Hi Bro and Sis! Do you have investments on MF? What MF? Mutual Funds... What is it? Encountered that discussion? Explain it technically and further confusing the matter?
Well, struggle no more... MF is so simple and made so accessible nowadays. Mutual Funds is like a cooperative where you put your money together. It does not matter how much each of the member initially put in. Some can put in minimum required amount which in most cases is just 5000 Php initially, and for additional investment is only 1000 Php. This money is then handled by a Fund Manager who is responsible to allocate the funds. You can liken the Fund Manager to your mom who is doing the groceries and, the investors to the family members who shells out their share.
When your mom goes to the supermarket, she is responsible to pick up all the stuff you need. She decides how much of each item to get. Similarly, the Fund Manager chooses what stocks to invest on. However, he is limited by certain guidelines of investments as promulgated by Securities and Exchange Commission. We will tackle this separately to make it simpler this time. These guidelines, much like that of a family’s household need, depend on what your financial needs are. If you are investing for a long term need or short term. It also depends on your risk handling capability. You want a high risk or a low to no risk?
Okay, are you still with me? Term of investment and risk capabilities define what kind of Mutual Fund is suitable for you.
There are three kinds of Mutual Fund you can get into. First is the Bond Funds. These are primarily government issued securities. It's like giving your money to be used by the government with a promise that the government will pay it back with interest. In short, this is your money lend to government. This kind of Mutual Fund is the lowest risk but is also with the lowest rate of return. It is definitely a low to no risk for you can rest assure that your money will get paid. You know why? Because the government has 2 sure ways to ensure you are get paid. 1. They can print new and more money to pay off debts, and 2. They can raise revenues by collecting more tax to pay off what they owe. This Bond Funds has a performance of about 5% per annum on the average.
The second type is that of Equity Funds. Equities are shares of stocks of a company. Thus, this is more risky, more volatile, and can result to higher gains or high losses. But, generally, the trend has been on the rise. In the last 20 years, Equity Funds had been performing very well above 12%. In fact last year, Philequity Funds performed at a record high of 64.9% and a lot of those who knew how to invest in the mutual funds earned a lot. Equity Funds are like buying an item in the market and holding it, or hoarding it , if you wish, hoping that some time later, in view of demand and supply, the cost of this item will go up. You see the similarity of the rise in price of “galunggong” (local fish) and that of the stocks? Well, while you cannot hold for long periods the groceries or stuff you buy from real market, equities stocks on the other hand can be held for as long as you want.
The third and last kind of Mutual Fund available to us is the Balanced Funds. This is simply a combination of the Bond Funds and the Equity Funds. It combines the low-risk-low-gain of a bond fund and the high-risk-high-gain of equity funds. This type of Mutual Fund is performing in the 7-10% range. So instead of having the money allocated on high risk equities, or just on the more conservative bond funds, the money that is pooled together is invested by the fund manager on combination of both.
In all three cases, there are government regulations that the fund manager has to follow. And in all cases, our money that is pooled together is not handled by the Fund Manager but goes directly to a bank that will hold the money.
There is no guaranteed rate of returns for each type, but the performance in the last 15 years is holding on to the average mentioned above.
Now that we know what MF is, I challenge you now to transform this knowledge to action and reap the harvest later. If you invest on a Mutual Fund that can earn a rate of return of 12% for 25 years at 1000 Php per month, you will be able to accumulate 1.686M Php. Make that 5K Php per month and you’ll have 8.43 M Php. So who says, it’s difficult to accumulate millions? Continue to invest 5K per month on Equity Funds which can yield 12% rate of return for 35 years and you’ll accumulate 27.3M Php!
So there you are Bro and Sis. It does not take you much to accumulate millions. What you just need is the literacy of where to invest and the continuing discipline to put in small amounts that will soon accumulate to millions.
If you need further education and information, read books especially those of Bro Bo (8 Secrets of the Truly Rich, and Choose to be Wealthy), check out the www. icap.com.ph . Better yet, send me your email so I can guide you one on one.
Happy Investing!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Shocking Reality on Investing!
Last Saturday, we were in Valle Verde to assist in the Truly Rich Coaching Seminar being run by Beaconlight of Bro Bo Sanchez . In that seminar we got a shocking fact from Edward Lee;a self made Billionaire, about how poor Filipinos are in Investing Literacy!
This is the shocking revelation...in Hongkong, there are only 7M people and out that 1.5M are into investing.... that is not the shocking revelation...this is is what is really shocking....in the Philippines, as of last statistics I know, we are 90M, guess how many are into investing on this same company CitisecOnline? Only 9000 people do invest!. Total investments average turnover we have on Stocks Market per day is only 3B pesos while it is 80 Billion HK$ in Hongkong. This is truly shocking reality!
In our country, Several hundred trillion pesos are in the savings account and these are mostly remittances of OFWs and seafarers. Many millions more of employees who put themselves on the grindstones of daily work put their money on savings account not knowing that their money will double only after the next 144 years!
Indeed many of us do not know that the money we earn if properly invested can earn more money for us. Not so many know how to be financially free, without the need to work, with passive income through interest earnings from investments. Not too many know how money can work for us. Not too many trust the financial institutions.
This reality makes us more fired up to do our mission to bring sight to the blind and hearing to those are deaf as far as investing is concerned. We have a stronger resolve to help and reach out to as many people we can to teach people how they make their hard earned money work for them. That there are legitimate companies who are willing to help people achieve their financial goals.
Bro Bo is consistent and has constant drive to make people aware that being Truly Rich is a good thing and through saving and investing we can achieve it. It is our ardent prayer that we will succeed in our mission in making Filipinos be financially literate and disciplined to be investors too! We want to be proud of the Philippines as the country with most number of investors!
God be with us in this mission!
God bless!
This is the shocking revelation...in Hongkong, there are only 7M people and out that 1.5M are into investing.... that is not the shocking revelation...this is is what is really shocking....in the Philippines, as of last statistics I know, we are 90M, guess how many are into investing on this same company CitisecOnline? Only 9000 people do invest!. Total investments average turnover we have on Stocks Market per day is only 3B pesos while it is 80 Billion HK$ in Hongkong. This is truly shocking reality!
In our country, Several hundred trillion pesos are in the savings account and these are mostly remittances of OFWs and seafarers. Many millions more of employees who put themselves on the grindstones of daily work put their money on savings account not knowing that their money will double only after the next 144 years!
Indeed many of us do not know that the money we earn if properly invested can earn more money for us. Not so many know how to be financially free, without the need to work, with passive income through interest earnings from investments. Not too many know how money can work for us. Not too many trust the financial institutions.
This reality makes us more fired up to do our mission to bring sight to the blind and hearing to those are deaf as far as investing is concerned. We have a stronger resolve to help and reach out to as many people we can to teach people how they make their hard earned money work for them. That there are legitimate companies who are willing to help people achieve their financial goals.
Bro Bo is consistent and has constant drive to make people aware that being Truly Rich is a good thing and through saving and investing we can achieve it. It is our ardent prayer that we will succeed in our mission in making Filipinos be financially literate and disciplined to be investors too! We want to be proud of the Philippines as the country with most number of investors!
God be with us in this mission!
God bless!
Monday, February 1, 2010
NETWORKING...Good or Not Good!
Alive, Fern C, Vital C, Vita Plus, Amway, Forever Living, Nu Skin, and many other networking companies are thriving.
People of different background also join in. I find nothing wrong with network marketing. But certainly, I am a bit wary of the products and the schemes. The details.
Robert Kiyosaki, espouses network marketing strategies and I subscribe to the notion that it is the best marketing invention.
However, I would not consider all companies that employs this strategy is good and is really after the good of its members. How do you know that the networking company you joined is good? Here are some general guide to help you:
1. The Product: This is the core of the business. The product must really be helping people change or improve for the better. The product must have proven track record, test results on a long term. It must be a basic requirement or a replacement of an existing need.
2. Product's Lifespan: The product must have long shelf life. It is not easily expired or outmoded or surpassed by another new product.
3. Product Volume Load: The first acquisition volume of the product must approximate your use for at least a month. If it is more than what you can consume, and it is not compliant either to item 2 above, then you've got problems in inventory spoilage.
4. Product Cost: You should know the actual product cost. It must be priced same if not lower than similar products or what you can get out the shelf or from other supplier.
5. Product Consistency: The product must be consistent in it efficacy and this has something to do with its quality and how it is manufactured.
I hope you really think many times over and go through the five items above before you jump in and join!
God bless!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Law of Asset Accumulation vs Law of Accumulating Loving Relationships
Robert Kiyosaki's group has an on-line mini training series defining income and expenses, assets and liabilities. It's simple yet powerful when we really apply the concepts.
What we middle class folks and lower middle class always miss is the distinction between assets and liabilities. What we think as assets are actually liabilities that increases our expense rather than increase our income.
The Law of Accumulating Wealth tells us that as we progress in life, our aim is to accumulate assets. Assets which will in turn produce passive income for us.
However, many indeed commit violations on this law simply because they do not know or failed to understand.
Let me give you concrete examples:
We buy an apartment or a condo or just a parcel of lot with the idea that it is an asset without doing the math as automatically our mind tells us that properties are assets as taught in classes in schools. However, it is only if the net of buying the property and the use or renting or selling is positive that indeed what we bought is an asset. In short, if you make money from buying a property, it's an asset. However, if you buy it and there is no return to your invested money, then it is purely a liability.
Another thing a middle class buy is golf share. You pay a lump sum and every month you pay membership fee. I just had a walk to our golf club house and saw the monthly payments for members with their consumables. Minimum I saw was 2500 per month. On top of the money you initially cash out, you have this monthly expense. If this expense gives you returns by getting business from this golf share and membership, then it is an asset. If not , again it is clearly a liability. And here is the death blow: to be able to enjoy this golf share you have to spend even more...
Another one is a vacation time share. You pay large sums amounting to several hundred thousands and then pay a yearly amount for your units maintenance. If it is a local timeshare you pay in pesos but if it is international you pay in dollars not just several thousands but several tens of thousands. If you don't use it, and or rent it out then it is another wasted "investible" fund. Another form of liability which drain money from you instead of helping you accumulate assets.
These examples clearly violates the Law of Accumulating Assets. I know as I did commit all of the above three mentioned and those were hard lessons. And I had paid the price. And there are many other things out there that seemingly look like an asset but deep within is really a liability.
We have to have the knowledge, the financial literacy to know so we can avoid violating the Law of Accumulating Wealth.
My final point is this. If you feel good and is able to help others by buying liabilities rather than assets, or if you are able to give love and make your family enjoy life, it is a good price to pay as in the end what matters most in really not the money you accumulate or spend, but the relationships you had made as the Law of Accumulating Loving Relationships supercede Law of Accumulating Wealth.
More of this in my other blogs.
God bless!
What we middle class folks and lower middle class always miss is the distinction between assets and liabilities. What we think as assets are actually liabilities that increases our expense rather than increase our income.
The Law of Accumulating Wealth tells us that as we progress in life, our aim is to accumulate assets. Assets which will in turn produce passive income for us.
However, many indeed commit violations on this law simply because they do not know or failed to understand.
Let me give you concrete examples:
We buy an apartment or a condo or just a parcel of lot with the idea that it is an asset without doing the math as automatically our mind tells us that properties are assets as taught in classes in schools. However, it is only if the net of buying the property and the use or renting or selling is positive that indeed what we bought is an asset. In short, if you make money from buying a property, it's an asset. However, if you buy it and there is no return to your invested money, then it is purely a liability.
Another thing a middle class buy is golf share. You pay a lump sum and every month you pay membership fee. I just had a walk to our golf club house and saw the monthly payments for members with their consumables. Minimum I saw was 2500 per month. On top of the money you initially cash out, you have this monthly expense. If this expense gives you returns by getting business from this golf share and membership, then it is an asset. If not , again it is clearly a liability. And here is the death blow: to be able to enjoy this golf share you have to spend even more...
Another one is a vacation time share. You pay large sums amounting to several hundred thousands and then pay a yearly amount for your units maintenance. If it is a local timeshare you pay in pesos but if it is international you pay in dollars not just several thousands but several tens of thousands. If you don't use it, and or rent it out then it is another wasted "investible" fund. Another form of liability which drain money from you instead of helping you accumulate assets.
These examples clearly violates the Law of Accumulating Assets. I know as I did commit all of the above three mentioned and those were hard lessons. And I had paid the price. And there are many other things out there that seemingly look like an asset but deep within is really a liability.
We have to have the knowledge, the financial literacy to know so we can avoid violating the Law of Accumulating Wealth.
My final point is this. If you feel good and is able to help others by buying liabilities rather than assets, or if you are able to give love and make your family enjoy life, it is a good price to pay as in the end what matters most in really not the money you accumulate or spend, but the relationships you had made as the Law of Accumulating Loving Relationships supercede Law of Accumulating Wealth.
More of this in my other blogs.
God bless!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Why We Do What We Do In IMG
Dear Friends, this is a re-post of one of the Blogs of Bro Bo Sanchez, our Marketing Director in IMG.
Also mentioned in ths blog is Ms Shirley San Miguel our mentor here in Dasmarinas Cavite.
I encourage more people to join our IMG crusade.... why...read on...
6 Steps to Enjoying Your True Wealth
By Bo Sanchez
We were going to Hong Kong that day. I was going to preach for three days but had two extra days to be with my family. Picture us at the airport: My wife carrying our baby in her arms, my eldest son bouncing about like a rabbit and announcing to the whole world, "I'm going to Hong Kong Disneyland!" And the poor skinny father? Straining to push eight massive bags on a wobbly cart with a stubborn right wheel. (I've noticed that these deranged carts supernaturally end up with me wherever I go.)
That was when we heard the crying.
Correction. Not crying. But spine-chilling, lung-busting screaming. Two kids were holding onto their mother. They were separated by four-foot tall steel bars. But to those distraught children, those steel bars represented two years of being without their mother - the contract of a domestic helper in Hong Kong.
Four small arms clutching, grabbing, not letting go.
The whole world heard their pleading scream, "Mommy, please don't go! Please don't go!" I'll never forget the mother's pained, tortured face - as though a knife was ripping through her body. My wife cried openly. I wept inside and held onto my kids more closely.
That was two days ago. Yesterday, the story continued...
Those Small Arms Continue to Reach Out Yesterday was Sunday.
And I walked around Central.
If you don't know Hong Kong, Central is where thousands upon thousands of Filipina Domestic Helpers congregate. They sit on sidewalks. They sit on overpasses. They sit by storefronts.
I walked passed one woman who was reading a handwritten letter.
The handwriting was obviously a child's penmanship.
I walked passed another listening to a little cassette player - not to listen to music - but to a voice of a kid telling stories.
But what broke my heart was the news given to me by Shirley, the head of one organization that tries to help them get financial education. I was shocked by what she said. "Brother Bo, out of our 700 members who are married, 80% is already separated from their husbands."
Families aren't designed for prolonged separation.
They're not just made for that.
We're supposed to spend time together.
6 Steps to Spending More Time with Your Family No Matter How Busy You Are
"Bo, why are you telling me this? I'm not in Hong Kong. I'm living with my family under one roof."
Listen. Yes, you're not in Hong Kong.
But if you don't have time for your family - and your heart is not focused on them - you might as well be in another country.
You could be physically present - but are you emotionally present as well?
Let me share with you six important steps you could take to become more emotionally present with them...
Step #1: Be Close.
I'm still in Hong Kong as I write this piece.
It's five in the morning as I type this article in bed. And my little family is literally around me because we're all sleeping on one bed. Yes, we've become one mass jumble of intertwined humanity - our limbs, legs and arms crisscrossing each other. And that's when I realize - gosh, I don't know how blessed I am.
Why?
Here I am with my family. I feel their skin. I smell their scents. We're so close, I feel their breath.
And yet I'm surrounded by 148,000 domestic helpers here in Hong Kong that have been away from their families for months, for years, for decades.
And for those who've separated - forever.
Let me say it again: We don't know how blessed we are.
We complain that our families are nutty. But we don't understand how blessed we are to have them close enough to experience their nuttiness. We complain about our petty quarrels, our cold wars, our dysfunctionality.
But whose family isn't dysfunctional?
I've talked to some people here in Hong Kong who would give anything to be with their families again - even for just one day of nuttiness. The first step is to be more emotionally present to your family is to actually be physically present to them. Be close!
You need to know how precious your family is - and treat them that way. You need to see them as your true wealth - that nothing is more precious than your relationships.
Step #2: Be Deliberate.
Because you need to protect this treasure or they get stolen from you. No matter how busy I am, I schedule a weekly romantic date with my spouse.
Yes, I actually write it down in my appointment book and treat it like a meeting with the President of the Philippines. These weekly nights are blocked off for the entire year. Nothing can touch it, except some dire emergency.
Why? Because if my marriage fails, everything else stands to fail as well: My ministry, my businesses, my soul... So it is an emergency that I bring her out every week.
I also schedule a weekly date with my kids.
I believe parents need to do these one-on-one dates with each of their kids. Unless of course you've got 18 children and may need to bring them out by two's or three's.
Sometimes my son and I just walk around the village and talk.
It doesn't have to be big. But swapping stories and opening our hearts to one another on a consistent basis is already very big to them. It means they matter to you - that you value them - and you'll see their self-esteem grow.
Step #3: Be Expressive.
I tell my wife "I love you" seven times a day.
I hug my kids countless of times a day.
At night, I tell my kids, "I'm so proud you're my son. I'm so proud I'm your Daddy. You're a genius. You're a loving boy. You're an incredibly gifted young man..."
This is true. I have met 40-year olds who long to hear these words from their parents - "I'm proud of you," and feel an empty space - like a gaping wound in their souls because their parents have never told them this.
Don't do that to your kids.
And before I forget: Praise your kids seven times a day.
And praise your spouse seven times a day.
I'm not kidding. It will revolutionize your marriage.
If I say, "Criticize your spouse seven times a day," I bet you'd say, "Kaunti naman. I do that already." But that's the problem. We don't realize that when we criticize our spouses, we actually destroy our marriage bit by bit - not just our spouses.
But when you praise and honor your spouse - you build up your marriage.
It can be very simple stuff:
Ang sarap ng luto mo ngayon, Hon.
I thank God He gave you to me.
You're so hardworking.
I love it when I see you play with the kids.
You know how to make me happy.
Ganda mo ngayon.
Keep on doing this and you'll see changes in your life and your marriage you thought were not possible.
Let me say it again: Praise your spouse - and your children - seven times a day.
Step #4: Be Deep.
Your weekly dates shouldn't just be watching movies, eating out and going home.
Talk deep.
Talk about your feelings.
Enter into each other's worlds. Dive into each other's dreams, hurts, desires, worries, hopes and burdens.
When you open yourself up to your spouse or your child, there are more chances for the other person to open up to you.
Step #5: Be Simple
Yesterday afternoon, I preached to 700 people in Hong Kong.
I usually give my talks for 45 minutes. That's been my trademark. But yesterday, I gave a solid two-hour talk. Vein-popping, heart-pounding, passion-driven talk - because I had a burden in my heart.
Because I preached on Financial Literacy.
I challenged them, "Raise your financial I.Q.!"
I scolded them, "When you left the Philippines, you told your kids, 'Anak, two years of separation lang 'to. After two years, Mommy will have saved enough and will go home and we'll be together again.' But after two years, you go home and you haven't saved. Because you repainted the house. Because there's a new TV set in the living room and a new gas range in the kitchen. Because the kids have new designer rubber shoes.
I taught them how to live simply and ruthlessly save 20% of their income.
Because unless they do this, they will be forever trapped in Hong Kong.
Look at your life.
Are you living simply?
Are you saving 20% of your income?
Step #6: Be Financially Intelligent
I also taught them where to invest.
I told them, "It's not enough to just save. You need to know where to put your money. Because savings accounts at 1% and time deposits at 5% won't do. Inflation - which is at 7% - will simply eat them up."
So I taught them about mutual funds and other investment vehicles, including the ability to sell something and get into business.
Here's the truth: The more you know about money, the less time you need to make money. So the more time you have for your family.
Actually, a time should come when you don't need to make money. Instead, you let money make money. And that requires financial intelligence.
Read. Attend seminars. Look for mentors.
Go Home.
After giving my talk, I took a deep breath and told my audience in Hong Kong, "When you follow these principles and have saved enough - please go home. Please go home to your children."
I made a lot of people cry that day.
I'm telling you the same thing.
Oh yes, you may be living with your family in one house, but it's possible that your heart is so far away from your spouse and kids - and they are far away from you as well.
You need to let your heart go home.
Go home my friend.
Your heart belongs there.
Also mentioned in ths blog is Ms Shirley San Miguel our mentor here in Dasmarinas Cavite.
I encourage more people to join our IMG crusade.... why...read on...
6 Steps to Enjoying Your True Wealth
By Bo Sanchez
We were going to Hong Kong that day. I was going to preach for three days but had two extra days to be with my family. Picture us at the airport: My wife carrying our baby in her arms, my eldest son bouncing about like a rabbit and announcing to the whole world, "I'm going to Hong Kong Disneyland!" And the poor skinny father? Straining to push eight massive bags on a wobbly cart with a stubborn right wheel. (I've noticed that these deranged carts supernaturally end up with me wherever I go.)
That was when we heard the crying.
Correction. Not crying. But spine-chilling, lung-busting screaming. Two kids were holding onto their mother. They were separated by four-foot tall steel bars. But to those distraught children, those steel bars represented two years of being without their mother - the contract of a domestic helper in Hong Kong.
Four small arms clutching, grabbing, not letting go.
The whole world heard their pleading scream, "Mommy, please don't go! Please don't go!" I'll never forget the mother's pained, tortured face - as though a knife was ripping through her body. My wife cried openly. I wept inside and held onto my kids more closely.
That was two days ago. Yesterday, the story continued...
Those Small Arms Continue to Reach Out Yesterday was Sunday.
And I walked around Central.
If you don't know Hong Kong, Central is where thousands upon thousands of Filipina Domestic Helpers congregate. They sit on sidewalks. They sit on overpasses. They sit by storefronts.
I walked passed one woman who was reading a handwritten letter.
The handwriting was obviously a child's penmanship.
I walked passed another listening to a little cassette player - not to listen to music - but to a voice of a kid telling stories.
But what broke my heart was the news given to me by Shirley, the head of one organization that tries to help them get financial education. I was shocked by what she said. "Brother Bo, out of our 700 members who are married, 80% is already separated from their husbands."
Families aren't designed for prolonged separation.
They're not just made for that.
We're supposed to spend time together.
6 Steps to Spending More Time with Your Family No Matter How Busy You Are
"Bo, why are you telling me this? I'm not in Hong Kong. I'm living with my family under one roof."
Listen. Yes, you're not in Hong Kong.
But if you don't have time for your family - and your heart is not focused on them - you might as well be in another country.
You could be physically present - but are you emotionally present as well?
Let me share with you six important steps you could take to become more emotionally present with them...
Step #1: Be Close.
I'm still in Hong Kong as I write this piece.
It's five in the morning as I type this article in bed. And my little family is literally around me because we're all sleeping on one bed. Yes, we've become one mass jumble of intertwined humanity - our limbs, legs and arms crisscrossing each other. And that's when I realize - gosh, I don't know how blessed I am.
Why?
Here I am with my family. I feel their skin. I smell their scents. We're so close, I feel their breath.
And yet I'm surrounded by 148,000 domestic helpers here in Hong Kong that have been away from their families for months, for years, for decades.
And for those who've separated - forever.
Let me say it again: We don't know how blessed we are.
We complain that our families are nutty. But we don't understand how blessed we are to have them close enough to experience their nuttiness. We complain about our petty quarrels, our cold wars, our dysfunctionality.
But whose family isn't dysfunctional?
I've talked to some people here in Hong Kong who would give anything to be with their families again - even for just one day of nuttiness. The first step is to be more emotionally present to your family is to actually be physically present to them. Be close!
You need to know how precious your family is - and treat them that way. You need to see them as your true wealth - that nothing is more precious than your relationships.
Step #2: Be Deliberate.
Because you need to protect this treasure or they get stolen from you. No matter how busy I am, I schedule a weekly romantic date with my spouse.
Yes, I actually write it down in my appointment book and treat it like a meeting with the President of the Philippines. These weekly nights are blocked off for the entire year. Nothing can touch it, except some dire emergency.
Why? Because if my marriage fails, everything else stands to fail as well: My ministry, my businesses, my soul... So it is an emergency that I bring her out every week.
I also schedule a weekly date with my kids.
I believe parents need to do these one-on-one dates with each of their kids. Unless of course you've got 18 children and may need to bring them out by two's or three's.
Sometimes my son and I just walk around the village and talk.
It doesn't have to be big. But swapping stories and opening our hearts to one another on a consistent basis is already very big to them. It means they matter to you - that you value them - and you'll see their self-esteem grow.
Step #3: Be Expressive.
I tell my wife "I love you" seven times a day.
I hug my kids countless of times a day.
At night, I tell my kids, "I'm so proud you're my son. I'm so proud I'm your Daddy. You're a genius. You're a loving boy. You're an incredibly gifted young man..."
This is true. I have met 40-year olds who long to hear these words from their parents - "I'm proud of you," and feel an empty space - like a gaping wound in their souls because their parents have never told them this.
Don't do that to your kids.
And before I forget: Praise your kids seven times a day.
And praise your spouse seven times a day.
I'm not kidding. It will revolutionize your marriage.
If I say, "Criticize your spouse seven times a day," I bet you'd say, "Kaunti naman. I do that already." But that's the problem. We don't realize that when we criticize our spouses, we actually destroy our marriage bit by bit - not just our spouses.
But when you praise and honor your spouse - you build up your marriage.
It can be very simple stuff:
Ang sarap ng luto mo ngayon, Hon.
I thank God He gave you to me.
You're so hardworking.
I love it when I see you play with the kids.
You know how to make me happy.
Ganda mo ngayon.
Keep on doing this and you'll see changes in your life and your marriage you thought were not possible.
Let me say it again: Praise your spouse - and your children - seven times a day.
Step #4: Be Deep.
Your weekly dates shouldn't just be watching movies, eating out and going home.
Talk deep.
Talk about your feelings.
Enter into each other's worlds. Dive into each other's dreams, hurts, desires, worries, hopes and burdens.
When you open yourself up to your spouse or your child, there are more chances for the other person to open up to you.
Step #5: Be Simple
Yesterday afternoon, I preached to 700 people in Hong Kong.
I usually give my talks for 45 minutes. That's been my trademark. But yesterday, I gave a solid two-hour talk. Vein-popping, heart-pounding, passion-driven talk - because I had a burden in my heart.
Because I preached on Financial Literacy.
I challenged them, "Raise your financial I.Q.!"
I scolded them, "When you left the Philippines, you told your kids, 'Anak, two years of separation lang 'to. After two years, Mommy will have saved enough and will go home and we'll be together again.' But after two years, you go home and you haven't saved. Because you repainted the house. Because there's a new TV set in the living room and a new gas range in the kitchen. Because the kids have new designer rubber shoes.
I taught them how to live simply and ruthlessly save 20% of their income.
Because unless they do this, they will be forever trapped in Hong Kong.
Look at your life.
Are you living simply?
Are you saving 20% of your income?
Step #6: Be Financially Intelligent
I also taught them where to invest.
I told them, "It's not enough to just save. You need to know where to put your money. Because savings accounts at 1% and time deposits at 5% won't do. Inflation - which is at 7% - will simply eat them up."
So I taught them about mutual funds and other investment vehicles, including the ability to sell something and get into business.
Here's the truth: The more you know about money, the less time you need to make money. So the more time you have for your family.
Actually, a time should come when you don't need to make money. Instead, you let money make money. And that requires financial intelligence.
Read. Attend seminars. Look for mentors.
Go Home.
After giving my talk, I took a deep breath and told my audience in Hong Kong, "When you follow these principles and have saved enough - please go home. Please go home to your children."
I made a lot of people cry that day.
I'm telling you the same thing.
Oh yes, you may be living with your family in one house, but it's possible that your heart is so far away from your spouse and kids - and they are far away from you as well.
You need to let your heart go home.
Go home my friend.
Your heart belongs there.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Check Your New Year's Family Plans!
Christmas is officially over and so is the commitment and resolve to pursue your newly defined resolutions and plans for this year. Am I right?
Some families even had their Annual Planning which involve several facets of life: Physical, Emotional, Spiritual, Physical, Relational, and Financial. And yet, by now, they are almost forgotten. I hope not...
We, my wife and my children had our own planning last January 1 and we listed up our individual dreams and goals for the year. And we already posted it in our dream board. We still have to type it in to have a much clearer and more legible copy than those we scribbled during our planning workshop.
But I can tell you, I wont remember them all if I wont review them, if I wont check them out again.
How about you, have you done your review or did not even bother to come up with a plan?
If we fail to plan, it's like planning to fail. While even if we plan but we do not review them regularly, it's like having no plans.
Got the message...check your plans now.
God bless!
Some families even had their Annual Planning which involve several facets of life: Physical, Emotional, Spiritual, Physical, Relational, and Financial. And yet, by now, they are almost forgotten. I hope not...
We, my wife and my children had our own planning last January 1 and we listed up our individual dreams and goals for the year. And we already posted it in our dream board. We still have to type it in to have a much clearer and more legible copy than those we scribbled during our planning workshop.
But I can tell you, I wont remember them all if I wont review them, if I wont check them out again.
How about you, have you done your review or did not even bother to come up with a plan?
If we fail to plan, it's like planning to fail. While even if we plan but we do not review them regularly, it's like having no plans.
Got the message...check your plans now.
God bless!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Seven Years of Famine!
As I look back from 2002 to 2009, I was struck by the fact that it was indeed a Seven Years of Famine so far.
In Exodus, Joseph the Dreamer , son of Jacob, was asked by the Pharaoh what his dream meant. It was about a forthcoming 7 years of famine. And he advised the Pharaoh to issue an order in the whole of Egypt to make sure that 1/5 of the harvest are saved. And this is what Egypt did and they survived till the next good harvest finally resumed. They did not just survived, they even made a big growth in their economy as the countries and kingdoms around them purchased their goods from them.
Relating it to what is currently happening to our country and the world, it is a stark reality of the same thing that happened in Joseph's time. And it's a vicious cycle. It happens every so often though varying in depth and expanse. Only lately has this economic famine hit its greatest devastation of the world economy that even the economic giants folded on its knees.
What's the lesson behind this bible story in relation to Steps to Riches? Very much relevant and apparent. But let me spell it out to those who still don't get it. Those that had saved and invested their hard earned money in the last seven years will have the sure chance for survival no matter what happens in the next coming years.
Let me show you why? If you had been receiving a salary of 50K/month and you had save 20% of it or 10k/month and invested it wisely on an instrument that earns 12% (note some Mutual Funds even performed better than 12 % in the last 7 years) for seven consecutive years, by this time, you should have more than a Million Pesos and you can survive for more than 20 months even without working. And you can invest your 1M and it will earn more than 120K per month sufficient for your needs.
Now check your own savings if you have any. Is it within 5%, or 2%? You wont survive specially if you are suddenly retrenched from your work. You are a month away from bankruptcy.
So where and when do you start. Start now. Pay yourself first. Save and Invest. Reduce your Expense and Increase your income by using your spare time. You may not be able to achieve what you could have if you started earlier but at least you'll be away from being in a debt hole. Start to teach your kids as well.
Look for financial mentors who will show you the way on correct and safe investing and saving. Be careful in choosing your mentors. Ensure it is your benefit they are really after and not your meager income or your few remaining savings. Increase your financial intelligence. Go with people with the same discipline and advocacy. Go and find an IMG Associate nearest you. Or better yet...contact me.
I'll share to you my secret of surviving and thriving in this economic crisis, and you will also have the opportunity to earn additional income for your family too.
God bless.
In Exodus, Joseph the Dreamer , son of Jacob, was asked by the Pharaoh what his dream meant. It was about a forthcoming 7 years of famine. And he advised the Pharaoh to issue an order in the whole of Egypt to make sure that 1/5 of the harvest are saved. And this is what Egypt did and they survived till the next good harvest finally resumed. They did not just survived, they even made a big growth in their economy as the countries and kingdoms around them purchased their goods from them.
Relating it to what is currently happening to our country and the world, it is a stark reality of the same thing that happened in Joseph's time. And it's a vicious cycle. It happens every so often though varying in depth and expanse. Only lately has this economic famine hit its greatest devastation of the world economy that even the economic giants folded on its knees.
What's the lesson behind this bible story in relation to Steps to Riches? Very much relevant and apparent. But let me spell it out to those who still don't get it. Those that had saved and invested their hard earned money in the last seven years will have the sure chance for survival no matter what happens in the next coming years.
Let me show you why? If you had been receiving a salary of 50K/month and you had save 20% of it or 10k/month and invested it wisely on an instrument that earns 12% (note some Mutual Funds even performed better than 12 % in the last 7 years) for seven consecutive years, by this time, you should have more than a Million Pesos and you can survive for more than 20 months even without working. And you can invest your 1M and it will earn more than 120K per month sufficient for your needs.
Now check your own savings if you have any. Is it within 5%, or 2%? You wont survive specially if you are suddenly retrenched from your work. You are a month away from bankruptcy.
So where and when do you start. Start now. Pay yourself first. Save and Invest. Reduce your Expense and Increase your income by using your spare time. You may not be able to achieve what you could have if you started earlier but at least you'll be away from being in a debt hole. Start to teach your kids as well.
Look for financial mentors who will show you the way on correct and safe investing and saving. Be careful in choosing your mentors. Ensure it is your benefit they are really after and not your meager income or your few remaining savings. Increase your financial intelligence. Go with people with the same discipline and advocacy. Go and find an IMG Associate nearest you. Or better yet...contact me.
I'll share to you my secret of surviving and thriving in this economic crisis, and you will also have the opportunity to earn additional income for your family too.
God bless.
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