Now a Word from Our Sponsor: Murders and Acquisitions 101

As I admitted in a previous post, my education over the last six months has been a bit scattered. The reason: Pretty quickly after I left my last soul-draining job, I knew with a certainty that I could never return to that business. I found myself, at the age of 52, trying desperately to figure out what I wanted to be when I grow up, only to realize that I’m already too old not to already be grown up! That, I’m afraid, threw me for a short while into a bit of a terror, and caused me to look in lots of directions simultaneously.

I’ll discuss some upsides to this educational approach as well as what I’m sure are the pretty obvious downsides, in a future post.

Previously, I was a controller for a mid-size company that had been purchased by a large company. This is not the first time I have had such a job, in fact the job before this one was almost identical in situation, activity, and scope. And I had actually made a sort of specialty out of taking mid-size businesses through acquisitions, helping them adapt to the new operating environment, modifying their accounting systems and reporting to make them compliant, and implementing new policies and procedures. Having gone through this a number of times, I have noticed a very persistent pattern, and it goes like this:

A mid-sized company has through dedication and hard work created for itself a track record of success and a bright future. It is very profitable. It has a wonderful corporate culture, is actually like a large, extended family. They have parties, share their personal lives, and see each other through dating crises, marriages, pregnancies, divorces, and family deaths. Home away from home.

Then, the mid-sized company is purchased by a large company, usually in an effort for the large company to “diversify.” The mid-sized company, because of its success and bright future, is purchased for top dollar by the acquiring company.The former owners are very happy, and sometimes go away, or are worked into the new top management team for the acquired company.

The new parent company’s financial people descend on the mid-sized company, auditing, evaluating, and changing everything. They force the smaller company to wrangle their accounting and program reports to fit into the scheme of the larger company. Because the smaller company is an attempt to “diversify,” their business is by definition different from the parent’s core business. This requires the smaller company to chop its numbers into odd, meaningless pieces simply to get them to fit into the new required format. Simultaneously, they struggle to maintain their previous, meaningful accounting and program reports because these actually help the management understand the business properly. This requires the financial staff to produce double the reporting, including a set that is demonstrably meaningless. Honestly, this is not my own bitterness speaking – I’ve watched this play out time after time.

Then, because the large company wants to reduce their own expenses and improve their rates, they begin allocating a portion of those expenses to the smaller company as “corporate allocations.” Because the smaller company has shown a history of inordinately large profits, the larger company applies these allocations with an increasingly heavy hand. In short order, the allocations require the smaller company to raise their prices to the customer in order to cover the additional layer of expenses. This makes them considerably less competitive on new business, and the struggle to maintain growth and retain customer base begins.

The last company I worked for was a defense contractor, and the smaller business had benefited from government-instituted “small business set-asides” prior to their acquisition, a boost given by the government to promote the development of small domestic suppliers. Being acquired by a large company, however, the smaller company no longer qualified for these set-asides, and they lost an important competitive edge. This, too, affected their success in the marketplace.

In the meantime, the larger company is seen by the employees of the smaller company as a bit of a nuisance, but nothing more (except for the accounting and human resource departments, which struggle to keep up with considerable changes without impacting the employees any more than necessary). However, the new corporate culture begins to seep into the smaller company: Rising costs make it increasingly difficult to maintain the regular parties and fun events that maintained esprit de corps. Employee benefits change, impacting the employees and their families in ways both large and small, almost always at least troubling. Bonuses begin a steady downward trend, until they are based in large part on Corporate performance standards rather than those of the smaller company – in other words, unless the parent has a good year, nobody gets a meaningful bonus. And further, they are often skewed toward top management in spite of management's best efforts in the interest of the employees,. Even tiny holiday bonuses, which the employees had come to rely on, begin to disappear in the struggle to maintain price competitiveness.

The result is a growing dark cloud over the offices of the smaller company. Bitterness increases, and the management of the smaller company struggles to maintain even paltry incentives for its employees. At this point, usually the most talented employees begin resigning, often lured away by competitors and customers. The business base eventually deteriorates, raising the concerns of the parent company, and further stressing pricing. That’s when the hideous specter of “reorganization” begins.

The parent company, compelled to rework this marginal business into their incompatible business structure (and motivated by the high price they paid for the smaller business in the first place), begins moving the smaller company into various positions within the larger framework. They move from business line to business line, each time adding new layers of allocations and often requiring that their accounting information be presented in new and even less meaningful ways to fit the new division they have been placed in. Besides the disarray this causes the accounting department, often the human resources department finds itself in the hapless position of changing employee benefits again and again to fit the new organizations.

I’ve seen the “end game” play out in three different ways: Either the parent company puts the smaller company on the block to sell it for whatever they can salvage; or they chop it into sometimes minuscule and meaningless pieces, fitting these arbitrary chunks into existing businesses that are as close as possible to their trade; or they are consumed by the Borg and lose any semblance of their former identity. Sometimes, if it is sold to a suitable buyer, this can result in a return to some semblance of normalcy. If it is assimilated entirely, that, too, can be okay – although it has by this point lost all of its “charm.” But the endless rounds of reorganization rarely go well for either the business, the customers, or for the remaining employees.

In the meantime, the halls of the smaller company are dark and joyless due to attrition and discouragement. Empty offices scold the remaining employees, making them feel like failures for not have left the sinking ship early in the game. Often the smaller company’s management team is removed or changed, eliminating what was once a central focus of employee motivation and loyalty. This is a dreary, thankless, demoralizing process, and I have sat through this “end game” twice to completion – and that’s why I simply can’t go back.

Please note: Every bit of the above analysis is my humble opinion. I am sure that viewed from another perspective the process looked very different, and perceived (or assumed) motivations may not been the real motivations for what transpired. Nevertheless, it is cathartic to put this process as I have observed it into writing. Honestly, it’s not that the large company is an “evil empire” – they’re just trying to do the best they can to assure long-term stockholder value and a firm foundation for the future. The problem is that they often do this while instituting short-sighted, bottom-line policies that quickly undermine what they’ve acquired. They’re somewhat like a child who captures a bug in a bottle, and “loves” it to death.

In the next post, I’ll discuss the range of my recent education, and why I believe my “shotgun” approach was helpful for me (and the price I’m paying for it).

Mission Improbable Part 4: Actively Creating Passive Income

Yes, we’re finally coming to it, at long last! You thought I’d never get to my business plan, my vision, my mission statement, my goals and objectives, my strategies! But yes, I’m getting there!

If the mindset (actually: Mindset, “Bodyset,” and “Spiritset”) were not so important, I would have put the Vision Statement in the first posting. But as a former bean-counter propelled suddenly into the world of entrepreneurship, the first step of realizing the necessary fundamental shift in my world-view was far more important than a business plan.

I have been aware since early on that my business approach would eventually be (at least) three-pronged, involving Real Estate Investment (the “First Habit LLC” part), Stock and Equities trading, and Internet Marketing, or some other kind of Internet-based business. So I began educating myself in all three areas. It made for a somewhat psychotic educational experience, but slowly the pieces are coming together, and I know it’s just a matter of time and effort.

A key goal of my business will be the generation of “passive income,” the Holy Grail of financial freedom. Robert Kiyosaki explains the process in Rich Dad Poor Dad: Poor people earn money from a job and buy “toys” and other Liabilities using that income. Wealthy people, by contrast, use the money they acquire from their jobs to buy Assets, and pay for their “toys” using the income generated by those Assets. That distinction is the definition of passive income: Liabilities cost money, while Assets are a source of money. When you buy an Asset – for example, an apartment building – you can rent out the apartments for monthly rental income. You will be paid that money month in and month out, as long as there are tenants. You earn this income whether you are working your nine-to-five job or not – and that’s why they call it “passive income.” When you earn enough in passive income each month to pay for your day-to-day expenses, you are financially free. You no longer need the job to pay your bills.

A new mentor of mine (whether he knows it or not) is a man by the name of Jordan Adler. I will tell you about my (remote) relationship with this man in a future post. (I’m sure he doesn’t even know who I am – yet.) But he has written a wonderful book called Beach Money, all about the power of passive income (and network marketing – more about that later, too). The “Beach Money” he refers to is money that you earn while you are lying on the beach – true passive income. He explains that when you work a “day job,” you get paid once for your work – you work one hour, and you get paid for one hour of work. But with passive income, you work one hour, and get paid over and over and over again – for years if you work it right. That’s the power of passive income, and that’s why it’s a central goal of my business plan.

Kiyosaki defines the “poverty cycle” of working a job to buy toys and pay bills as the “Rat Race.” Only by generating true passive income can we hope to escape the Rat Race and build the financially secure life of our dreams.

In these tumultuous times, with the threat of failure in the Social Security system, the decline of the dollar, the volatility in the stock market, and the insanity of the privatized health care system in the United States (including the stress that is being put on Medicare), I think we could do much worse than adopt this change in perspective regarding the treatment of money in our lives. Our futures, and the futures of the coming generations, depend on how we decide view the Rat Race – as a necessity based on a dysfunctional misunderstanding of the “work ethic,” or as a destiny to be escaped at all costs. Kiyosaki advocates prioritizing the acquisition of Assets even before monthly bills have been paid – escaping the Rat Race is that important.

As an aside, if you'd like to read an almost Apocalyptic vision of the future as predicted by Robert Kiyosaki's "Rich Dad" himself, pick up a copy of his book Rich Dad's Prophecy - it will scare the bejesus out of you!

Do you own a house? Do you consider that an “Asset”? Let me disabuse you of that notion. A family home is a LIABILITY – not an Asset. Think about it: Do you earn money from it every month? No – you pay money to keep it in good condition. And for what – resale value? I think the recent burst of the real estate bubble is evidence enough that even a family home is not “safe” as sources of passive revenue go.

There are ways to make the acquisition of real estate into an Asset – don’t misunderstand me. What I’m saying is that if you are counting on your family home as a “nest egg,” you’d better at least build a second nest to put some eggs in. Putting all of your eggs in the investment-basket of your family home is risky at best.

So what is the best Asset you can buy, when you’re just starting out? Is it stocks, bonds, or rental units? Is it gold, or other commodities? I’ll submit (along with Robert Kiyosaki, by the way) that the answer is Financial Education. Education, an “Asset,” you ask? Yes, Financial Education is perhaps the most powerful asset, because once you have it you will be attuned to the vast world of opportunities out there, and be in a position to wisely discern which opportunities are in your best interest.

As a former accountant, I understand Robert Kiyosaki’s Assets/Liabilities formula very well. But as clearly stated as it is in his book, I can tell you that this equation was never presented this clearly in any of my accounting classes. We learned how to keep track of other people’s money – not to build wealth for ourselves. This is an entirely different skillset, and a powerful distinction: true Financial Education is learning how to recognize and acquire Assets, and determine with reliability that they will generate passive income.

So having left my soul-depleting job back in February, and having now read Robert Kiyosaki’s powerful book Rich Dad Poor Dad (have I mentioned that this book is a must read?), I determined that my first course of action would be to expand my Financial Education.

As I said, my educational experience in the past six months has been psychotic – perhaps “multiple personality disorder” is a better description – but I know it will eventually come together in a workable package – it will just take the addition of that magic concoction of “Practice, practice, practice.”

I’ll speak more about the education I’ve pursued in a subsequent posting. Stay tuned!

Mission Improbable Part 3: The Key to the Law of Attraction

First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do. - Epictetus

This quote has always had powerful meaning to me. It seems so simple, and yet the wisdom of the ages seems lodged in it.

“Becoming” starts with a Vision of the future, and is followed by a lot of targeted Action. I have never seen this recipe fail, when:

1) The Vision is clear and I believe in it enthusiastically and without reservation.

2) I am willing to evaluate my Actions honestly to make sure they are really on target.

The reason it works is because it’s a different way of stating the Law of Attraction – aligning my thoughts, passion, and actions to a specific Vision draws that Vision to me inevitably. This is not “magic” of some kind; it’s just the way things work in this universe. There are potential problems with this formula, though, and they warrant discussion.

Potential roadblocks permeate that simple statement of the Law of Attraction, among them:

1) Is my Vision clear and focused? If not, the Law of Attraction may not appear to work.

2) Do I really believe in that Vision? If my Thoughts are not truly in alignment (and “belief” often happens at a subconscious level), then the Law of Attraction may not appear to work.

3) Does the Vision really evoke my Passions, or does it evoke the passion of someone else in my life, but not mine? Again – this can make it seem like the Law isn’t working.

4) Am I really taking Action? If I’m fooling myself about being in Action, I’m wasting my time.

5) Am I really being honest about whether the Action I’m taking is working? If I don’t honestly evaluate the Actions I take, I may thwart the Law of Attraction.

When I review that list of roadblocks (and I doubt that it’s even complete), it’s intimidating. What can I do if I don’t even know what my Vision is? – many of us have gotten disconnected from our dreams. How can I know beyond a doubt that I truly believe? How can I wrangle my subconscious mind into submission? What if I don’t know what Action to take next? What if my perceptions about whether an Action is “working” are inaccurate? When I think about all of the questions these potential pitfalls beg, it can be overwhelming – especially to a recovering perfectionist like myself.

There is good news in all of this, though: It doesn’t seem to matter at first whether we are truly convinced of our Vision beyond a shadow of a doubt. As long as we continue to be willing to believe, the Law can work.

Also, even if our Passions are not fully engaged at the outset, still the Law of Attraction can work. What matters is that we are intent on aligning our passions properly.

Finally, it doesn’t even seem to matter what Action we take at first, as long as we take Action. Even the lamest attempts at taking Action seem to yield fruit as long as they are evaluated honestly and we don’t allow “failure” to immobilize us.

There is a powerful Principle in play here, one of that “laundry list” I keep referring to in my posts. That Principle is Willingness. If we are willing to work toward aligning our Thoughts, Passions, and Actions, we will find a way to make that happen. Epictetus’ immortal words, in fact, only make sense in the context of Willingness.

I'll even state it more emphatically: I believe that Willingness is the key to the Law of Attraction. Whatever we would become, whatever we would achieve, whatever we would obtain in this life – if we are Willing to do whatever it takes to become, to achieve, to obtain, our powerful God-given brain will somehow locate the proper Path.

Willingness is so central to my success in life that I often forgo all other goals to refresh my precious reserve of Willingness. When I am discouraged (it happens), when my efforts seem to be failing, when my energy flags, when my “feelings” have deserted me – I fall on my knees and pray “God, please help me to be Willing.”

The power of that prayer in my life is astonishing. I find in those seven words exactly what I need, every time. They bring me to a place of Humility, where I realize that the efforts of my Self-will are always going to be futile. It brings me to a place of Honesty, where I accept the fact that I am responsible, and that it is I who must change, and not my circumstances. And it brings me to a place of Surrender, where I stop fighting that fire in my heart that draws me closer to the Vision of myself that is in proper alignment with the Will of my Creator.

James Arthur Ray, in Harmonic Wealth , demonstrates the power of this when he talks about getting the car of his dreams at a time when he was barely making rent each month. He wanted that Cadillac very, very much – his Passion was aligned with his Thoughts, big time. And his spiritual advisor at the time suggested that he make it a goal to obtain that car in the next six months. But how could he do it? He was stumped as to how to even begin to achieve such an ambitious goal.

He did the one thing that he could think of to do as a first step: He went to the dealership to look at the car. As he sat behind the wheel, he dreamed of it, loved it, cherished it. All good. What to do next?

A salesman asked Ray if he wanted the car, to which he replied in the affirmative; but he explained his financial situation. The salesman suggested leasing, an option Ray hadn’t considered, or even known about. For $150 per month, the car could be “his.” In six days, he had the car of his dreams.

From a pipe dream to fruition, a six-month goal happened in six days. But only because he was Willing to do the next indicated step – a simple visit to the dealership – did the proper path reveal itself. It was not much as “actions” go, but it was enough, because he was Willing.

One might question the wisdom of selecting that specific goal when obtaining the rent each month is a concern. And here’s the point about the Law of Attraction: The Goal doesn’t matter. It’s the process that matters. And Ray learned the process in this simple exercise, and has since learned to apply it in every area of his life. Ray’s spiritual guide understood this: Start with what you are passionate about – whatever it is – and learn the process in a context of absolute Willingness. Then learn to apply it to other goals. It’s as simple (and difficult) as that.

At long last, with all the Principles in place, my next post will start shedding light on my own Vision, Mission, and Goals. Stay tuned!

Now a Word from Our Sponsor: Leggo my Ego

I had an interesting experience this weekend. In my seemingly never-ending quest to experience different religious fellowships, I stepped in to a Quaker meeting on Sunday.

I had heard of Quaker meetings before; I’d been in meetings modeled after their design. But I decided it was high time I experienced the real thing. Quaker meetings are held in silence, only broken occasionally when someone feels led to share.

I stepped into the meeting room to see a small group of about a dozen people seated in a circle. As I was a couple of minutes early for the service, and had heard voices as I approached the door, I warmly greeted a couple of people as I sat down. Then I noticed an odd guy seated in the corner, staring me down. Uneasy, I watched him gaze at me for a few moments. It took nearly ten minutes of internal silent confusion to interpret his gaze as a silent rebuke into silence – as if they had already begun the service when I had entered.

Quaker meetings are normally pretty subdued, but this meeting was absolutely stone silent from beginning to end. We sat in that circle, unspeaking, mostly unmoving – even clearing one’s throat or adjusting one’s seating in the uncomfortable folding chairs seemed tacitly wrong.

Let me tell you, it is amazing what one can learn about the operation of one’s brain during such an extended period of silence in the presence of others. Specifically, I learned how hard my brain fights being put in such a position. It was hilarious. Allow me to elaborate:

From the moment I decided to interpret the stare of the odd man in the corner as a rebuke, I felt my hackles rise. How dare he treat me so disrespectfully? Couldn’t he tell I was a newcomer to their small group? Couldn’t he give me a break for saying a simple “Good morning”? What was his problem, anyway? Who does he think he is? I couldn’t help but reflect that this odd man looked a little like my cat’s comb after I use it on her: Long and thin, with a big, fluffy tuft of hair at the top. This description of him, and my righteous indignation over his silent affront, obsessed me.

After a few silent, ramped-up minutes, I recognized the well-studied activity of my Ego – always ready to rise up in righteous anger at perceived insults. After a few moments of noticing the activity of my Ego, I smiled internally and began to let it go. A few moments of relative calm passed, and then it began again, a little churn in the back of my head and a repeat of the ramping up of righteous indignation. Laughing silently at myself again, I attempted to let go one more time. It worked for a few moments, and then started up again.

For the first half hour of the silent worship, I persisted in this stew of self-righteous indignation and resentment, internal laughter, and momentary calm, followed by another wave of self-righteous indignation.

Finally, after half an hour of this internal squabble, I began to relax into the situation. I began rehearsing my prayers of Surrender, and allowing the healing Humility I am so swift to “preach” about to have its way with me. Then, a few minutes later, up would come the indignation, and I’d be back in that stew.

I “enjoyed” an entire hour of this captivating internal dialog, while I looked around and observed that no one else (from what I could tell) was doing anything but simply and effectively worshiping in silence. So I also succeeded in adding a tasty dash of Shame to the stew.

One cannot sit consciously like this for an hour without being significantly affected. And I was very much affected. But the result surprised me: When the “co-clerk” ended the silence by reading announcements, and concluded the service, I found myself refreshed and released in a profound way. I chatted with the co-clerk after the meeting (he mentioned that this meeting was almost always perfectly silent), bid my farewells, and left.

The result persisted for hours: peaceful, calm, positive, refreshed, possessed by an easy Joy, I went into the rest of my day differently. I will likely return for this fascinating experience, although I may never again experience it the way I did this first time, as a “virgin.”

Several years ago, I took an extended look at the role of Pride and Ego in my life. After a year of observing and recording the observations, I came to some profound conclusions, at least for me:

1. Left to their own devices, Pride and Ego are killers.
2. With practice, Pride and Ego can be released by choice along with their murderous grip on my heart and mind.

I even came up with a little slogan to help me along those lines: “Leggo my Ego” (think frozen waffles). It almost never fails to help me laugh at the actions of these serenity-killers, and bring myself back to a place of humble Acceptance.

There is almost nothing in my life as destructive as self-righteous anger. It may be a luxury that others more equipped to handle it may engage in freely – God bless ‘em – but it is not suited to my well-being. The sooner I let go of my need to be “right,” the sooner I find myself back at my spiritual “center.” As my spiritual guide so often chants at me when I whine, “Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy?”

Mission Improbable Part 2: The Journey is the Destination

In an earlier post I said that Jesus’ words “Seek and ye shall find” may be interpreted as “If you’re seeking, you’ve already found.” Or “the journey is the destination.” Knowing this removes all fear of failure from the process of personal growth and achievement. If the process is the goal, then by embracing the process we’ve already succeeded.

This perspective creates a huge shift in my way of being in the world. Fear of failure, perfectionism, burnout (and the related tedium of practice) – all of these melt away as I continually and convincingly remind myself that we’re here on this plane for the joy of the journey – not to reach some distant, craggy mountaintop. The mountains are there, and some journeys head up the side of them, but the mountaintop isn’t the goal. If you set your sights high enough, you’ll never reach the top of the mountain – and I submit that this is the most powerful journey of all!

So relax! We can never “arrive.” There is no place to end up, other than “better than we started.” And even “better” can be defined in so many ways that performance pressure is eliminated. The only rational response to a reality like this is Joy.

To take joy in the journey is a high value of mine. I don’t always find myself “happy” in the conventional sense. But when my perspective on my situation is reasonable, laughter is inevitable.

Once, in a dark melancholy, I talked to my spiritual advisor about my beleaguered situation. After detailing my woes (God bless him for listening), I said, “Sometimes I feel like God is up there laughing at me.” He said, “He probably is. He knows what’s on the other side of your suffering.”

I hope I never forget the profound wisdom and mountaintop perspective of this statement. To interpret our circumstances from the perspective of being wrapped up in them is self-defeating, demoralizing, and wrong-minded. It is infinitely better to sit next to God during such dark nights and laugh.

I find laughter to be a diagnostic tool: If I can laugh at myself, deeply, heartily laugh at my mistakes and foibles, I’m in a pretty good place. The moment I stop laughing, begin focusing on the problems and stewing in my emotional juices, I can rest assured that my choice of perspective is to blame.

So does that mean I approach each and every day with a smile on my lips and animated birds flying around me, chirping the tune to a Disney tune and helping me clean the house? No (although I must admit that the concept of animated helpers is appealing). But I know that when I stop laughing, I need to shake my thinking up, or I will eventually (actually, with shocking speed) sink into a morass of self-pity and immobilization. Such a place is more difficult to emerge from, so these days I try to intervene earlier in the process.

Never doubt that the free-fall into self-pity and immobilization is a process. I used to essentially define myself by my self-pity and shame. This unlovely practice felt automatic, like “reality.” It took my spiritual advisor smacking me with a spiritual baseball bat to get me to pay enough attention to see that I wasn’t self-pitying and shameful automatically, that I actually took myself there.

Once I began to realize that there was a difference between “me” and “self-pity and shame,” I found an interval of time during which, if I was aware and honest about it, I could stop taking myself there. Perhaps this sounds elementary and self-evident, but to my broken mind and spirit, this was a life-changing revelation.

I began to practice noticing, and after awhile I got to a point where, like Ronald Reagan, I would step back and say to myself: “There you go again!” And this would make me laugh. Soon enough, I discovered how healing and powerful this ability to laugh at my own shortcomings was. It was the beginnings of Humility for me, and I now know beyond doubt that Humility is one of the greatest healers of all time.

Released from the bondage of my internal shame- and self-pity-generating “engine,” I was able to step back from my occasional bouts of (what I call) “selective idiocy” and deeply, wholeheartedly, belly-laugh at myself. Talk about enjoying the journey! If the worst thing that can happen to me is that I fail and have a good laugh about it (and learn from it to boot), what is there to fear in life?

So if my accountant and my attorney think I’m nuts for ditching a good-paying job for following my bliss and creating my own business based on unconventional investment strategies and a world of unknowns, screw ‘em! I’ve decided to enjoy my journey, and just keep trudging the path. I believe that as long as I keep my eyes on the mountaintop and keep walking, I won’t get lost. And holy crap! Even the views from the mountainside are breathtaking!

Mission Improbable Part 1: The Law of Attraction

So what do such personal matters as Body and Mind and Spirit have to do with starting a business? As an entrepreneur with a goal of True Wealth, I firmly believe that the answer is everything.

James Arthur Ray states in his book Harmonic Wealth that to create our reality we must “align our thoughts, feelings, and actions.” This alignment invokes the Law of Attraction, which draws to you that which you have set your sights on. For my purposes, I change the word “feelings” (because feelings are liars – more about that in a later post) with the word “passions.”

Many who ascribe to the Law of Attraction omit the word "actions" from the formula, changing an immutable law of the universe into a magical, metaphysical and, frankly, childish fantasy. Ray does not omit this, nor do others who really understand the process. We do not create Wealth by “putting it out into the Universe” and waiting hopefully for it to materialize out of the ether into our blissful arms, accompanied by sound of angelic choirs, harps, and trumpets. No, the contemplation of one’s navel does not produce miracles. If you do it long enough, you may notice lint in there, but even that will stay right where it is unless you reach in and pick it out.

If you read Ray’s book, you may, as I do, have a bit of trouble with the (perhaps) pseudo-physics of his wave-based explanation of the Law of Attraction. But the conclusions he comes to have a powerful ring of truth when you observe those who have actually created Wealth. The alignment of our Thoughts (Mind), Passions (Spirit), and Actions (Body) creates a powerful draw that cannot fail to affect reality, for good or ill.

Common sense and common experience prove this. Think of Donald Trump. His public persona may not seem particularly approachable or likeable, but there are few people who have proven the Law of Attraction as obviously as he has. By aligning his thoughts, passions, and actions he has amassed great Wealth, and even after having lost the lion’s share of it, went on to create an even greater dynasty that continues to thrive.

Think also of that “curse of the lottery.” No matter how much money you have, you will not likely sustain Wealth unless you are, as Ray puts it, “big enough to have created it from within.” You must be convinced of your Wealth, passionate about your Wealth, and in constant action toward your Wealth, if you are ever to realize it. Unless your thoughts, passions, and actions are aligned in the creation and sustenance of True Wealth, you will neither create nor sustain it.

I have a good friend who has talked about winning the lottery since I met him. He plays every week, and waxes eloquently about how generous he will be with his friends and family when he wins. Has he aligned his thoughts, passions, and actions? Apparently – as he says, “If you don’t play you can’t win.” But there is a crucial omission from this formula that I believe must be in place or even the most powerful alignment will be useless: One must be willing to honestly evaluate and modify one’s actions over time to make sure that they are producing the desired result. And that takes us back to the issue of Growth.

The people who create and sustain Wealth are ruthlessly honest with themselves, determining after every action whether that action brought them closer to their goal. If the action worked, they will likely continue it. But, perhaps more importantly, if the action does NOT bring them closer to Wealth, they drop it mercilessly and try something else. This requires not just Honesty, but Willingness to Change, a hallmark of Spiritual Growth.

So if buying lottery tickets does not bring you closer to Wealth (and based on the odds alone, you will expend more in the purchase of lottery tickets than you will ever win), then you must stop buying lottery tickets and try something else.

This requires Imagination and Awareness – two more Principles in that laundry list I’ve presented that include Honesty, Open-Mindedness, Willingness, etc., and together pave the path to Spiritual Growth.

Once again, I’ll refer to that amazing story in Rich Dad Poor Dad that embarked me on my current journey: Robert Kiyosaki’s childhood experience of creating a lending library of comic books for his friends out of discarded, outdated comic books. I hold this story as a supreme example of the sheer power of Imagination. I view with awe the mind of a child that would observe his surroundings (Awareness) and create from nothing (Imagination) a money-making process in which everyone wins. Such is the work of Higher Power, the breathtaking, elegant process by which Awareness and Imagination morph into Inspiration. It’s ineffable, it’s exquisite, and it is a powerful part of the Law of Attraction that is seldom discussed.

Opportunities are everywhere, honestly. But to spot them and take advantage of them, one must observe the environment and think creatively. What stops this process, you might ask? In my opinion, the greatest barrier to this process is Unwillingness to Change. If you do not cultivate the Willingness to Change, you will forever try to accomplish different results from the same actions – the textbook definition of “insanity.”

As Ray says it, you must be big enough to create and sustain Wealth in order to achieve it. To be big enough, you must possess the Willingness to grow. To grow, you must possess the Willingness to Change. These are all Spiritual values, ideals that must be cultivated and nourished in our lives and hearts if they are to be realized to a degree effective in the creation of Harmonic Wealth.

The Mission of Harmonic Wealth is not Impossible, it’s just Improbable. It requires sustained effort, vigilance, and brutal honesty. Sounds dreary, doesn’t it?

Well, as far as I’m concerned there is one more “Secret” to The Secret, and without this, the Law of Attraction WILL become a dreary grind: one must deeply and wholeheartedly embrace the Process. More about this in the next post. Stay tuned!

Sword of the Spirit - Part 4: Pay Bills, Clean the Cat Box

Three aspects of spiritual life are central, based on everything I have read and experienced:

1. As far as I can tell, it almost doesn’t matter exactly what you do as a spiritual practice (although there are frequently common themes). The only thing that matters is that you practice it.

2. Spiritual practice creates Awareness, and Awareness leads to an amazing paradox, in which somehow everything changes, and yet nothing changes.

3. The willingness to yield to this paradox (and the many other paradoxes in life) results in a powerful life full of Humility, and possessing an obvious Maturity. Oh yes, and profound Gratitude comes along for the ride, too!

Actually, the experience of Spiritual Living is far richer and more vivid than these three statements indicate, but all of the beauty and elegance of the spiritual path, at least for me, shakes down to some variant of these three ideas.

Practice, Practice, Practice

The spiritual practices of those in my circle vary considerably, and yet all seem to produce amazing changes. Some worship at conventional churches, some at more liberal fellowships, and some do not participate in conventional worship at all. Some call their experience of the Ultimate Reality “God,” some call it “the Tao,” some call it “Higher Power”, some “Higher Self,” some “Universal Mind,” some call it “Jesus,” some call it nothing at all! – the list goes on. And somehow it all seems to work.

Some of my friends kneel to pray morning and evening – actually putting their shoes under the bed so that they won’t accidentally forget. Some awaken to an “automatic thought” like “I am so grateful for this wonderful day.” Some exercise in the morning, pondering with Gratitude the many blessings in their lives. Some just wake up, drink some coffee, and go to work – often relegating their “spiritual practice” to attending meetings of some kind or helping others. The keys to success seem to lie in intention and motivation.

If I intend through my spiritual practice to grow closer to the ideals of the Principles that operate as laws in this life – that glorious laundry list of Honesty, Open-Mindedness, Willingness, Humility, Perseverance, etc. – I find that my intentions are on track, and I maintain a powerful spiritual connection. (Except when I don’t, which I’ll discuss later.)

If my motivation is to serve something larger than myself, that is, larger than my Self, then I find that my motivations are on track, and I maintain a powerful spiritual connection. (Again, except when I don’t.)

All that seems to matter is that I take action with the intention of Spiritual Growth, and a motivation to serve something larger than my Self. If these elements are in place, it doesn’t appear to matter what the precise actions I take are.

So I have seen people who worship conventionally, go to confessionals, kneel at an altar, and take communion – in this practice they find their spiritual core. Others eschew all religious trappings, choosing to travel to a beautiful spot in nature to contemplate their concept of the Divine by communing with the glory of Creation. This, too, seems to work for some people.

I choose to begin my day with a prayer that means the world to me. It is a Jesuit prayer, and whether I pray it word for word or modify it to suit my mood, I find in this prayer the precise combination of Humilty and Devotion that almost never fail to direct me to my spiritual core:

“Take, Lord, and receive all of my liberty, my intellect, my memory, and all of my will – all that I have and possess. Thou gavest it to me; to Thee, Lord, I return it! All is Thine, dispose of it according to all of Thy will. Give me Thy love and Thy grace; these are enough for me.”

What am I praying to? Honestly, I have no idea. God is a perfect Mystery to me. I call God “Him” because that helps me relate; but as far as I know God has no gender at all. I sometimes picture him as an old man with a gray beard, maybe because I’m an old man with a gray beard, and that, too, helps me relate. Sometimes God takes the form of a flower, mathematically precise in its construction, and yet transcendent in its beauty. Sometimes God takes the form of a stranger that comes to my aid in a moment of need – these might also be called “Angels.” And sometimes, like it or not, God seems to take the form of me, using my hand to comfort another soul in pain. It’s glorious, it’s elegant, it’s often incredibly funny, and it’s far beyond my ability to fathom it. But I hold it in awe, call it “God,” and that’s the One to Whom my prayers are directed.

I can tell you that I take seriously the words of that prayer, every one. As far as I am concerned, I have returned to God for His use whatever is left of the life He has graciously given me. I haven’t always felt that way – I’ve wandered for years in the wilderness – but now and for the rest of my days I want no more out of life than to obey the will of my Creator. That’s good enough for me.

I pray for guidance through the day so that I may know His will, and for the power to carry it out. Nothing else. The more I focus on these two requests, the more my day seems to flow harmoniously. I’m not doing anything mysterious or metaphysical to my knowledge; but somehow this practice does more to draw me toward the Principles and Right Action than anything else I have ever done in my life.

And what is the result? Peace. Serenity. A subtle Joy that persists even when life does not go my way. And that sure beats the hell out of the alternative of meaninglessness and aimless activity, which I have also experienced.

What else happens? Do I become a guru? No. A preacher? No. Am I a monk or a hermit? No. I am simply and profoundly me, the “me” I was always intended to be. I find poise and power in adversity, and courage and persistence in the face of fear. I find a deep, healing well of Humility, a robust Gratitude for the gifts I have been given, Generosity to share them freely, and a Maturity that I know communicates clearly to others.

So what about those times when my practice does not appear to “connect me” the way I "feel" it ought to? What happens when the riverbed is dry, and I am left licking the dry stones for a taste of God? My spiritual guide calls these “dark nights of the soul,” and although unpleasant, they are critical to spiritual growth. They teach us to persist in our practice, even when it doesn’t feel like it’s working. They teach us patience and perseverance, and build our faith powerfully.

I try to remember my own past experience with such crises of doubt, in which the dark night of the soul is always followed by a deeper, more profound relationship with the Divine, one based not on the “fluff” of metaphysical phenomena or the sugary trap of happy feelings, but rather on a growing personal Knowledge of God’s limitless Power and Love.

Honest, all of this is related to my business, I assure you - I'm getting there! In future posts, I will show how all of this practice enlightens the daily grind of paying bills and cleaning the cat box, and absolutely suffuses my mission statement and business plan. Keep watching!