a clock does.

Well, this week my in-laws are in town and my son's grandfather was wearing a watch. My wife and I do not wear a watch as our cellphones have long since replaced a watch or the need to wear one. For almost all of my son's life he has not seen a watch on our wrist. Then when he saw it, he naturally said "you got a clock on your hand"

That's when it hit home. We are fast approaching a time in our history when wearable timepieces will be obsolete. Of course, when the long awaited and highly coveted “Dick Tracy Two-way Wrist Radio/TV” unit is finally made available things will certainly change but for now, they will never experience having to look at their wrist to tell the time. I sit here and wonder what else they will never experience, who knows maybe they will never experience owning an automobile.

I was reading something in today's (02/29) Wall Street Journal that mentioned in Japan, youth are leaning more towards not purchasing a car because they don't see the benefit of doing so. As they are more and more tied into the Internet, the need for a vehicle diminishes. They can order just about anything they want/need on the Internet and have it delivered. That along with their already cramped quarters pretty much anything they could ever want is within walking distance, so the need to own a car is quickly vanishing. What else is quickly vanishing from our kid's lives and being replaced with or substituted for?

Interesting times ahead for them and us.

let's tag this post with:
Dave Guerra, Wall Street Journal, Seiko watch, clock, Dick Tracy

...at my own risk

Who stands to win or better yet who stands to lose now that the Supreme Court has unanimously "upheld the right of workers to sue over losses in the 401(k) retirement-savings accounts in some circumstances..."? The Wall Street Journal reported in February 21, 2008 Personal Journal section that the issue in the case before the high court was "whether federal pension law, which allows lawsuits on behalf of a group of employees, also allows an individual to sue over losses in his own account in a 401(k) or similar plan" provided that those that run the plan do not carry out your instructions. The Supreme Court's intent was to (hopefully) head off any possible losses to the plan as a whole.

While this makes a world of sense, to me, this sounds like we are but a few trials away from individuals suing fund/plan managers because the market fell out from under a plan or mutual fund. Then this would ultimately lead to any investor suing another for not buying shares of XYZ Corp. (which would raise stock prices) or sue their broker for not offering advice to buy into Apple Inc. when it was at $5/share (November 28, 1986's closing price).

To me, there is just something fundamentally wrong when people are told to read the prospectus and still complain when things go south. Knowing fully well that "past performance is not an indicator of future results." Rest assured that I am all for catching bad guys when they do something wrong.

I am also sure that there are safeguards built in to this, but what was once thought impossible is now reality. This means that a door that was once thought locked is now left wide open for people to cry foul then of course there will always be someone who will cry a little louder than the rest. Unfortunately, he will be heard and he will win, but at what price?

And that's why I buy low and sell high...at my own risk.

let's tag this blog post with:
Dave Guerra, 401k, Supreme Court, Wall Street Journal, Fund Managers, Apple, XYZ Corp

At the sharp end of the view....

things are certainly as they appear. This week was truly a good one in all sense of the word good. I am about 99.999% over that two week cold/sinus condition and that is definitely a big plus.

That was not all that was good this week. I was excited to get into some of the new media activities that found themselves occurring this week. Joseph Jaffe over at JaffeJuice was part of the exciting MyOOVOOday event. It was where Jaffe in "9 sessions and 41 people in really awesome conversation" would get online using the oovoo software to make it happen. Technical difficulties prevented me from being the 42nd individual in the conversation. Not wanting to be left out I asked Mr. Jaffe if future myoovooday sessions would be made available and from what I have been able to pick up, there may be more on the way. So stay tuned kiddies.

However, that was not all that was going on. Noted author Seth Godin was promoting his latest book MEATBALL SUNDAE by way of a series of teleseminars through Elizabeth Marshall's "Author Teleseminars.com". So I spent my lunch hour this past Thursday listening to Seth Godin, Keith Ferrazzi, Mitch Meyerson, and Andrea J Lee deliver some great and valuable information. There was my "Chance to Hear Seth and Top Experts Without Leaving Your Office or Spending a Dime" and I took big time advantage of it.

To round out the work week, this past Friday I kicked off an idea that I had been toying with for quite a long time: The 12 o'clock Brown Bag Lunch Training series (12BBLT). The 12BBLT is a series of hour long software and hardware oriented training sessions from managing Email to creating strong passwords to installing/upgrading memory on your PC to installing and configuring a wireless adapter on your network. Right now, I have over 12 sessions ready to roll and with the first one successfully under my belt I have ask myself what took so long?

Well, no matter what I am glad that I did it and that people I heard speak this week continue to instill in others the idea that it is OK to do something you like. All the while giving everyone the tools to be successful at doing what they like.

As you can see it has been a great week, all the while being Dad, Hubby on V-Day, and an MBA student. See what can happen when you have 24 hours every day...wait a second you do!

let's tag this blog post with:
Dave Guerra, Joseph Jaffe, oovoo, myoovooday, Seth Godin, Keith Ferrazzi, Mitch Myerson, Andrea J. Lee, Meatball Sundae, Never Eat Alone, Mastering Online Marketing, Money, Meaning and Beyond, Elizabeth Marshall, Author Teleseminars, Training, 24 hours a day

What happens when the $1000 bagel goes stale?

I got to thinking about a National Public Radio news report, back in December. It was about the $1000 bagel in New York City. The reports mentions that within the city there also exists a $10K Martini and a $25K Sundae and not to be left out, the Westin New York at Times Square serves, with 24 hours notice, a $1000 bagel. According to the Westin's chef, it is made of a plain bagel, Mascarpone cheese, a wine jelly, the so rare and so expensive white truffles, and what seals the deal at $1K; Edible gold. Yep, there it is the 100,000 penny bagel. So what happens when the $1000 bagel goes stale?

Yes, I know it's a bagel, made of yeasted wheat dough that has been boiled then baked. Real simple. However, it does go stale. So what do you do with $1,000 investment of bread that no one wants to eat? Can you recover your investment by selling the $1,000 Penicillin mold? Good Luck.

Seriously, though what happens when you invest in something (remember baseball cards?) and then something occurs to cause the investment to go stale. What then?

Alright, let's take a look at a 1985 Topps #181 Roger Clemens (RC - Rookie Card) Graded in NM - Near Mint or Better condition which has gone from a high of $16.00 (08/11/2007) to a low of $5.50 (02/11/2008). Talk about flying a lead balloon (and it continues to drop). So all those kids, back in the 1980s and 1990s, that were going to cash-in when the Rocket went Hall of Fame are now left holding a shoe box full of cards that are fast growing stale.

Considering recent revelations about Human Growth Hormones, Needles, Trainers, and Hearings things don't look so good for the Rocket and neither does it for those kids, now adults, with stacks of Clemens Rookie Cards.

Unfortunately, bagels cannot become unstale but with rookie cards that's a different story. Remember Pete Rose / Charlie Hustle's 1963 Topps #537 (RC - Rookie Card) which has been hovering around the $400 to $350 range for some time now and everyone knows the troubles Rose has had.

In the end, what does this have to do with bagels? Well, let's just file this under "what seems like a good thing today might not be so good tomorrow", so hold on to those cards a little longer but throw that moldy bagel away.

tags: Dave Guerra, NPR, The Rocket, Pete Rose, $1000 Bagel, Westin Times Square, Baseball Cards, Rookie Cards

In the morning, do you wake up to "pursue shareholder value or

In the morning, do you wake up to "pursue shareholder value or exceed customer expectations..."? And is that (or something similar) your reasons for getting up?

If you say Yes, then something might not be right. I don't know of anyone that has that kind of attitude or purpose. Those that do might just be kidding themselves. Anne Deering puts it best when she wrote, and as well as mentioned in the book Be-Know-Do, "Our personal identity and purpose cannot reside in this type of objective...We need to dig deeper to find what truly drives us--our calling in life--and then translate this calling back to into our work context."

So what does all this mean? It means that if you have priorities that are about the job and not inclusive of yourself or your family then there is fundamentally something wrong. Now I am not pointing fingers nor am I passing judgment but what I am doing is stating a fact. A fact that declares that in order to be good to anyone or anything else you have to be good to yourself.

Let me clarify, many years ago I along with a few other people were asked to make a list of those people and things that were important to me. Each of the other people, at the top of their list, placed their Family and their God or vice-versa. Then it was my turn to announce my list. I started off with, that while I do agree that family and faith should be at the top of any list, I have someone different in my top spot: Me.

I got the most puzzling looks, but as I continued with my reasoning their looks of puzzlement turned to looks of understanding. I said that in order to provide my family with the best that I can and also to be a good [[enter religion here]] I have to make sure that I take care of myself otherwise if I fail to provide for myself first then I will fail to provide for anyone. So as conceded as it may sound I must take care of myself first. This is where Self-Discipline comes into play.

After all it is Self-Discipline that set people apart from one another. Self-discipline is "the training that one gives one's self to accomplish a certain task or to adopt a particular pattern of behaviour, even though one would really rather be doing something else."

Going back to my military days, self-discipline was what kept us going when we were cold, wet, and tired. While others would have given up because it was too cold or too wet or too late in the evening, we dug deep inside ourselves and pressed on, not because we were the only ones who could do the job. It was because we took the initiative and had the self-discipline to continue when all others would have quit.

So what is your reason for getting up in the morning?

Something for you: Check out this vid on Discipline/Self-Discipline. Though the video has plenty of Football references, it's brief enough to define the need for discipline and even though it has Coach Bill Parcells and Irving Fryar, don't let that distract you from the message. As for the Cat's In The Cradle song reference at the end, well there is nothing I can do about that ;)


tags: Dave Guerra, Anne Deering, self discipline, Be Know Do, Leadership

Fix my car?

You probably have heard this before and I know I tell people this everyday so let's do it one more time.

Let's say you are an automobile mechanic and one day I take my car to your shop, tossing you the keys I say "Fix It!"

You give me a puzzled look and ask, "Fix what?"

Then I know this is the last thing you want to hear but I say, "You are the mechanic, fix my car" and I leave.

Is this anyway for people to communicate? NO. Absolutely not, yet it happens thousands (if not millions) of times every single day. Too much telling and not enough leading.

So what does one do to reverse that fact? Well, for starters one has to ensure that what you want to happen is 100% understood by those that will do it.

Basically, what I am eluding that you must ensure that you completely understand what you want. If you can't do that then having anyone else understand you will be a moot.

Take moment to make certain that those that you want to accomplish something, on your behalf, can do so without hesitation or question. If you are not able to get your message across, try a different approach. Keep trying until you are understood. Keep trying until you understand you.

tags: Dave Guerra, understand, getting things done, be understood, keep trying, Be Tenacious

I have a question (or two)

What's this two posts in todays??? I told you I was under the weather. Seriously, I have a question but before I ask let me set the stage.

Setting the stage:
I have been on Twitter and Pownce for the past several months and there have been a great number of posts that I have read over that time. Some have been about nothing in general and others have stirred the emotions and some have made me a bit more curious than I otherwise would normally have been. It's all good that is until today. Well, this afternoon to be specific. Someone actually wrote "Who do you follow on Digg? Top 3 users I watch for the most are"

The question:
This is NOT a shot at Digg but at the people that believe that if you are not one of the top tier Digg peeps then why bother.

Now the question:
Do you really believe that this is what Digg is all about?

I completely understand what Digg and the other services like it stand for, it should however, not be anyone's be all or end all.

FYI, If and when I follow someone that happens to be listed on Digg it is because I choose to and not because someone's popularity list told me I must.

It certainly is nice that I am starting to feel better.

tags here: Dave Guerra, Digg, Pownce, Twitter, Be Cool or be cast out

Running Like A Fox to Keep Up with Me

Yes, another Duran Duran reference (the blog title that is). It is also another attempt to mask the fact that this post is an overdue New Year's resolution update. So with full disclosure out of the way, thanks for stopping by and taking a few minutes of your day, to see how things are going here.

So as to not take more time away from you than need be here it is....
1. Went to Austin & San Antonio for some meetings and interviews and came home with a terrible sinus infection that, naturally, turned into a bad two week cold...long story short: lots of water, little exercise, little wanting to eat, lots of sleep=no reading.

2. Finally got some strength to write my long overdue review of a book that I will be posting here. (hopefully this weekend and hopefully before the end of the 10th Budweiser commercial during "name withheld for some crazy reason, that we would have been saying this time last year")

3. First class towards M.B.A. is well underway.

That's it. Talk to you soon, but before I go I do have one question for you to talk amongst yourselves with: Does the Writers Strike really affect original programming on TV? What I mean is TV stopped being original so long ago, so what if anything is affected?

tags:
Dave Guerra, update, New Years, travel, cold, MBA, book review

A word or two about Revenge

In my last post, Trump Traits, I included a list of traits as defined by CNBC on their series The Millionaire Inside about Donald Trump's Traits to Success. One of the traits listed, REVENGE, seems to be one that needs a little more defining.

In the TMI episode, Donald Trump said this of Revenge:
"There are a lot of bad people out there..if you have a problem with someone you have to go after them. And it's not necessarily to teach that person a lesson, it's to teach all of the people that are watching a lesson, that you don't take crap. And if you take crap you're just not gonna do well. So Be sharp, Be Smart. It's all about this (points to his head/brain) you have to have this to start off with. But you can't take a lot of nonsense from people. You have to go after them. I have always believed it."

My definition of Revenge goes a little like this:
There will always be people that will say you can't do it. That you don't have the pedigree, education, or the connections to do what others have done. I say that it is up to you to reach deep down inside and say to yourself that you are better than what others say about you. Always remember that every morning you wake up with yourself and the only person you have to impress is yourself. You be a better person today than you were yesterday and everything is good. By being better than yesterday you will soon find yourself doing much better than anyone expected or believed.

After all, isn't doing it your own way and humbling people along the way the best revenge?

tags: Dave Guerra, Donald Trump, Revenge , Trump Traits, CNBC, Millionaire Inside

Trump Traits

A couple of months ago a blog post titled "Rhythm is the Power" was about what Joseph Jaffe, Duran Duran and Donald Trump have in common. This week I was cleaning out the TIVO and ran across an episode of the CNBC's The Millionaire Inside with Donald Trump as the only guest. In the episode he mentioned key points that were critical to what he saw as success.

Now we can all sit here and say "Well, he can afford to follow the traits because he has millions to fall back on should something go wrong." While that may be true, you and I cannot let that kind of thinking hold us back. If we cannot totally wrap ourselves around these "Trump Traits" then we are doomed to "working for the man" until we retire believing that spending more hours in office will define our legacy. I personally do not see my legacy as a plaque on a desk that reads "Dave sat here for 20 years, did his job, and never asked for a new chair."

I see my legacy as one that my children and their children will pass on to their kids. So as I watched that episode of Millionaire Inside nee Billionaire Inside, the things that he talked about were concepts and ideas that are rooted in common sense. Just like Tom Peters, Dr. Stephen Covey, and others like them, teach the use of common sense is the prime factor for success. No need to get fancy and paint a pretty "touchy, feely" picture of success because they don't work unless of course, the picture is painted on a canvas based on common sense. So as the show progressed it was interesting to see that as The Donald got into talking about the path to his success he kept underscoring (albeit covertly) the role common sense played in his success. While I am not saying anything new, I am saying what others, to include Trump, have said over and over again.

Therefore, for many of us, we now have to ask; How long will it take to ensure that these "Trump Traits" sink into our thick noggins? How often do we have to be told these things? Then how long before we make that change? The answer my friends is real simple: AS LONG AND AS OFTEN AS IT TAKES.

Here are the Trump Traits as mentioned in the CNBC series: The Millionaire Inside

• Find Your Passion
• Be Tenacious
• Don't Fear Risk
• Revenge Can Be Good (don't take crap from people)
  
• Know Your Subject
• Negotiate Face to Face
• Build Your Brand (by being persistent)
  
• Get in the game (Real Estate...hmmmm)
  
• Think Globally (the world is truly flat)
• Negotiate a new deal
• Have a killer idea
• Implement your idea well
• Have Confidence
• Never Lose Focus

Each one of these traits has had volumes written about them. So I will not get too much into them now but I will revisit them from time to time. However, between now and then I invite you to think about this list and see how they apply to you and your situation. Also, figure out how by applying the traits you can create a legacy that can be passed along to future generations.

tags:
Dave Guerra, Donald Trump, Leadership, Legacy, Success, Entrepreneurship, Common Sense, Trump, CNBC

A Word Or Two

This post is a follow-up to the last post (Does Everyone Really Get A Vote?). The follow-up is more for those that did not get it.

The post was about YOU. It was about you going out and getting informed about ALL the candidates and what they stand for.

It was NOT about who I will be voting for or the party they belong to.

Like I wrote, the last post was about YOU doing your own HOMEWORK. Please note that I did not steer you in any specific direction except in one that leads you to self-acquired knowledge.

SIDEBAR: I truly believe there are 3 things not to talk about: Politics, Medicine, and Religion. The moment people start talking about specific politicians or political issues consider me closing the door on those people. Why? Because I guarantee you in my opinion those people are WRONG. So by me voluntarily closing the door, I would rather lose a friend than to create a new enemy.

Does Everyone Really Get A Vote?

As of this writing, the first Tuesday of November 2008 is a mere 319 days away. You can't tell that from the way the media is handling the Caucuses (isn't that a mountain range in the former Soviet Union) and the Primaries. One would think that with all this coverage the deal is done. So what are we as the voting public to do?

The media are so influencing our decisions that the candidates need not spend a single dollar more on advertising. The media has taken the lead by spinning the candidates the way they want to spin them. The candidates have done their job and now the media has taken it upon themselves to tell us who the cool kids are and who should be crowned Prom King or Queen.

This being the case, the media has for all intents and purposes has given us the final four to the big dance. This push from the media will continue with such fervor as we start getting closer and closer to the Conventions (Republicans September 1-4 & Democrats August 25-28), they will do what they can to continue to dictate as to who the party nominees will be. So what are we as the voting public to do?

Very simple...with 227 days to go before the first convention, you...no...WE have plenty of time to DO YOUR/OUR HOMEWORK. Know the issues (ALL OF THEM). Know the candidates (ALL OF THEM). Above all KNOW YOURSELF and WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU.

Doing this will guarantee one thing, when it comes time to cast your vote; YOU WILL VOTE FOR THE CANDIDATE YOU DECIDED TO VOTE FOR!!! not someone the media thinks you should vote for.

you bet I used tags here: Dave Guerra, 2008 Elections, Presidency, Candidates, Republicans, Democrats, Do your homework, Be Informed

Resolution Update #01-01

Here it is the first update to the resolutions of 2008. Here is how I am proposing to update on the progress of my resolutions. I will list the resolutions and I will make notes where something has happened with regards to achieving that goal.

Since 01/04/08:

1. Run in a 10K race: Ran 2 miles
2. Lower BP without the need for medicine: Ran 2 miles, 3 of the six meals since Friday were healthy oriented eating. Nobody said this was going to be easy.
3. Finish 2nd Draft of New Book by end of March: nothing
4. Drink less coffee: Drank only 5 cups in two days
5. Drink more H20: Drank 64 ounces a day for the past two days
6. Volunteer: Starting the search for ONLINE VOLUNTEER Programs.
7. Read one new book a month: Be Know Do: Leadership the Army Way, Adapted from the Official Army Leadership Manual to be delivered on 01/07/08.
   ON DECK: Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow's Big Changes by Mark Penn, E. Kinney Zalesne, E. Kinney Zalesne

tags:Dave Guerra, running, Microtrend, coffee, water, FM 22-100, Leadership, US Army

Update to the Resolutions

A couple of days ago I posted my resolutions for 2008 and discovered that there were two things seriously missing from my resolutions:

6. Volunteer (any suggestions would be appreciated)
7. Read one book a month

There we go, seven resolutions sounds like a lot but it can be done. So if I can do it, we all can do it. All it takes is one step.

At first, that is until the ball is really rolling I will post one update a week on how the resolutions are going. Then I will drop it down to once every other week.

So here they are in order:

1. Run in a 10K race
2. Lower BP without the need for medicine
3. Finish 2nd Draft of New Book by end of March
4. Drink less coffee (I know it's blasphemy but I gotta do what I gotta do)
5. Drink more H20
6. Volunteer
7. Read one new book a month
   

tags: Dave Guerra, Resolutions, Plan, Change, 10K race, blood pressure, book writing, coffee, water, Volunteer,
Read a Book

Now for something completely fresh

Earlier I wrote a few lines of advice on how to set a goal and what it takes to get to achieving it. So now I will take a dose of my own medicine. I present you my goals for the first half of 2008:

1. Run in a 10K race
2. Lower BP without the need for medicine
3. Finish 2nd Draft of New Book by end of March
4. Drink less coffee (I know it's blasphemy but I gotta do what I gotta do)
5. Drink more H20
   

This is a simple set of goals, think about it though. Doing all of this will create some collateral benefits such as weight loss, increased stamina, focus, and an overall sense of well being. In any situation have increased stamina, focus, and an overall sense of well being helps create a great counter to stressors. Anything that helps reduce stress makes you a much better person.

On that note, I leave you with my first 5 goals for the first part of 2008. What are your goals?

Tags: Dave Guerra, Plan, Change, Goals

It's 2008 & a new opportunity for something fresh

By now, January 2, you have probably been inundated with talk about the new year being an opportunity for change. Change your image, change your appearance, change your attitude, change you.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. This time of the year we all tend to fall into that trap (those hot, tight, ripped bods are all over our television screens) because we see something that appeals to us and we want a piece of that action. There is nothing wrong with wanting to look like them, however there is a point where reality sets in.

What does that last sentence mean? It means that if you don't already look like those hot bods, then rest assured that after one workout you won't as well. So no matter what you are wanting to do whether its getting a raise, start your own company, get published, or lose a few pounds from all that holiday partying, you are going to have to take a common sense approach. So here are few things to keep in mind.

1. Know what you want to accomplish
2. Set a realistic goals
3. Develop a plan to meet your goals
   
4. Collect your resources
5. Refine your plan
6. Solicit support from others
7. Refine your plan
8. Put your plan into Action
9. Make adjustments to you plan

See a trend in this list...it is important to keep your plan fluid, dynamic, always changing. This is the dose of reality that I mentioned. Say for instance, in my case I like to jog in the mornings. However, I do not run in the rain nor do I run when temp is below 45F so on those days I have alternate, I don't like doing it but it does keep the body moving. So if you goal is to start a new business but you don't have the revenue to open a storefront, this should not derail your plan but build into a plan a way to generate that revenue.

So take some time today and get the ball rolling, just remember that it may take sometime to get to full speed. Just remember it will take some time, remember the farmer can't grow a crop of wheat overnight, he has to be patient and keep at it until the wheat is ready to be cut.


Dave Guerra, Happy New Year, Plan, change