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I was in bad trouble. I was about to lose everything, and those I had expected to help me (family) were not coming to my rescue, in spite of the fact that I had never approached them before (and never will again.) The bank was about to pull all of my credit, and things looked darkish. My panicked decision was to sell my house and rent in order to get out of debt, so I called in on my smart, successful friend and asked for his advice.

When you’re in a deep, dark hole with slimy, steep, slippery sides, and the water is pouring in, you usually only admit that you have a problem when the water touches your nostrils. Until then, you live in denial, hope for the best, write pathetic “business plans”, hide, and make weak excuses that nobody believes.\

Many small business owners flock to “business networking meetings” where they desperately try to sell stuff to other broke people, or dig their hole even deeper with ineffective advertising. Worse still, they hire unemployed business failures who label themselves “Business Consultants” or “Coaches” and charge an arm and a leg to steal the last money you can borrow. (They’re also in a debt hole!)

Some people have lots of money, but they have no time and their debt is time. Either way, when your money, credit, or time is flowing out faster than it is flowing in, the murky, smelly water rises until it’s high enough to get our attention. At that point, we try to make a logical business decision while in a state of panic. That’s when we start to understand the old saying, “desperate people do desperate things”. Situational Ethics kicks in faster than a speeding bullet. And I am now addressing the people who are in this very situation, or who have the courage to see that it is approaching like the proverbial oncoming train.

When you see you’re finally about to drown in the hole you so carefully dug, who do you call? A three-year-old with a pink, plush toy? Do you call over to the “life coach” in the hole next door? Do you invite an advertising salesman over to pour a few extra barrels of water into your hole? Or sign up to sell real estate or life insurance? I know this sounds familiar to some of us, since I have been there myself. How did I very narrowly avoid certain bankruptcy on one scary occasion? Not by doing what I had always done, I assure you. Not by second-guessing people who were capable of saving me, and not by resorting to the arrogance born of fiery fear.

Here’s what I did, and what you might want to consider if a few lungfuls of water is not your cup of tea: Find the most successful, competent, insightful, straight-talking people you can, and give them a vested interest in helping you out of your hole. Follow their instructions to the letter, or they’ll throw you back like the minnow you are, faster than you might imagine.

I Listened To Every Word My Friend Said

Gerald Voutsas took an objective, relaxed look at my ridiculous plan, showed me that it definitely would put me deeper in the hole, and offered an alternative solution as quickly and easily as passing me another ginger biscuit. I did exactly what he told me to do, and he saved my asset. It took a few months, and lots of hard work, but I learned my lesson and I never put myself into that situation again. I avoid those dark holes like the plague, an the way I teach Joint Venture Brokering is based in part on avoiding that kind of deep, dark hole.

OK, I know you’re going to ask me, “But where do I find these experts?” That’s why we created DollarMakers. I wanted a decent financial planner, so I went to a very good friend who is also my Joint Venture Partner, very wealthy, and a successful lawyer, and asked him whom HE uses for his financial planning (insurance). Now we use the same insurance guy. Birds of the feather. Successful people know other successful people. And only someone who is happily not in a hole can help you out of the hole. “The blind leading the blind” is an everyday occurrence in business, masterminding with the mindless…

Elicit, then follow the expert advice of real experts to the letter. And don’t you dare second-guess, question, or slack off. I listened to Gerald, and I didn’t drown.

Many years ago in South Africa, we imported the Anthony Robbins Personal Power Program from America. Because of the exchange rate and import duties, it was very expensive, and it took a long time to receive it. We were very excited and listened to it over and over again. It changed our lives dramatically and resulted in personal understanding and choices and a video program that made us tens of thousands of dollars. We still live by the principles we learned from that wonderful program.

On a beautiful spring day, we decided to go for a walk. Along the way, we see… A GARAGE SALE! Rika loves garage sales. Suddenly, as we meander along past the tables laden with other people’s trash, we both notice that something on one of the tables that once changed our lives.

And there it was, in all its glory!

The Anthony Robbins Personal Power program, in pristine condition, with the little workbook and everything, at a garage sale! That’s like putting your most precious, inherited, priceless, irreplaceable family jewels in a garage sale. I was stunned. Rika and I both reached forward simultaneously to grab the program. I looked at the character behind the table, early fifties, torn T shirt, and asked him. “Why are you selling this fantastic program?” His reply should have been expected, but I was still shocked. “I didn’t even finish listening to it - I don’t believe that stuff - that a 20-something could make all that money - it’s rubbish.” When I recovered I asked, “So how much do you want for it?” “I paid $139″, he scowled,”But you can have it for eight - say five dollars.”  On the way out of the garage sale, clutching my treasure, I noticed that the event was held at a Co-op housing place.

Naturally, I am re-listening to the entire program and loving every minute of it, and on the first tape Tony Robbins mentions that only 10% of the people who invest in the program will finish listening to it. There’s a reason why that loser lives in government subsidized co-op housing. He was handed the keys to a magnificent mansion in the form of the Tony Robbins program, and he discarded it, probably in favor of a joint and a hockey game on TV. It was “too good to be true”. Guess when he started scowling? When he saw my DollarMakers ball cap. Bitter and twisted, trapped in his cynicism, and poor.

Although I was disgusted at this specimen that devalued something as life-changing as that Tony Robbins program, I really do pity him, and deep down inside I know that it’s not too late for him to break free of his present situation, if, indeed, he wants to break free. Many people have missed the boat, and yet they could still escape their compromised lives if they had the tools, given that they want their freedom from serfdom, mediocrity, and lives of quiet desperation. As I type this, I have just finished writing my latest book, “Break Free!” and it will soon be available. Perhaps it should be very expensive, instead of the usual $20, since $139 didn’t get the attention of a young man who held his future in his hands all those years ago.

The truth will set you free, and the source is unimportant. When the student is ready, the teacher will appear - even in the form of an old audio tape program at a garage sale. It’s never too late to start living and to break free.

Robin J. Elliott describes what you need for your Joint Venture Jet Fuel - the ingredients to a powerful JV!

 

 Your Joint Venture Jet Fuel Ingredients [8:25m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Discover the route to guaranteed success with any Joint Venture. Success is the result of a certain mindset that will guarantee your success. If your mind is well prepared, your actions will follow what is prepared in your head.

There are 5 Elements to Success, and Robin J. Elliott explains them in detail in this podcast.

 

 Podcast: Guaranteed Success with Joint Ventures [7:17m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

“Vertical Thinking” is analytical, focused, left-brain, binary (black or white) and narrow. This is the way most of us in the west have learned to view life and business. Horizontal thinking, on the other hand, is creative, right-brain, lateral, open, inclusive, synergistic, and strategic. Joint Ventures utilize and optimize both these approaches perfectly.

Edward DeBono , author of 62 books on creative thought, said:

“Some people are unhappy about lateral [horizontal] thinking because they feel it threatens the validity of vertical thinking. This is not so at all. The two processes are complementary, not antagonistic. Lateral thinking enhances the effectiveness of vertical thinking by offering it more to select from. Vertical thinking multiplies the effectiveness of lateral thinking by making good use of the ideas generated.”

The Wedding Planner, for example, is good at providing all the services and products related to weddings and the immediate events, even going as far as the honeymoon arrangements, and she gets paid a commission on all referred business within that limited time realm.

A good Joint Venture Broker, on the other hand, will see well beyond that to a strong mailing list that builds an ongoing, long-term relationship and proceeds to mutually benefit both parties over the years; that married couple will breed, buy houses, furniture, cell phones, and holidays, and fifty percent of them will get divorced. All those services can garner serious income for the broker and the service providers, while at the same time providing massive, additional value for the couple. The joint venture broker thinks out of the box.

A Joint Venture Broker is Focused on Back-End Income Sources

The traditional business owner is focused on his own products and services, to the exclusion of multiple additional sales and service opportunities. This myopic approach explains why, in my opinion, the average small and medium-size businesses out there only operate at about 10% of the potential net profit. A lateral thinking, Joint Venture approach can set up numerous back end income sources, all at 100% margin (we like to call them DollarMakers) within hours, days or weeks, thereby turbo-boosting income and differentiating the business from it’s competition, whose blinders keep them working too hard for too little.

Leverage and duplication can be systematically applied to virtually any business when the JV Broker applies this open mindset to the business services, focusing on providing the optimal ease and value for the customer and getting paid on all resulting transactions, much like owning multiple Toll Booths on thousands of bridges across the world.

Best of all, this can be accomplished with no money or risk, and surprisingly little time, since this involves leveraging existing resources. The Joint Venture Broker looks for links and partnership opportunities, and specializes in building a congruent flow of business.

When you think out of the box, you get out of the box, and unlimited opportunities suddenly start appearing all over.

Remember when you were five years old and you felt like you owned the world? You liked yourself, you were proud of your accomplishments, you were strong and courageous, and you loved people. You believed everyone loved you, too. You could dress up like a cowboy and you believed you were one.

When people asked you what you were going to be when you grew up, you answered without any doubt that you would be an astronaut or a beauty queen or a doctor. The world was at your fingertips. You believed in miracles and dreams and you had no limitations.

When You Grow Older, You Let The World Show You Limitations

As you grew older, the world got in the way and disappointments, failures, and painful experiences started to corrode your optimism, discount your self-esteem, and wear down your expectations. You started to become cynical, skepticism crept into your heart and you began compromising.

You found that being politically correct and turning the other cheek made your life easier, and you could avoid confrontation by backing down.

Previously exciting dreams and goals got shelved in favor of mediocrity and concession. Your attempts at improvement became lackluster and half-hearted. You liked yourself less. You put yourself down and lowered your standards. You stated focusing on survival instead of great success.

The Real You is still there, deep down inside. You are a winner who has behaved like a loser. You are an eagle that is living in a chicken run. You are a king or queen, clothed as a beggar, a champion with a loser’s name. You are still that five-year-old hero, and it’s not too late to return to your real self.

You can regain your belief and excitement. You can make all your dreams come true. You are the shiny sports car that simply needs the grime washed off, gas in the tank and a tune up – a “Check-up from the neck up.” The future is not equal to the past. A hundred dollar note may be crumpled, dirty and torn, but it’s still worth a hundred dollars.

You have unlimited potential. You can accomplish anything you set your mind to. You are ready. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. You are powerful, smart, and wonderfully made. You have the opportunity to start over, today, by choice, regardless of your circumstances, IF you believe that. You’re not a has-been; you’re a Gonna-be! All you need is to make the decision that you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired. Nothing can stop you from recreating yourself and your life, starting right now, and repeating it every single day.

You might be down, but you’re not out. You can get back up off the canvas, my friend, and become the champion you were always meant to be. It all starts with the realization of who you really are. The real you wants out – do yourself a favor and be free. Throw the shackles of self-limitation off. Walk out of the prison of doubt and fear. Fearlessly create the life you want and deserve.

When I see participants in a game show, like Deal or No Deal, I am always impressed at their zeal, focus, commitment, enthusiasm, and energy. Well, they stand to win millions of dollars or at least a car, I guess. And the game show has a beginning and an end, and they get to go home afterwards, with or without the prizes.

I have watched Survivor and the Amazing Race – same thing. Bottom line they can only control a certain amount of what goes on, and the game doesn’t last very long. I’m sure a lot of them muse afterwards, “If only I had more time…”

Life is like a game show in some ways. First, it has a definite beginning and a definite end. Second, you get a lot more chances and to mess up and come back than you do in a Game Show. And a lot more time. But the real difference is that you really do get to control the outcome. It’s not Random Chance that will allow you to win, but your Rational Choices. And you’re playing against yourself! That means you have no competitors!

Life is a lot easier than a Game Show and you stand to win a LOT more. You don’t just win a shiny car – you can win thousands of cars, millions of dollars, lasting happiness and wonderful relationships. You can help millions of other people.

The Game is NOT Over Yet!

How long have you been playing the Game of Life? 20 years? 40 years? 50 years? 60 years? Here’s the great news: THE GAME ISN’T OVER YET! You can still win! The game only ends when you die. (And perhaps it even continues after that…) But let’s realize that many people quit halfway through the best Game Show in the World. Imagine someone walking out in the middle of Survivor or the Amazing Race, if they didn’t have to!

Too many of us allow disappointment, cynicism, and fear to rob us of a wonderful life, so we stagger away from the game and sulk in a corner while the rest of the participants courageously press forward. Well, you can pick yourself up, dust yourself off, have a Starbucks, and leap back into the fray if you want to. It’s not too late. Unless you’re dead, that is…

See, you are the game show host and the participant. You just have to know the rules and play by them. The rules are simple, really, there are only a few:

The 5 Rules to your Game Show Life

1. You will reap what you sow. You have created what you have and you can change what you have.
2. You are in control of your response to the world and your circumstances, and you can create anything you want.
3. You only lose when you quit and you can be forgiven and recover when you mess up.
4. The only limitations you have are self-imposed.
5. There are good people out there to help you, if you choose the right ones.

You’re not too old, too hurt or too weak to get back in the game. You can do it. You can soar like an Eagle, even if you feel like a lame duck. You were made to win, and it’s not too late to succeed magnificently .

Many entrepreneurs and wanna-be entrepreneurs are terrified of competition, and this is evidenced by business networking groups who only allow one representative of each industry to attend their events.

The “Shrinking Pie” mentality posits that there is only so much to go around. This dis-empowering approach is built on a timid philosophy of scant resources and lack, and is usually manifested as aggression. (Fear often incarnates as aggression.) Someone with a Scarcity Mentality focuses on shortage, risk, what can go wrong, and insufficiency.

Whatever you focus on is guaranteed to grow.

Your mind is a magnet. When you are consumed by thoughts of poverty and privation, guess what kind of people you will attract into your life? This victim mindset is programmed for failure and disappointment. We seek evidence to prove our dominant beliefs, and those who mistakenly believe that everyone is out to rip them off and undermine their success will subconsciously sabotage themselves to prove themselves right.

We have to be congruent, and our circumstances will always bend to reflect our self-esteem and beliefs. For example, the person who is genuinely convinced that they can’t make money will show up late for appointments, and when successful people decide to no longer do business with them because of their tardiness, they will whine, “See, I told you!” The Self Fulfilling Prophecy Is not a figment of some author’s imagination.

When a penurious intellect is offered a lucrative business opportunity, its first reaction will be, “What’s the catch?” and it will immediately go on the defense and start making excuses to remain poor, mediocre and passively aggressive. They actively look for reasons why the opportunity is a scam and a hoax, while the winners eagerly grab the opportunity and rush off to make more money. Losers will seek reasons why they will fail. “It’s a holiday – there won’t be any people around to attend the seminar. It’s too expensive – nobody can afford that! (they’re projecting their own lack) I won’t make enough money! I’m being taken advantage of! What if I fail? (you’re already failing, buddy) What can go wrong?”

Drop Kick the Losers to the Curb - Fast!

These people will contaminate your business, undermine your success and bleed you dry. They will discourage you, dissuade you and depress you. And they’re unlikely to change. They are a cancer on capitalism and a danger to your success. They are poison to profits and they will subconsciously do their best to drag you down to their level of despondency. Worst of all, they will attack anyone who is more successful than they are; jealously is a very common attribute of this type of person. The only way to deal with them is to drop kick them to the curb. Fast and decisively. Squish them like cockroaches and replace them with an ambitious, determined and disciplined optimist.

It’s better to have no JV than a JV with a loser. And there are many great JV partners to be had. There is an abundance of money and opportunities out there, just waiting for you.

Look at nature – how many leaves on one tree? How much water in the ocean? How many trees and rocks? Focus on affluence, plentitude and abundance and you will attract it into our life. Self discipline, high standards and self-confidence will result in prosperity and luxury for you.

Expect to succeed in all you do. Associate with winners, not whiners. Set great goals and believe in your dreams. A life of plenty is easily available to you through Joint Ventures, as long as you have the right JV partners. Your generous Abundance Mentality is creating a life of power and prosperity for you, and a plethora of options. Freedom is the result of right thinking.

Your circumstances are a revelation of your thoughts and beliefs. Look at someone’s circumstances, listen to them talk, and decide whether or not they have what it takes to be your JV partner.