Finding time

I'd really like to take time out and go up the pub to have a pint of my favourite real ale, but alas I'm too busy to even think about indulging myself.

As far as my life is concerned that's the norm and sometimes I envy those who can spend all day watching TV - or do I? No...not really. I much prefer to have too many interests than too few; in fact too few for a lot of people will often come down to none at all.

So what's been stopping me for the past week from sitting at my keyboard and keeping in touch with a wonderful audience.  Well I'll try to explain and please don't think I'm merely wheeling out tired old excuses.

My darling wife - she who has to be obeyed - has decided to kick me out of my office because she needs it as a spare bedroom. The conversion involves quite a few sweeping changes such as:-
Repositioning socket outlets

• Re-plastering
• New skirting boards
• Another radiator
• A new bed
• Equipping a new office space 
• Etc. etc.

The problem is that since I don't trust others to mess about with installations which I have done myself I've no alternative but to knuckle down and get stuck in. This is what is currently occupying my time at the expense of computer related activities.

I think I've mentioned it before but I'm absolutely useless at delegation. I keep telling myself that this will change but I'm not confident!

Please bear with me until I've finished this present bit of domestic trivia - please don't tell her indoors I described it as that - and I'll then, hopefully, get back to more interesting topics such as making money from Internet Marketing.   

  

Think your way to riches

'Think and Grow Rich' by the great business philosopher Napoleon Hill, (pictured above) was first published in 1937. At least 20 million copies have been sold and 70 years after this date it was rated number 6 in Business Week Magazine's Best Selling List. This shows that the secrets of achievement are today, still highly sought after, by those with entrepreneurial ambitions.

This fact acted like a magnet to my psyche for in early 2008 I decided that I was going to make my fortune as an Information Publisher and despite subjectively regarding myself as mega-talented, my instinct told me that this tome could seriously shorten my path to business success.

I was not to be disappointed. Using the phenomenal power of the internet I sourced a downloadable copy and shelled out some of my hard earned cash. No, I've not achieved super tax status yet, but I can honestly say that 'Think and Grow Rich' is fuelling my drive to an attainable goal.

It is my ever present companion. I must have read it cover to cover at least a dozen times and when I feel that the flow of my work rate or creative inspiration is in gridlock, I read an appropriate chapter which usually has the effect of putting me back on the critical path to success.

So what is so magic about this book that I should hold it in such high esteem? Primarily it starts with the author himself. Here was a man who rubbed shoulders with the great men of his time. Napoleon Hill was an original thinker who strove to find the answer to what makes some successful but condemns others to failure.

A defining moment in his life was when he met the great Scottish American industrialist Andrew Carnegie who encouraged him to interview people who had already achieved success. The answers he sought must then surely become apparent. This is not meant to be a history lesson but household names such as Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell and Henry Ford were amongst the interviewees. Napoleon was also an advisor to Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson.

I consider the book to be an indispensable business intelligence tool. All businesses have specific requirements but despite business diversity, proprietors and managers must all come basically from the same mould and thus have similar characteristics with respect to mental capabilities.

Desire, persistence, imagination; an ability to plan and make decisions; to operate without fear and not to look for excuses, these all merit separate chapters in 'Think and Grow Rich.'

A point worthy of emphasis is that this publication is not exclusively aimed at those wishing for monetary achievement but it's teachings also have value for those whose primary objective is to improve their quality of life.

I like a good read; I like a good 'rags to riches' story and here I am not disappointed. 'Think and Grow Rich' relates many such anecdotes and it is worth mention that most illustrate how success came despite the lack of 'silver spoons.' The underlying message is that everything starts with an idea; a thought. The book states 16 laws of success condensed into 13 principles.

I like to sit back, close my eyes and relax and listen to audio rather than concentrate on the written word; so that's what I'm offering to you and all others who read my blog...a FREE audio of 'Think and Grow Rich.'

Just click here to navigate through to the download page and learn from arguably the leading business philosopher of all time.  

Learn how to be an Information Publisher

There has been a lot said recently about the perils of the dreaded alzheimer's disease. Ideally, reasonable fitness in body and mind is a prerequisite for quality life. Unfortunately this balance is often not enjoyed.

It can normally be expected that the elderly are more likely to suffer because physical activity is often diminished or rendered impossible. Senior citizens may not have been swept along with the technology of the computer age and will have little to fall back on when aches and pains set in.

From an early age youngsters are taught the basics of computing and for them it is merely a matter of channelling their thoughts in the right directions. 

Just using their smart phones etc., to send non-consequential chit chat emails or play games is non productive and the small percentage who use the technology with a view to their future success are likely to be valuable citizens of tomorrow.

So both young and old alike should strive to understand internet related concepts particularly as the internet provides each one of us a way to make money which compared to earlier decades is inexpensive and requires little more than logical thought and application.

Getting back to alzheimers it is recommended that the brain be kept active so this is a good reason why the elderly in particular should try to adopt some form of internet related activity should things of a physical nature be out of the question.

I'm writing this post because I've been in Information Publishing via the internet for six years now. Initially I knew little of how to build my business but my research showed that many of the old time business people who became household names had to ensure that they could last their chosen course.

The book by Napoleon Hill titled 'Think and Grow  Rich' was studied by all these entrepreneurs as a precursor to their subsequent great works.

I reasoned that if it was good enough for the Henry Fords of this world then it was good enough for me. To help all like-minded people who want to make money from publishing what they know, I would like to give away an audio version of this book (and others at future dates) so that successful actions can be replicated.

To get your FREE audio click here
  

   





   

Another political stupidity

My antidote to depressive thoughts and problems is to listen to music. Leonard Cohen the brilliant poet/songwriter/singer is one of my favourites. 

Whilst writing this post  -  which you must admit would make any thinking person depressed  -  I have a break, sit back and enjoy the wonderful sound and words before getting back to the business in hand. Perhaps you can empathise with me.

Pick up any newspaper on any day and you are almost certain to learn of another political stupidity produced by a person or persons who we are actually PAYING to act in our best interests.

Here's the unbelievable latest. Some MP who holds a ministerial position in the Foreign Office has resigned on the pretext that his income doesn't allow him to live like a 'normal family man.'

YOU COULDN'T MAKE IT UP!

How does this stupid fellow think ordinary people live? I won't go into the figures because they are well documented all over the media but I will ask a pertinent question.

My question....What is the real truth of why he resigned? After all he is getting more than a back-bencher's pay for doing what in all probability is a low-key job with a posh name. I reckon there's a lot more to this than meets the eye...

My possible answer....He's getting away from parliament before he gets his collar felt because of some past indiscretion he thinks he might have made. Away from Westminster he probably thinks he won't be so noticeable!

Frustration and depression rules so....
Lets play that Leonard Cohen song again.  

Letter from America

Sitting at your computer keyboard wrestling with seemingly insurmountable problems can be soul destroying at times.

The answer from my point of view is to relax and take a few minutes out to listen to music.

Those with similar ilk will understand where I'm coming. We will all have numbers which are easy on our ears and this is one of mine so see what you think before you get your nose back to the grindstone.

Happy listening but don't forget to read my posts...by the way this number is by the Proclaimers.

Cheers for today

Monitoring Energy Consumption

This post is a follow up to the one I penned on June 27th 2014 when I talked about gas and electricity bills. I suggest you go back and read this previous post before the one which I have published below.

In the post of the 27th. I mentioned two important types of figure which are shown on all energy bills. It is absolutely essential that everyone who purchases gas and electricity from the major sources should clearly understand their significance. They are:-

• The units used up to the bill end date.
• The cost per unit.

The energy companies all use the kilowatt-hour as their energy unit for both electricity and gas. Electricity meters are naturally calibrated directly in kilowatt-hours so these figures are transferred directly on to bills but gas meters are calibrated in cubic metres. Not to worry for the conversion to kilowatt-hours is done on the bill and as long as the meter reading is correct, little can go wrong.

Although we are living in an increasingly digital world where software renders many activities automatic it's as well to remember that at certain stages human input is necessary and humans can always make mistakes. Robots have to be programmed by humans at some stage so it's not surprising that meter readers are not infallible.

Regular monitoring of electricity and gas meters can provide essential data should arguments ever arise between householders and energy supply companies. I take readings on the first day of the month and log them down in a suitable manner. It is then just a matter of comparing my figures with those on the bill.

Even if a meter reader calls round to a property there is no guarantee that his figures will get on the bill which the householder receives. Often the figures are ESTIMATED and not ACTUAL values. If an estimated figure is too low when compared with the householder's actual figure he may think that he's better off  and there could be a rude awakening at a later date!

The second figure on a bill which should always be checked is the unit price. I personally like to go for longer term price fixes so that the figure is always in my mind. The check then involves little more than a cursory glance. For others the price might be more volatile and dependent on prevailing market conditions, could fluctuate quickly.

Going back to logging meter readings, it can also have beneficial extras. Energy consumption for a lot of people is fairly constant (I'm talking in terms of units used...NOT price) so conscious attempts at exercising economies can therefore be monitored.

Also, if changes are made to an installation such as a new gas boiler or cavity wall insulation, changes in energy consumption will reflect the new conditions.

Well, I've given my version of gas and electricity monitoring/logging so I can only hope that you will find it useful but I will conclude by saying that if you have never done so to date, get hold of a recent bill and study it's contents closely.