The Ultimate Investment

I’m a loan officer.  I work for a major regional bank.  I’ve made over $300 million in loans to small, medium, and large businesses.  I’ve given loans to start ups, emerging and well seasoned businesses.  I’ve lent as little as $1,000 for a credit card to over $50 million to one valued customer.  This article will help you to know what information to gather when applying for your own business loan.  In my experience those who are the best prepared have the greatest success in obtaining financing.  Don’t leave it to chance.  The trick of getting a loan is to know why,   >> [Read the rest of the post]

I'm trying to lose a few pounds.  Well, actually more than a few.  Problem is, with my profession, I tend to eat out a lot.  It's hard, especially when I like such a variety of foods . . . and chocolate.  It becomes a daily struggle of what, and how much to eat.  If I choose poorly I'll never achieve my weight loss goal. One critical thing that helped is developing a plan; taking time to write out what foods I'll eat, when I'll eat, and how much I'll eat.  I included times when I could fudge a bit, listed out   >> [Read the rest of the post]

There is a certain senior executive at a consulting company.  He is well-regarded for his wisdom and sound counsel.  Many come to him for help evaluating ideas and solving problems. In each case, if he can help, he does.  If he can’t, he tells them quickly so they can seek help elsewhere.  On one particular instance a man suffering financial difficulties came to him for counsel.  The man outlined his plan for correcting his problem.  The consultant listened carefully.  He was familiar with this man's area of business.  He had some ideas that would be of great benefit.  Something constrained him from speaking. The consultant   >> [Read the rest of the post]

We’re all consumers.  What separates a top brand from all the others?  What separates a mega-star from an ordinary actor?  What separates haute cuisine from a plate of spaghetti?  There’s a mysterious gap between the top tier and the next in line. You’ve seen examples of very competent and talented singer / musicians who never hit top level status.  You’ve also seen examples of mediocre talent rake in fame and fortune.  Why?  What’s the difference? It’s that something extra.  It’s sometimes hard to pinpoint but it’s there, even if it isn’t readily identifiable.   Think of top performers in your work.  Are they smarter?    >> [Read the rest of the post]

A young man stepped out his door to seek his fortune and leave his mark on the world.  As he was leaving the beautiful valley in which he’d been raised, he began to look more closely at the things he’d taken for granted his whole young life.  There were the pine covered mountains, the old homesteads, the barns and the cattle, the dirt roads, the dogs and cats, the deer in the pastures grazing with the horses.  The scene was peaceful and serene.  Then he looked closer.  All around, apparently unnoticed by others, were strewn small bits of trash and discards.    >> [Read the rest of the post]

I've always heard the saying, "When a student is ready a teacher will come." This is true. There are teachers all around us. Everything we see, everything we do contains a lesson. The next time you notice something interesting, stop and ponder. Ask yourself what you can learn from what you just noticed. Then sit quietly.  Pretty soon the lesson will come. For example: I once got up early in the morning to watch the sunrise. Across the pasture sitting on fence posts I saw two large, majestic birds spreading their wings to bathe in the early dawn light. They were beautiful. Awe inspiring. On closer   >> [Read the rest of the post]

When I was young all my friends were fascinated with dirt bikes.  One of our friend’s Dad bought him one.  Boy, were we envious.  We would gather and watch him kick it started, peel out, and race over jumps we had constructed just to watch him fly.  He got really good at it, a real miniature Evel Knievil.  None of the rest of our parents would let us have dirt bikes.  They were too dangerous.  One of us would surely get killed.  But, oh boy, did we try to kill ourselves with our pedal bikes trying to imitate the same jumps   >> [Read the rest of the post]

I recently attended the funeral of a friend who’d suffered an accidental death.  Prior to the funeral there was a viewing where friends and relatives could offer condolences to the surviving family.  This friend left a wife and five children.  Two of the children are grown and married with children of their own.  He also left parents and two brothers. While waiting in line to speak with the family, there was a slideshow playing on a large screen showing images of this man’s life.  There were scenes of family horse rides, family gatherings, family photos and scenes of him coaching football   >> [Read the rest of the post]

Lisa thought she would enjoy being in business, so as she attended a university, she declared business as her major.  She graduated with her bachelor's degree and wasn't quite settled with what she finally wanted to end up doing, so she started going for a master's degree in business.  One semester away from graduating she realized she really didn't enjoy business at all.  In fact, as she thought about it, the real reason she went into business was because she felt she would make more money when she graduated.  That was probably true, but she finally realized making money wouldn't bring   >> [Read the rest of the post]

Sharon had saved up for a long time to go on a special vacation to Hawaii.  She'd figured out her whole itinerary.  Everything she wanted to see and do was planned out to the minute.  When she got there, she rushed from site to site, activity to activity, trying to get everything done she'd planned.  Before she knew it, the trip was over, and she was exhausted and unhappy.  She hadn't enjoyed it a bit.  Being so intense on doing everything she'd planned kept her from achieving the real purpose for which she went . . .  to relax and have a   >> [Read the rest of the post]