FREEDOM

Freedom

Over the last couple of days I've taken time out to reflect on this project, and chat to a few individuals, not so much about 1H1Y1M, but more about their hopes and aspirations, mainly people in restaurants and situations I've found myself in. 

Messages are very important in life, especially if you want to engage the potential of the law of attraction and the cosmos, so just talking to people gives you all sorts of pointers. Not structured what do you think, but random conversations contain messages and advice. But for those who don't believe in these things, maybe you've been fortunate enough not to have faced oblivion with nothing between you and the abyss, only at that point do you reach out and ask for a little divine intervention, or prey to whatever God you believe in.  Messages come in the form of coincidences, or ideas, dreams, phrases from strangers, that send you in a direction that you might never have thought, this is the power of the universal kaleidoscope, working and moving us all in turn. If you want to engage more than just your own thoughts, you need to open your eyes to what life is telling you, not keep rejecting the signs just because you haven't got time to look, see, do, or don't believe in anything outside of yourself.

There is a undoubtably a force at work behind the scenes, frankly I've seen it close up and personal on occasion, so I'm a little hard pressed to deny it's existence and power. But if you actually appreciate there is more to life than you can see, you just have to learn some basic principles that can help you achieve your goals, but remember, however much you want something, the ultimate journey of your life has to lead somewhere, which means the choices that you make need to be congruent with that purpose, just don't ask me what it is for you.

When I was about six, people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I said retired. They laughed. I was serious.They connected the word retirement with old age, I thought freedom. My grandparents at the time looked at retirement as freedom from the limits of working life, my father looked at it as as the threshold of the end. Each realised into their lives exactly what they wished for, holidays for the grandparents, and a trip to the cemetery for my father. But for me at the time, I decided I would retire early at 21, as freedom seemed the most important and valuable commodity, so why bother with the work thing.

I've never changed my opinion, the concept of freedom has guided my life ever since. You see the core beliefs and values you retain, work for and against you; in my case, as a few of my multiple millionaire acquaintances have put it, making me the worlds biggest under achiever in their view point, and when I base my success against their wealth I have to agree with them. But in retaining hair, a flat stomach, and undaunted belief, rather than cynicism and scepticism, I'm much more successful. I have my share of talents, but have made choices throughout my life that were in line with my desire to be free, and within certain limitations that my father impressed on me about behaviour to my fellow man. One phrase I remember him saying after a childhood prank I engaged in, was 'think, before you take an action, if it is going to hurt you or someone else, don't do it', actually it's really hard to live up to, simply because you naturally end up disappointing somebody because of their potentially unreasonable expectations from you.

So when it comes to making millions, those two values can make it harder than it would be for me, than for say someone who liked security and inflicting pain, no I don't mean a prison officer, more Sadam Hussain.

The question at hand is what is the acquisition of a million in one year worth. Time and effort are one thing, risk of lively hood another, but the one single aspect that will determine it's possibility, is whether it can be achieved still retaining my core values and beliefs. Namely freedom. This is exactly the same for you with whatever you choose to do and will very likely be the underlying factor in realising your chances of success in some areas. The option is to rearrange your internal priority list, compromise, or work within their limitations.

Is 1 million worth my definition of freedom? The answer is no. No amount is. My plan for achieving it must remain within certain rules that I have set out, otherwise I will not stand a chance. One rule is using the talents I have in inspiration and motivation to move people to action, and hopefully transfer the skills I have learnt in influence, understanding and self belief to them, this remains the basic transaction... personal and business skills, as well as a path to financial freedom. If that's the model people like, then I have my million and my freedom value is upheld. So I have to check it is attractive to people, as my values can be vastly different to others.

When you set up a business, you might have a wonderful idea to you, but will it sell, is there a market. If it's a niche product or service then you will have to charge a price that is high enough to sustain the business and your lifestyle. Remember, if you could earn just as much stacking shelves in Sainsbury's, as running your business with all the stress it involves, the cost in years of your life total might not be worth the effort.

To make money there is a certain check list of factors that need a tick before you waste your time. The biggest two by far are: is there a ready and willing Market and how much will it cost to access that Market. Needs based markets are good like coffins, everybody is going to need that suit sooner or later, it's just how much demand, and competition there is in any one area. If you know the death rate will go up, then there's a good business, alternatively influencing the volume could lead you into trouble. But people come to you just like they need plumbers, although it is a different problem in most cases. But if you have a new idea, you have to have a method to Market that attracts or persuades customers, that what you offer can solve a problem, increase their lifestyle or make money. The internet is obviously a great help here, more so with social media when it comes to my budget for this exercise. So I need people to talk about this and try to elevate awareness but offer a great opportunity that benefits those involved. In fact, I'd like it to be life changing, as that's the business I've always been involved in.

Talking with a young Romanian graduate in Chemical engineering yesterday, the concept of compromise arose. She was working as a security guard in London, because of the compromise of money and a job here, versus the job she wanted and £200 a month there, sharing a bedroom with her brother as house prices are the same as here.

I asked if she would like the freedom to work in her chosen career. She said of course but she had to work to survive. "If there was a way you could have the freedom to do what you  wanted but the one condition would be you had to help other people to the same result....would you do that?" "Of course" she said, "who wouldn't."

I wonder, would you? It's certainly the reason and methodology behind my life.

The One Hundred One Year One Million Seminars are just about to start, if you would like to arrange one, or find out when and where the next one is please get in touch.