What I feel most in commerce and industry fail to appreciate is the worlds economy is entering a critical period and their industry will not pass through this unscathed. I believe many have already been affected in deleterious way. I believe a number of factors cause this apparent oblivious condition to what is occurring in the global economy.
Firstly the intent of specialized education is to encourage people to cut off from all else and focus exclusively on their profession, in the interests of the commercial machine. Secondly, those who act as the front people for commercial interests took the money from the masses with ease during the good times. Now times are changing and becoming ‘tougher’, these same people are not about to educate the industry masses on what they need to do to empower themselves. Their methods of profiteering will only become more sharp, and less about you and more about the commercial machine. Desperate times lead desperate people to do desperate things. These models of commerce are not interested in change for the betterment of the world and the masses.
This is what I predict – most workers will be affected by the global economic downturn in ways they had not considered, not prepared for, and are not equipped to deal with. Yes, a shocking and controversial relative to what your industry ‘educators’ are telling you. And I would be happy if my predictions were off-track. But I don’t think they are.
Therefore I watch with interest as the majority in the work force seek to solve the problems of the new economy with solutions of the past. This will not work. The old values will not work. The era of lying, cheating and stealing is coming to an end. The era of economic entitlement is coming to an end. You are going to need to develop new values, new skills and work in new economic models. But don’t expect the average trend-spotting ‘educator’ fronting for a commercial interest to tell you this.
So I understand if my message is ridiculed and rejected. After all most of my innovations in physical preparation have been. Until of course, they reach a critical mass of acceptance at which time the trend-spotting ‘educators’ become not only experts but publish these ideas in the absence of referencing, for professional and commercial gain.
I am not alone in my concern for those who fail to read the economic writing on the wall.
This Bloomberg interview with Nouriel Roubini was sent to me. For those who are not aware of him, this is a extract from Wikipedia:
Roubini is an American economist. He anticipated the collapse of the US housing market and the worldwide recession which started in 2008 and ended in 2009. He teaches at New York University’s Stern School of Business
In a little over 3mins, he outlines what he considers could be the perfect storm confronting the global economy in the coming months. Given his track record, he is worth listening too http://bloom.bg/OolLAP
I say you need to take the blinkers of and look at the bigger picture. I say you need to ignore most of what you are being told to focus on. I recognize I may be alone in this message, but I will take no joy in looking back in the years to come if in hindsight you belatedly and in retrospect see the wisdom in this insight. Now is the time to take action, to move into the mind-set that will prosper in the ‘Age of Aquarius’.
To use a Napoleon Hill saying:
In every adversity lies the seed of opportunity.
I’m excited for the possibilities, but concerned for the masses who are trapped in the thinking they have been ‘taught’ to use. It’s not going to work in the new economy.
As a person who likes to develop and using sayings, in reference to the ‘new economy’, I now say:
There has never been a better or more important time than now to secure your future.
I commend those who did more than read my recent post – who took action:
Some people make things happen, some watch while things happen, and some wonder “what happened”?
Which person are you going to be? Because the world is changing – whether you are ready or not.
https://kosura.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Kosura-transperant-background.png00Ian Kinghttps://kosura.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Kosura-transperant-background.pngIan King2012-09-18 05:35:542016-06-26 03:35:34The world is changing - coming ready or not
When people list their goals it’s common to see ‘to be successful’ as a goal. Which raises question of what is the definition of success. Most people measure their success by conditioned responses e.g. the social importance of their careers, or their income.
I don’t agree with this. I am influenced by other definitions of success. There is the personal industry definition of ‘progressive realization of a worthwhile goal’. Then there is the spiritualist leaning towards the achievement of happiness in life as success. For me fulfilling one’s potential in the gifts they have is important. Creating a legacy of our time on the planet is another. Being a great parent and partner is another. Providing financially for those who depend on us another. Living life with choice another.
Note none of my definitions of success rank high or even exist on the physical preparation industry stereotypes of success.
I believe most of you are living your life in pursuit of the values imposed on you by conditioning of industry and upbringing. I am not suggesting this is wrong – but I am saying you are capable of more.
Fifteen years into my career, I had achieved things few if any had in my country and industry. Yet I realized that whilst I had ticked all the professional boxes and achieved the envy of my peers, I had very little to show for it financially speaking.
And I see this in the communication from many – the impact on their cash flow if they take a day or more away from their work. So I became a student of financial, business, and many other holistic disciplines. No, not what my peers do or did. But as a result – I now do what they can’t or will not. I work by choice – who I want to work with, where I want to work and when.
Will most of you achieve this? I doubt it. Why? Is it because you are not capable? Not at all. The first reason I know most of you won’t achieve this (in other words fail at this) is this – most of you won’t start. Simple as that. Your failure to make a start is a guarantee of your failure to achieve. Why won’t you start? There are going to be many reasons, including but not limited to:
That’s not what most of your peers are focusing on or doing.
What would they think?
You were raised to believe you didn’t deserve or could not achieve these things.
What would they think?
I need more information or other procrastinating concepts.
I will do x when y happens.
Then some of you who do make a start will quit. You will lack the determination to learn new mindsets and develop new skills. You will default to your old ways, your comfort zone. You will fall to the pressure of your peers, friends and family who don’t like that you are doing something they are not.
That’s why I say most of you will not achieve in the area of having choice in life. You see there are strong commercial forces that seek to keep you on the merry-go-round of the economic cycle. In their eyes you are on this earth to work, pay taxes, and pass on. You are not on this earth to learn how to get ahead, break away from the slavery and need to work every day or else you go backward, to learn how to rise above the masses, and to learn advanced ideas such as tax minimization.
So you need to decide – are you going to live your life on your terms or on someone else’s terms. Are you going to be a person of choice or a person of conformity to your industry’s values? Are you going to live life wondering what might have been or working towards what you can be? Are you going to fulfil someone’s definition of success for your life or your own?
Are you striving to be a ‘success’ in the eyes of conventional industry values? Which I believe is a failure to fulfil your potential. Or are you writing your own definition of success?
Only you can decide that. People who put their hand up and say ‘Ian teach me how I can live life with choice’ are not your average people. But I respect how most of you are compelled to be average.
https://kosura.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Kosura-transperant-background.png00Ian Kinghttps://kosura.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Kosura-transperant-background.pngIan King2012-09-18 04:37:572016-06-26 03:38:38Success and Failure
For over a decade now I have been training and mentoring people in the journey to developing leveraged and passive income, using the same business model. An email I received recently encouraged me to reflect on this experience.
To give some background, I like to use Robert Kiyosaki’s ‘cash flow quadrant’, where on the left hand side of the quadrant you have ‘E’ for employee and ‘S’ for self-employed. The Es have no control over their work or leverage income. The S have control over their work but no leverage. On the right hand side you find ‘B’ for business people, and ‘I’ for investors. They both have leverage, however the ‘I’s have passive or residual income. The great divide is leverage. On the left hand side there is no leverage. On the right hand side there is leverage.
So what’s so important about leverage? Your income is not limited to your personal exertion!
I know it’s not easy for humans to change, and moving from the left to the right hand side of this quadrant is change. In the last decade plus I have watched thousands put up their hand to ‘cross-over’ the entrepreneurial divide. They don’t all make it. That’s life. That’s human nature.
Yes, it can be hard work – developing new skills, new habits, and new beliefs. However let me share what I think is really hard.
Having a fixed income and watching cost of living rise. I think that’s hard.
Having little ability to raise your income and receiving unexpected large bills come in. I think that’s hard.
Having to turn up for work at times and places determined but other people – I think that’s hard.
Having to work with people you don’t necessarily like – I think that’s hard.
Not receiving income when you don’t turn up for work – I think that’s hard.
Worrying about the fact that if you miss days of work you will not receive income – I think that’s hard.
Falling behind on the bills because you did take some days off work – I think that’s hard.
Having to go to work knowing you are doing little more than paying the bills – I think that’s hard.
Spending more time with strangers in the work environment than with your kids or those you would prefer to spend time with – I think that’s hard.
Living with the regret you were not there at the crucial times for your kids when they were growing up because you had to go to work – I think that’s hard.
Realizing that if something were to happen to you your family would not be financially looked after because you can no longer go to work – I think that’s hard.
Getting older and realizing you will not be able to work for as long as you are alive, and wondering how you are going to support yourself and or your family in your ‘golden years’ – I think that’s hard.
Living in poverty during the final 10-30 years of your life because you can no longer work in the way you spent your life working and now there is no income – I think that’s hard.
Waking up one day to realize your adult life to date has been built on a flawed economic model – I think that’s hard.
I have also concluded that it would be lot easier to simply give seminars on how to become an entrepreneur and walk away after the 2-5 days course. After all, most do this, and the majority are conditioned to believe that this is the way to go. They go to a course on ‘business development’, and walk away with ‘all the information’ they need to succeed.
I note with interest listening to John C. Maxwell (US business leader, speaker and author) in a live presentation recently agree with my conclusions on this point – that staying with people until they achieve their success is a lot harder than giving them a course in how to do it for a few days and then walking away.
However the short term gains of taking someone’s money for a few day entrepreneur / business seminar are outweighed by the long term success of sharing the true financial success of your student.
So yes, I find some things hard also. However like most things in life hard is on a continuum. And I find ‘working for a living’, ‘working for money’, harder than creating a purpose based life for yourself and your family through entrepreneurial development which includes guiding others to share your entrepreneurial breakthroughs.
https://kosura.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Kosura-transperant-background.png00Ian Kinghttps://kosura.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Kosura-transperant-background.pngIan King2012-09-18 03:00:122016-06-26 03:44:52It's hard
I didn’t know what the word ‘entrepreneur’ was until I was in my mid 30’s. At this stage I took stock and realized with great shock that life hadn’t panned out as I had expected. Yes, I was one of if not the most successful and highly paid service providers in a rare space of physically preparing elite athletes. I had trained more athletes than anyone else in the world possibly. No-one I had met or know worked harder. I know this sounds arrogant but this is not a marketing piece for physical preparation – you don’t see me talk like this in that arena.
What was shocking though was my realization that for all my effort, for all my industry-recognized success, I had very little to show for it. I was time poor, and asset poor. I had great cash flow, but if I took a day off work – I was a day further behind on paying the bills. I have zero leverage.
I spent the next seven years as a student in the area of entrepreneurship, seeking to develop leveraged and passive income. When I say I was a student, I didn’t limit this to collecting information – I also took action, learnt by doing, and investing tens of thousands of dollars in my education. Yes, most of what I attempted in the next seven years caused me more pain, because it failed.
By 2001 I had mastered leverage and was on my way to creating residual income. In the ensuing decade plus I have guided thousands on this same path, and leant many lessons. I will share one of them with you.
It will take at least five years to develop the entrepreneurial mindset as measured by tangible success. You might be quicker, you might be slower. There are no guarantees on this. What I can guarantee you is this
If you don’t start you will never get there.
If you start and quit you will never get there.
And that is perhaps the most valuable lesson I can share with you from my pursuit of entrepreneurial success, both as a student, practitioner, and as a teacher, during the last eighteen years.
Your success will happen some years after you start. The longer you procrastinate, the further off that date will become.
I could sugar-coat it. I could tell you what many sharp marketers do, of the instant success you will experience. But I don’t – they won’t serve you.
I will share however my intrigue at how many will spend this time frame in a university course, so that they can graduate with an average of $100,000 in debt, and the right to pursue the forty year plan – work at a job for forty years, get paid a salary, and then retire broke forty years later.
Yet are not prepared to spend this same time in a real-world entrepreneurial ‘course’. It’s not one or the other. You can do both. It’s just that most feel ‘comfortable’ doing the forty year plan only. Isn’t that interesting….
https://kosura.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Kosura-transperant-background.png00Ian Kinghttps://kosura.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Kosura-transperant-background.pngIan King2012-09-18 02:00:022016-06-26 03:48:45It will take you five years
As you may have realized I read widely with a specific focus on finding solutions to challenges and limiting factors. One challenge we are all facing and will face in an increasing manner over the next few months and years is the deterioration of the worlds economy. Irrespective of whether you buy into the content of this particular article, I suggest you should take note of at least the following extract. It really is time to get out of your comfort zone, get off the couch, get out of the ‘group’ mentality, leave behind average…:
#5 What If I Don’t Have Any Money To Prepare?
In this kind of economic environment it is no surprise that I get this question a lot.
Many families are just barely scraping by each month and they do not have much money to put into anything.
And I can definitely sympathize with that.
However, I would say that there are very, very few families out there that do not have anything that can be cut out of the budget.
The truth is that American families are experts at blowing money on really stupid stuff.
In general, I recommend that all families do what they can to reduce their expenses.
The smaller of a financial footprint you have, the better off you will be and the more resources you will have to help you get prepared.
Also, now is the time to be looking for ways that you can increase your income.
For many Americans, starting a side business is a way to bring in some extra cash. Yes, this will cut into your television watching time, but now is not the time to be lazy.
The time you spend working hard now while the sun is still shining will pay off later.
Don’t be afraid to work harder than you ever have before.
https://kosura.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Kosura-transperant-background.png00Ian Kinghttps://kosura.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Kosura-transperant-background.pngIan King2012-09-18 01:00:372016-06-26 03:51:33Work harder now than you ever have before
Two years ago I wrote an article titled ‘Economic Reflections – 2012 and Beyond’ in which I sought to integrate the potential of three cycles that had the potential to impact global economics. These included economic cycles, natural cycles and social cycles. I reviewed these cycles with an eye to the year 2012. Note that as this year is now upon us, it is relevant to review the predictions and possibilities that I raised in my 2010 article.
The Economic Cycle
The dominant economic predictions raised in my 2012 article related to what many futurists describe as the 80 year cycle. A number of prominent authors pointed to the period 80 years on from the Great Depression of the 1930, which is the decade of the 2010s. So what is occurring in global economics that would point to the accuracy of these predictions?
The first signs of significant economic weakness was felt in what has been termed the ‘Global Financial Crisis during the years first decade post 2000. Many describe this as a period between 2007 or 2008 and 2009, with a subsequent recovery.
Personally I question that this recovery occurred, and apparently I am not along. The free online site Wikipedia appear to share this view, describing a period of 2007 to 2012.
The 2007–2012 global financial crisis, also known as the Global Financial Crisis and 2008 financial crisis, is considered by many economists to be the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s
I suggest that the period of 2007 to 2009 was so challenging most hoped it would end there and long term recovery would occur.
From this position late in 2012, I believe it is indisputable to say that we are now in a period of further economic decline.
Which leaves many to point to a recovery in the imminent future. With the national debts of most countries rising rapidly, and in the light of these debts relative to the Annual Gross Domestic Products of each of these countries, I take an outlook that is more bearish.
The European Economic Union is reeling from one challenge to the next. Once the US Presidential elections are over I suggest the realities of the US economy, currently facing a 16 trillion (and rapidly growing) national debt, will come to the fore. Australia and Asia have been shining lights, relatively speaking, throughout this GFC, however there is signs now that the Chinese economy is slowing, which will have significant and drastic effects on Australia, particularly through the reduced purchase of minerals. Australia has become, in my opinion, overly reliant on the mining boom to sustain its economic position.
So in summary of the economic cycles, the experiences of 2012 have served to support the theory that we are facing the greatest economic challenge of our lifetimes. There is nothing about recent history that would undermine the predictions made by US futurist Harry Dent some years ago when he wrote:
…our economy will worsen and that we will see the worst downturn since the 1930s between mid-to late 2009 and 2012…
This next ‘season’ in our economy will impact your life, family, business and investments more than any other economic era in your lifetime has done. If you thought 2008 was scary, 2010 to 2012 will bring on the greatest economic and banking crisis since the early 1930’s…
The social cycle
In my 2010 article I referred to the impact of astrological theories as to its impact on social change. To explain the significance of this I have turned to a relatively mainstream source, Wikipedia:
An astrological age is a time period in astrology which is believed by some to parallel major changes in the Earth’s inhabitants’ development, particularly relating to culture, society and politics. There are twelve astrological ages corresponding to the twelve zodiacal signs in astrology. At the completion of one cycle of twelve astrological ages, the cycle repeats itself. Astrological ages occur because of a phenomenon known as the precession of the equinoxes. One complete period of this precession is called a Great Year or Platonic Year[1] of about 25,920 years.[2]
The key points here were:
…is believed by some to parallel major changes in the Earth’s inhabitants’ development, particularly relating to culture, society and politics.
I made it clear in my 2010 article that not all are in agreement with the timing of the Ages:
Many astrologers believe that the Age of Aquarius has arrived recently or will arrive in the near future. On the other hand, some believe that the Age of Aquarius arrived up to five centuries ago, or will not start until six centuries from now.[4] Despite all references provided by various sources, astrologers cannot agree upon exact dates for the beginning or ending of the ages.
However we can now look retrospectively on social activity during the last two years -in part to give weight or otherwise to the relevance and accuracy of these predictions. What have we witnessed during the last two years?
There are very few countries that have escaped social unrest. Some to the point where governments have been overthrown, as was the case in at least one Middle East country. I suspect that many have not connected this social unrest to the broader economic conditions, however my personal belief is that they are tied.
If I am on track with my beliefs on this, I believe that the potential further decline economically will be matched by increased social unrest, in the short term.
The ‘Occupy Wall Street’ movement may have temporarily lost momentum, but is far from over, as today’s protest in Wall Street, New York, confirmed. And more pointedly,
The natural cycles
This is arguably the cycle most open to debate, with conflicting theories about what is happening to the world’s natural environment. Despite this, the governments of developed countries are seriously considering (or have implemented) a tax aimed at reducing factors that allegedly are causing global warming. I will leave you to determine for yourself the true intent of this tax.
My 2010 article referred to the strong suggestion in various ancient cultures that each 5,125 year time frame ends with a significant change, including natural changes – which, according to the ancient traditions (and supported by western science) for the past three cycles have ended with:
Fire and earthquake
Ice
Floods
To this end, much of the 2012 focus has been on the possibilities of significant natural earth changes.
With further debate as to whether this period of time is over or coming to an end, this is one cycle I am prepared to assess in a few years time, rather than judging the potential of this cycle from what we see now.
Where does this leave us?
Irrespective of whether people bought into the ‘2012 Prophecy’ or not, I suggest there would be very few now who are free of fear and optimistic about their economic future. However rather than leave you the reader with a state of negativity, let’s now review the action steps I recommended in 2012 – are they still relevant today?
The following are the 10 key characteristics of business activity I encouraged all consider in 2010, be it for economic survival or for the purposes of creating their wealth through business:
Have more than one income stream.
Get leverage. If you don’t have leveraged income, develop it by ensure that at least one of your income stream has potential for leveraged income.
Focus on your weakness. Once you have mastered the art of selling your time, shift the focus to developing more entrepreneurial skills such as leverage. Spent as much if not more of your focus on developing your entrepreneurial skills. It may not be easy, it may not be quick to develop, but it will be worth it. Very few of us in physical preparation have a background in entrepreneurship, so our skills in this area lag so far behind our sets and reps skills, many get disillusioned.
Sell products also. Selling services is time based. Selling products is not. Overcome that fear of selling or belief that selling is evil. You have the opportunity to add value to people’s life if you are selling an excellent product that has long term benefit to your clients.
Use the internet. Make sure you use the internet effectively to run and expand your business.
Go global. Engage in business activity in countries/currencies in addition to that of your resident country. There is always a country/currency doing better than yours at any point in time – are you benefiting from that
Ensure you are adding true, long lasting, life-impacting, value to the lives of others. This is as opposed to promoting, marketing and selling the latest piece of information or equipment because you need cash flow. I recommend you only promote/sell things that believe strongly in, have used for a long period of time, and have achieved success through mastery of it.
Operate your business with excellence, using excellent products. There is no substitute for excellence. You will attract clients, partners and colleagues who share your value in excellence. Do not compromise for short term benefits.
Operate your business with integrity and honesty. This includes placing the needs of your clients and business partners equal to if not ahead of your own.
Work with and learn from a mentor / mastermind group. Select your mentor/mastermind group from those who has/have achieved what you want (based on accurate research as opposed to believing the marketing pieces), and who is/are willing to work with you and consider your interests – and do the same for others.
In retrospect – I would not change them at all. They are still as relevant, if not more so now as they were two years ago.
One of the key points I made in my 2010 article what that the dominant models of business were at risk of dying, along with the old economic model, and being replaced by models more in tune with the suggested qualities of the Age of Aquarius:
One of the greatest hindrances to human advancement at this time is the lack of willingness to change the centralized economic power structures and financial controls that are now vested with relatively few, and disproportionately powerful, organizations and corporations. New models of economics of sharing and mutual empowerment will need to arise. This has already begun with certain forward-looking, globally oriented business practices…
Conclusion
I believe that the cycles of economy, social and natural are evident in this order. The economic cycle has showed its hand, leaving us with no doubt as the potential downside of this cycle. The social cycle is one step behind it, with what I describe as a growing level of social unrest, albeit at this stage for varying apparent reasons. The natural cycle can be said to lag further, and has not yet fully showed its direction.
My greatest focus and concern is not however what the world is doing – rather, what you and I are doing to counter and or manage these changes. Because change is what is happening. And change can be scary, it can create action-preventing fear. Fear is a normal human emotion – my recommendation however is to not allow it to prevent you from taking action.
There are two kinds of change, and you have a choice. You can choose change, or you can have change forced upon you. Both are scary. The change by choice involves courage, comes with some pain. The change forced upon you requires no courage, but will hurt a lot more. The choice is yours. Change is inevitable. Pain, fear and the unknown accompany both. The former allows you to control your destiny, and potential to become a victor of the challenges. The latter denies your control and condemns you to being a victim
I have taught this lesson verbally for many years now. It’s now time to teach it with more leverage. Because your world is about to change. I want you to go to this web site http://www.economist.com/content/global_debt_clock and spend a few minutes contemplating your countries and the worlds’ economic position and direction.
The solutions being used to save the situation are the same solutions that created the problems, and therefore, in my opinion, are doomed to fail. I believe this cannot continue. I believe that certain realities will come be bear in the near future. I believe it was be significant. I believe it will be painful for the overwhelming majority.
I choose not to go down with this economic ship. I have chosen to educate myself, take action, learn from experience, and guide others in this journey. This is my choice.
The solutions being used to save the situation are the same solutions that created the problems, and therefore, in my opinion, are doomed to fail. I believe this cannot continue. I believe that certain realities will come be bear in the near future. I believe it was be significant. I believe it will be painful for the overwhelming majority.
I conclusion I believe the directions of at least two of the three cycles I have reviewed are clear – the economic and social cycles. I suggest we have greater challenges ahead than we have passed behind, and I believe the next 5-10 years will bear these out. However rather than be filled with fear and concern, I choose to take action and not to go down with this economic ship. I have chosen to educate myself, take action, learn from experience, and guide others in this journey. This is my choice. You will make yours. Just remember. Choosing not to take action will not save you from pain. It will only increase it. And I take no delight in the years to come when you and I reflect back on this moment if you chose to ignore this message.
