Project 141 Expanded: WEALTH

 

Project 141 Expanded: WEALTH

(Do 1 thing a day 4-1 full year to Improve Your Financial Future)

 

( Listen to the podcast on this topic HERE)

 

 Right off the start, let me say this: If you are looking for some "super-dooper" financial formula to get you "fast cash" then friend, you might want to just move on.

Here's the thing...unless you first learn how to do the LITTLE things to start controlling your finances, you will NEVER obtain "wealth" (whatever that means for you).

I highlighted those words in the above paragraph on purpose. YOU must learn to CONTROL your finances and STOP allowing your finances (or lack thereof) to control you!

 

Another disclaimer right off the start: There are a LOT of things that I could discuss with this topic that I won't simply due to the fact that I don't want to make this article that long. For example, I could discuss (and maybe should - but I won't) the fact that you MUST eliminate your DEBT as quickly as possible and you must STOP adding to that debt (credit cards for example!).  

What I AM going to discuss in this article are a couple of things that ANYONE can do to start improving their personal financial health. Yes, anyone and everyone...including you!

I want to approach the Project 141 "Expansion Concept" to this area by discussing two approaches and/or "mindsets". That of DEFENSE and OFFENSE.

DEFENSE

Whether you know it or not, most truly wealthy people will tell you that it is NOT about "how much do you make" as much as it is "how much do you KEEP". 

Yes, it's important to "make more" but, at the same time, if you continue to "spend more" to the point that you fail to "keep more" you will never gain any ground with your financial future. 

I'm sure you've seen "the pretenders" out there that walk among us. They drive a nice, fancy car, go out to eat at expensive restaurants and do all of the things that make them "look like" they are successful. But, truth be told, they are broke. They have more debt than they have income but they continue to do these things so that they can keep up an "image of success".  

I've literally seen new, fancy, high priced cars in front of what I would call a shack. 

This, my friend, is foolishness!

So, I want to encourage you to take the "DEFENSE" approach and think about how you can PROTECT the money that you have and not just let it slip out of your fingers.

In other words, like you see in the picture above, you MUST "plug up" that leaky bucket.  This takes discipline, my friend!

Step 1: Get out a piece of paper and list everything you spend money on over the course of a week. Yes, I DO mean to actually have that piece of paper with you as you go through your week and write down EVERY little thing that you spend money on. THIS IS KEY! Why is this important? Most people have no idea how much money they actually spend on a daily and weekly basis. 

Write down EVERY - LITTLE - THING. Don't just write down the amount but also write down what it was for so that you know. Do you pay to park while at work? Write it down. Do you stop in for a coffee on your way into work? Write it down.  Did you contribute to an office collection for someone's birthday present? Write it down. Did you make a trip down to the vending machine and get a cola and/or a snack? Write it down. Eat your lunch at a restaurant? Write it down. 

Get the idea?

Don't cheat on this. C'mon, just do it and, at the end of the week, add up your figures. I suggest that you even do this at the end of each day. (By the way, this also includes anything you spend money on via online sources. ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that you spent money on during the week.)

Once you have shocked yourself at how much money goes through your hands during the course of a week, not it's time to go on to the next step.

Step 2: Decide what you can cut out to reduce the "outflow". No, obviously, I'm not telling you to get rid of all of that all at once. Chances are there are some things that you listed that you cannot eliminate and that's o.k. BUT, what things CAN you eliminate?

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Defense Wins Games"? Again, it doesn't matter how much you make if you spend more than you make. So, WE MUST GET STINGY ON DEFENSE with your finances.

Maybe you can drop one thing on Monday, something different on Tuesday and so on during the rest of the week. For example, maybe you DON'T stop for that coffee on Monday and, maybe on Tuesday, you bring something from home for lunch. 

Try to pick out at least one thing for each day and, if possible, even choose two!

Look at the list from the week that you wrote down all of these expenses and just base the amount that you didn't spend on that. In other words, if you wrote down that you spent $8.00 for lunch that week, go ahead and assume that would be what you SAVED by NOT doing that one day this week. 

Then, we move on to...

Step 3: Put it in the jar! O.k. yes, you can just see that "on paper" and know that you saved money but I want to encourage you to take it one step further and PHYSICALLY take that amount of money and put it in a jar of some sort. Yes, go to your ATM if necessary and withdraw that amount of money and put it in the jar.

The visual for this is very powerful! Watch your jar fill up during this week and then, at the end of the week, count out how much money that you saved by taking just a little action and "playing some defense" to help "plug the leaky bucket".

 Now it's time to "play offense" with your money!

 

OFFENSE

 ADD IT UP... Depending on how much you typically spend during the week, chances are that you will have AT LEAST $20 - $30 in your jar just from changing up your routine a little bit. DO NOT think, "Oh great! Now I can go buy...." NO! NO! NO!

 

The idea here is to SAVE and not continue to SPEND. Once you add that money up from your jar then I suggest that you actually open a NEW account at your bank for these funds and I would suggest that you do this with a savings account so that you get a little interest paid to you. If that $20-$30 isn't enough to open a new account then hang on to it and add to it each week until you have the needed amount. Are you disciplined enough to do that? I hope so because this discipline is what you will need to begin to make gains with your fiances. 

BE CONSISTENT... Don't just do this for a week or two and then quit. Remember, this whole Project 141 approach is about committing yourself to doing these actions for one full year. But, take it a little at a time and, at least for now, make sure that you dedicate yourself to doing this for at least a month and see how much money you saved. 

 

TAKE ADDITIONAL ACTION... Now what? It's time to plan some "offensive strategy" to move "the ball" on down the field closer to the "goal line". 

 

Yeah, I know. A lot of football analogies there but it works. You now have this "extra" money and it's time to DO SOMETHING positive with it. Already, I've suggested that you put it in a savings account and watch it grow a little at a time. Think about this: if you are able to put $100 per month in that account (very do-able) then you will have $1,200 (plus interest) at the end of that year! 

 

Here's a few "options" (different plays) that you might consider:

     1. Use some of this money to pay extra on any credit cards or car payments (any debt) that you have and get that debt paid off quicker.

     2. Use some of this money for someone else ("Random Act of Kindness")

 

If you've not done so, go back and read this article where I discuss the idea of taking something like $20 and blessing someone else with it. They may can use it for gas or food or school supplies for their kids. It doesn't matter what they may use it for. What matters is that you took your eyes off of yourself and looked for an opportunity to serve someone else.

 

Want to REALLY have some fun? If this excites you at all, share this concept with a friend or two or five and see if they, too, "catch the vision" of doing something like this. IF they have committed to this approach of setting some money back and IF they have also "caught the vision" of doing something for someone else then consider all of you in that group joining together in this effort! 

 

In other words, let's say there are five of you that have "caught the vision" on this and each of you have agreed to "donate" $20 per week or month for a "Random Act of Kindness". WOW...friend, you're starting to truly "live life" now (trust me on this). If that $20 for someone would make a difference for them then consider what $100 would do!

 

Yes, I would still suggest that you use the rest of the money that you have saved toward paying off some of your debt and saving some in the bank to grow with interest but, at the same time, use a portion of that money saved to bless others. Want to know how to have a blessed day yourself? BE A BLESSING IN SOMEONE ELSE'S DAY. 

 

 One final "offensive move" that I would suggest. As great as it is to "redirect your funds" from spending it on things that you can skip or do without to your savings or debt pay down or the random act of kindness, it is still a great idea to actually figure out a way to ADD TO your current income.

 

That is what is usually referred to as a "side gig" in today's world. Is there something that you can do "on the side" that will not interrupt your current work schedule that will allow you to grow/gain additional funds for all of the things that we have discussed in today's article?

 

UPDATE 10.20.21... I will have to go back through everything that referred to the original "vehicle" that I was promoting for this "side gig". I no longer support or promote that particular program simply because their "customer support" was non-existent! I will not connect my name or the name of "Future You University" with any program that won't even support their own members. STAY TUNED! I am currently working on something that I believe will have the potential to take you FAR BEYOND what the original program could ever do.

 

Until next time, remember, YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, whatever you do, always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

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Project 141 Expanded: COMMUNITY

Project 141 Expanded Application:"Do 1 thing a day, week or month for others (community)"

 As I continue to discuss the expanded application of "Project 141" (do 1 thing per day 4-1full year in different areas of your life in order to improve and strengthen those areas), I will focus our attention, today, on the area of "Community".

I want to define or clarify my use of the word "community" as it relates to this approach. 

Yes, it can definitely attach itself to the idea of a neighborhood or town but it can also simply refer to others that may have a need. This can be a group of people (such as the community in which you live) or a person or organization that you can do something to contribute to in one way or another. 

Keep those two ideas in mind as you read through the rest of this article and push yourself to even consider applying BOTH "definitions" of the word, "community" into your application of "Project 141".

If you have read and/or listened to the previous articles/podcasts about this expanded use of Project 141, you should recognize these two questions used today as being a version of the first two questions that we have asked about our different relationships. Use these and add your own thoughts as a way to "spur you on" to ACTIVELY do SOMETHING in this area. 

    -------------APPLY THESE QUESTIONS TO TODAY'S TOPIC---------------

 WHAT DO I DO TODAY TO IMPROVE THIS COMMUNITY (or specific situation - R.A.K.)?

WHAT DO I DO TODAY TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS COMMUNITY (or specific situation)?  ---- am I just going to whine and complain about "something needs to be done" or will I be a part of doing what needs to be done?

NOTE: Of the different areas that I am using in this extended application, THIS is the only one that I would suggest that it is o.k. to do something once a week or even once a month.

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 The "Random Act of Kindness" approach to "community": The actual description of this section states: "Do 1 'Random Act of Kindness' per day/week or month (whichever fits you)". I love this idea and, if you've never done anything like this before, SO WILL YOU!

Using the two questions above, approach it as: "WHO do I know that I can do SOMETHING for that would help improve their current situation?" This doesn't have to be something huge. It can a simple phone call and just spending a few minutes chatting with them. This is especially true of elderly people that have been confined at home due to the current pandemic. This could also be a young mother that is overwhelmed trying to juggle taking care of toddlers while, at the same time, trying to work with the "virtual learning" situation going on again, due to the pandemic.  

Want to REALLY have some fun with this? Find a way to do something and remain ANONYMOUS. Maybe you've come across a little extra money (even something like $20) that you think would help out with some gas for the car or for a meal. Then find someone else and ask them to deliver it for you or drop it off with a card where you KNOW they will find it. I once had the opportunity to deliver $100 to a lady. It was not my $100 but I got the joy of seeing joyful tears roll down her cheeks when I told her that someone wanted me to come by and give that gift to her.  

When you get someone else involved you add another layer to the process. Think about this: the person that you brought the gift to gets blessed, YOU get blessed by doing something like this and the person that you chose to deliver the gift also gets blessed by being a part of the process and seeing that person's response! WOW! And, the person you chose to help you may now want to do that with someone else, themselves, which means that you have added another person to the "Project 141 Expanded/Random Act of Kindness Army"!

 The "This is the neighborhood/community in which I live" approach to "community": Have you ever found yourself saying, "Somebody really should do something about that" concerning something that you've come across...particularly in your neighborhood or community?

What are you waiting for or, more precisely, WHO are waiting for to get it done?

Hey friend, what about YOU? What about YOU getting others together to help out? Chances are, if YOU have noticed something that needs to get done, others have as well and it might simply take YOU to serve as the "spark" to bring people together to get something done.

For example, a few years back, I found myself griping and complaining about something that, obviously, bothered me. I had griped and complained about it before (even to management in a certain store) but had never thought about if there was some way that I could do something to make a change. 

With those thoughts in mind, I put the graphic you see below together to challenge myself to DO something and to stop just TALKING about it.

If you find yourself doing the same thing then, friend, perhaps it's time for you to change your thinking as well. If you feel the task is "too big" for you alone then talk to others about it, brainstorm together and see what ideas come together that can help with a solution. 

But, here's the kicker on ALL applications of this approach to "community"...you have to do more than just "talk about it". Here's another graphic that I put together several years ago about that very thing...

"When all has been said and done, that which has been said will be of far less value than that which has been done." - Mike Spillman

"ONE can do much but, MORE THAN ONE can do MUCH MORE!" - Mike Spillman

"This neighborhood/community has too much litter!" - DO something!

"This neighborhood/community has too many yards with tall grass!" - DO something!

 

KEY: Not, "Why isn't someone else doing?" but, rather, "What can I do?" 

Whether along the lines of "Random Acts of Kindness" or the "Neighborhood/Community" approach (and, by the way, they can DEFINITELY overlap), make plans to keep your eyes open for the opportunity to serve and then...DO SOMETHING once a day, week or, at the least, once a month to make a difference!

You can do this!

Until next time, remember, YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, whatever you do, always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

YouTube  Project141

 

How to Change the World

Wishful thinking? Perhaps.

 

But here is one thing I know...this is, for sure, one way to change YOUR world. And, if enough people would change "their" world in this way then there will, indeed, be an impact on the world as a whole.

 

It all begins right here with you and me.

 

Look around you. Pay attention to those that you come into contact with on a daily - or weekly - basis. Obviously, start with your family first and "move out" from there. Perhaps even sit down with a note pad and brainstorm and see how many people (whether you know their name or not) you come up with.

 

The mail carrier, your children's teacher(s), the school bus driver, your bank teller, the person that checks you out at the grocery store, your hair stylist, your neighbors, your friends...and the list goes on and on.

 

You should also be ready for those that you DON'T know! Notice, there are acts of kindness that you can do for those that you listed in the above paragraph but, when you talk about RANDOM acts of kindness, that means that it will include some that you will not know or that you will not necessarily be thinking about.

 

The opportunity will appear randomly.

 

I know a guy and his wife that was standing in line at a store behind a lady with two or three kids with her. As she stood at the check out counter and the cashier told her the total, she realized that she did not have the money to pay that amount. She began to frantically sort through her cart to see what she could leave behind in order to bring her total down when the guy stepped up to the counter and told the cashier to just put it on his credit card.

 

That, my friends, was a RANDOM act of kindness. Unplanned. Unexpected for all involved. Unknown, as in the total impact of that random act of kindness is still unknown to that man and his wife.

 

So, maybe we need to just talk about ACTS OF KINDNESS, both random and planned.

 

Change your world and watch the world around you change in return.

 

And, as always, it begins TODAY and it begins with YOU! Now, go get something started and, as you do so, be sure to...

 

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

 

Mike

 

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You Just Never Know

You just never know.

 

I just completed a multi-part series on "The POWER of ONE DAY!" and, yet, this still fits right in with that whole train of thought.

 

Think about it. When you consider the number of people that cross your path in a day and then multiply that by either 30 or 31 days per month and you begin to realize that, indeed, there really IS NOT any way that you can know what is going on in each of those people's lives!

 

If you've never done so, go back and find the blog post entitled, "The Power of Positive People" on Sunday, October 6, 2013. In that post I talk about Herman, the man that mows my yard. Go on, read it if you haven't done so yet!

 

Now, instead of mowing my yard, Herman is taking care of the MANY leaves that have fallen in my yard. I LOVE where I live with two HUGE oak trees - one in the front yard and one in the back. However, though these trees are wonderful for the shade in the summer they dump a LOT of leaves when fall comes around!

 

Anyway, I was gone all day today and Herman finished the job in my yard that he began yesterday. I noticed a little "urgency" in the call from Herman's wife that asked me to be sure to drop the money off by their house when I got home (which I had already planned to do) and I did so gladly.

 

When I handed Herman the "agreed-upon-amount" for the job done, he looked at me and said, "Mike, you don't know how much I appreciate this!" I didn't think anything about it because I was paying Herman for a job that he agreed to do. I guess he could see the confusion in my face when I said, "Well Herman, you did a great job." Herman went on to tell me how that, financially, he was behind right now due to different things and that the money I was giving him was especially needed on this day.

 

I had no idea. I thought I was just simply paying Herman for a job that he had agreed to do and yet, Herman was thanking me.

 

You just never know.

 

And we don't! We are all connected and we all NEED each other, friend! When you do business with someone (I think especially with local, small businesses) you just never know what a difference YOUR business makes for that establishment.

 

So, once again, I am so glad I got to spend a few minutes with Herman today.

 

Keep your eyes, ears and hearts open to the opportunities that surround you every day, friend.

 

Why? Because you just never know.

 

And, as always, whatever you do, be sure to...

 

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

 

Future You University          "Like" FYU on Facebook!          MichaelSpillman.com

Small Things Becoming BIG!

It's "MAGICAL MONDAY" once again...what will YOU do with YOUR magic?

We go through our days doing what we may think are totally insignificant things along the way. As a matter of fact they are so insignificant to us that we don't even think about them when we do them. (Now stay with me on this because, yeah, I'm going to hit a few "pet peeves" but we ARE going to end on a very positive note!)

For example, one thing I see a LOT of people do (and a growing number of young people - wonder where they get it from?) is to litter. And, from what I can tell by watching, they don't even think about what they are doing. I mean, after all, what's the big deal about one tiny little gum wrapper, right? Of course not until you multiply that by thousands of people that are doing the same thing.

Have you noticed how many "non-handicapped" people park in the "handicap only" parking spots? Hey, what's the big deal, right? I'm just going to run in for a few moments and pick something up. Again, without even thinking about this small, seemingly insignificant action.

Rude comments without thinking. "Oh wait, did you take that SERIOUSLY?" Talking on your cell phone or just being completely engulfed by it while in the company of others.

I could go on and on because there are so many and, by the way, there are things that I do, as well, that has a negative impact on others that I don't even think about. Small. Insignificant.

Now, on the other hand there may also be lots of little things that we or other people do - again without much thought - that may seem rather insignificant. And, just like the negative examples above, though they may SEEM to be small and insignificant, they may be anything BUT that in the lives of some people.

Opening the door for someone else. Saying, "thank you" and "you're welcome" and "how are you today" (and meaning it) when so many people are either too busy or too preoccupied to do so. Picking up that gum wrapper on the ground and putting it in the trash. Taking the time and making the effort to TRULY LISTEN to someone when they are talking with you. Giving someone else the RESPECT of your full attention when you are with them.

Here is a prime example that I experienced just the other day. Please know that I do not share this with you to "pat myself on the back". This just really just jumped out at me because, to me, it was small and insignificant and something that I try to do so often that I didn't even give much thought.

Now first, let me tell you that, for the most part I feel that the term "customer service" is an oxymoron. It seems that the majority of the time that I have to call in and speak to a "customer service representative" it turns out to be something LESS than a pleasant experience. Can any of you relate to that?

Anyway, I really wasn't expecting a battle of any kind but, to be honest, I wasn't looking forward to making a call that would involve a customer representative. As a matter of fact, I tried every way that I could think of to try to take care of this business through this company's website where I would NOT have to talk to anyone. No such luck.

Within the first minute of the conversation, after the gentleman introduced himself to me, he asked, "How are you today?" to which I responded, "I'm doing great! How are YOU doing today?" No biggie. No major motivational speech. Simple. Small. Seemingly insignificant.

However, this gentleman on the other end of the phone said with a smile in his voice, "Mr. Spillman, I'm doing fine and, I'll tell you this - I will be working for another 8 hours or so on my shift and you will likely be the ONLY person that will ask me that today. THANK YOU for asking me how I am doing!"

Did that seemingly insignificant exchange make a difference in this man's day? Apparently so! Did I set out to make that impact? Not really. But I did.

Small things becoming BIG. Think about it and pass it along and see what happens in YOUR world.

Until next time, friends...

"Be sure to make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

"Get High on Doing Good!"

Twelve "Do's and Don'ts" For Living a Positive Life

1. Make Enthusiasm A Daily Habit!
2. Don't Allow Negative People to Determine Your Self-Worth!
3. Get Into The Habit of Talking to Yourself Affirmatively!
4. Get Into the Habit of Talking to Others With an Affirmative, Positive Vocabulary!
5. Don't Be a Grudge Collector!
6. Think Positive & Pleasing Thoughts!
7. Don't Brag - Let Your Actions Speak For You!

8. Get High on Doing Good!

We've always heard, "It's more blessed to give than to receive" and, for most of us, if we heard this when we were kids, it didn't make any sense at all!

However, as we have grown and - hopefully - matured, we have come to know that this, indeed, is true. The joy of giving a gift to somone and seeing the smile on their face. The joy, as a parent, of giving your child a gift and seeing them get happy "all over". You just can't beat that!

Here's the thing - we don't have to wait for Christmas, birthdays or special occassions to do something nice for someone. The "gift" we give doesn't have to be wrapped up in a box with a bow, does it? Of course not!

As we get into the habit of being enthusiastic and excited about the new day before us, and as we talk to ourselves others in a positive and affirmative way we begin to open our eyes to the BEAUTIFUL part of the world around us.

You see, sometimes it's hard to get past all of the negativity that surrounds us. Sometimes we get bogged down in the nasty swampland of negativity and, because of that, it seems that this is all we can see.

But NOW... now that we are seeing the "positive" and "hopeful" side of life we can now lift our eyes and our heads above all of this negative nastiness and see the beauty of those around us!

Isn't that great?

And, once we are able to do so, we see opportunities that come before us each and every day for doing good for someone else.

Perhaps opening the door for someone or picking something up for someone that has dropped something.

Whatever it is - it is a way to help those around us also see the good this world has to offer!

On today's podcast I recommend doing this anonymously if at all possible and whenever possible. This takes away the temptation that we might have of wanting to receive attention for doing a good deed.

So, on this "Thankful Thursday" - be sure to thank those that are doing good things for you and in your life and then, as the movie title suggests, "Pay it Foward" by doing good in the lives of others.

Here's the promise: You'll be glad you did!

(By the way, will everyone appreciate it the way you hope they do? No. But do good ANYWAY!)

And, as you do so...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike