Create Your Own Fate, Don't Wait.

GRANT CARDONE

The middle class is no longer the majority. You either move up or you’ll get squeezed out. Don’t wait and do nothing. I keep saying the new middle class is the millionaire. In order to move up you need to figure out how to increase revenue. At my company, that’s what we do everyday -- we increase revenue for people. I give the tools, the strategies and the secrets to help people skyrocket their income. Thousands of people can attest to this fact.

Even if your job title does not have the word “sales” in it, you must realize that any potential future income increases you make are dependent on how well you will be able to sell. The skill of selling is vital to everything in life. If you want to increase your income, I want to first give you some of the basics -- some of the things all of the great salespeople share.

1. Finish what you start.

Great salespeople are good at starting things, and great at finishing them. I know some people who can finish really well, but just don’t start enough. The greats do both. They start a lot of activities and finish them all. Most people start too few things and then quit.

2. Invest in networking, community and building relationships.

Great people know obscurity -- not being known -- is their biggest problem. The great salespeople solve the obscurity problem by getting attention. To become great, you must make yourself known. Your product won’t do it by itself. Get involved in politics, get involved in the Chamber of Commerce.

Whether it be churches or schools, get involved in your community. Go where people are and solve the problem of obscurity.

3. Don’t compete, dominate.

The greats aren’t interested in competition. They want to dominate. They don’t want to play fair or be in a race, they want to be the only person in the field. Be the only one on the field because you’ve done things to separate yourself. Dominate and own the space. Be the only player and do what others refuse to do, then you won’t have to compete anymore.

4. See problems as opportunities.

The greats don’t see problems, they solve problems. They seek problems that others avoid. You need to have the mindset of doing what others refuse to do and seeing things from a different perspective.

5. Invest in yourself.

Great salespeople invest in their education, development, and personal motivation.  They know these are their tools.  The average don’t stay connected and never read. The basics of your business may not change, but the greats know that things can always be improved. 

6. Listen, but be deaf.

Great salespeople are great listeners but they also can be deaf. They know who to listen to and who not to, when to listen and when not to. The greats are deaf to those who say it can’t be done. In fact, they get inspired by it. Don’t listen when others say it can’t be done. Believe you are the only one who can make it happen.

7. Disrupt the status quo.

The greats want to disrupt the status quo for their industry. Think about inventors or business people who have disrupted complete ways of thinking and changed conditions. They don’t change things just for the sake of change, but because they see a better, quicker way of doing things. They are not just renegades, but they have something in them that is renegade about wanting to change something for the better.

Take these basic rules of success and will help you to create your own fate. If you do nothing to change, don’t expect your lifestyle to ever improve. The middle class will continue to be squeezed. You have the choice to either move up or go down in class. To get the skills you need to raise your income, take advantage of my premium training productsat 90 percent off right now in my store.

5 Life Lessons From Bill Gates, One of the Most Influential Philanthropists on Earth

Carolyn Sun

In so many ways, Bill Gates did his most significant work outside of Microsoft, the company he co-founded with childhood friend Paul Allen in 1975.

In his 20s, Gates, who was born on Oct. 28, 1955, saw the future in copyrighting software before the majority of the tech industry. When IBM came to him to ask if he had an operating system for its first line of personal computers, he said yes. Then, he purchased an operating system from small software outfit in Seattle, modifying the software program and called it MS-DOS. He licensed it to IBM for $50,000, retaining the copyright.

As PCs became ever-popular, MS-DOS became the reigning operating system. What followed were more benchmarks in innovation. Gates went on to announce the revolutionary Windows in 1985, which became the most widely used operating system; by 1987, the year after Microsoft went public, the 31-year-old Gates became the world’s youngest billionaire at that time.

Two years later, he founded Corbis, the largest visual archive of art and photography, and in 1995, when the Internet was still budding, Microsoft released the browser Internet Explorer. The same year, Gates became the world’s richest man.

However, it wasn’t until after his mother Mary Maxwell Gates passed away in 1994 that Gates developed a visible stake outside of Microsoft, which was largely due to his mother. Mary was a formidable woman in her own right who served on several boards, including First Interstate Bank in Seattle (which was founded by her grandfather), as well as for the United Way national board where she served as its first female chair.

Close as they were, Mary and Gates butted heads often. At the age of 11, Gates seemed to gain precocious intellect overnight, his father recalled to The Wall Street Journal. The young Gates pushed back against his mother’s rules and expectations, and their fights got explosive. Ultimately, she took him to see a therapist, whom Gates informed, “I'm at war with my parents over who is in control."

The therapist, in turn, counseled Mary and her husband to ease up. Ease up they did, enrolling him in a private school at the age of 13 where he’d have more academic freedom to pursue his interests -- and where he discovered his love for computers.

However, his mother never stopped offering counsel and guidance. Years later, when Gates took Microsoft public and became a billionaire, a Microsoft employee recounts how the two quarreled after Mary pressured her son to use his wealth for philanthropy.

Gates responded by yelling, “I’m trying to run my company!"

However, the tech billionaire was convinced to create a fundraising arm at Microsoft and donate to his mother’s preferred charity: The United Way. Eventually, he joined its board. But, it was a letter that his mother gave his bride-to-be at the time in 1994 that lead to his work in philanthropy on a purposeful scale.

Her letter read: "From those to whom much is given, much is expected.”

Six months later, she died. Gates never forgot her words. He tasked his father, Bill Gates Sr., with $100 million to start the William H. Gates Foundation in 1994 to give grants to worthy causes. It eventually became part of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (founded in 2000).

In 2011, Gates and his wife, along with his good friend Warren Buffett, devised The Giving Pledge, a campaign to convince the world’s wealthiest to give away the majority of their fortunes during their lifetimes.

From advocating for and funding Common Core initiatives in education to providing vaccines to combating infectious disease in the world’s poorest communities -- and more recently, focusing $80 million on gender gap research -- the Seattle titan worth $87.4 billion is one of the true radicals and visionaries of our time.

He sets a high bar for the rest of his ilk -- both and his wife have given away more than $29 billion so far.

Here are five more lessons we can learn from his remarkable life.

Related: Watch Bill Gates Shotgun a Demon in a Vintage DOOM Promo

1. Read, read, read.

Image credit: Bill Gates | Facebook

Curiosity and learning are part of Gates’ DNA. The busy billionaire frequently recommends books on his blog Gates Notes, and there is an entire section dedicated to book reviews, from beach reading to nonfiction reads. (Entrepreneur just covered his most recent bookrecommendations.) 

As a young boy, “he read the World Book Encyclopedia series start to finish,” reported The Wall Street Journal. “His parents encouraged his appetite for reading by paying for any book he wanted.”

He also attributed his ability to dream big to his early opportunities in reading:  

“I really had a lot of dreams when I was a kid, and I think a great deal of that grew out of the fact that I had a chance to read a lot.”

He’s an author, too, and has written two New York Times best-sellers, The Road Ahead and Business @ the Speed of Thought.

2. Marry a strong partner who will challenge you.

Image credit: Scott Olson | Getty Images

He lost his mother in 1994, the same year he married Melinda French, a former Microsoft executive with a strong mind of her own.

Melinda’s influence is seen in their shared work at The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where she’s focused on women and children in underdeveloped countries. As a Roman Catholic, she’s been a recurring focus of controversy over her choice to fund birth control for women in developing countries in Africa.

During a TED Talks interview, she said that her decision to support birth control in spite of religious pushback was bolstered by her conversations with women in the rural countryside of Africa, where birth control meant the ability to space out the births of children, so the kids have a chance to be fed and educated.

Related: From Elon Musk to Richard Branson: What These 5 Entrepreneurial Leaders Learned From Their Mothers
 

 

3. Teach your kids to work for it.

Image credit: Jean Catuffe | Getty Images

Gates is one of the founding members of The Giving Pledge, which he came up with in 2011. So far he’s donated over $29 billion of his fortune to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

As for his three kids, they won’t be paupers and stand to inherit a “minuscule portion of his wealth.

However, Gates shared with the Daily Mail that his three children are going to be given “an unbelievable education and that will all be paid for,” but like the rest of us, they’ll have to pick a job and go to work

 4. Take calculated risk.

Image credit: Ann E. Yow-Dyson | Getty Images

While he was a student at Harvard, he read about a new computer, the MITS Altair 8800, in Popular Mechanics and called the company to tell them he wrote a programming language for it -- which he hadn’t.

However, that didn’t stop him. He took a leave of absence from Harvard and recruited his childhood computer buddy, Allen, to work on the programming language, which became BASIC.

The two ended up selling it to MITS for $3,000, retaining the copyright license.

 

5. Work hard for your dreams -- there is no shortcut.

Image credit: Bloomberg | Getty Images

Gates has a reputation of being a tough boss, but he was tough on himself, too. During the first five years of Microsoft, he was not only in charge of running the business, but he also oversaw product development, taking it upon himself to rewrite code if need be.

As a younger man, he also frequently pulled all-nighters. According to Business Insider, one time, an employee came into work and found a man sleeping on the floor. She was going to call the police, but then realized the man was Bill Gates.

Another life it is flying first class on Emirates

• Charles Clark
 
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• Oct. 28, 2016, 7:23 AM
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Passengers are treated like royalty in their own private cabins.Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters

In its 31-year history, Emirates has become synonymous with luxury and established itself as a leader in air travel.

The airline was recently named the best in the world by the consumer aviation website Skytrax, and is perhaps best known for its opulent first-class accommodations.

Although flights don't come cheap — a return airfare from Gatwick to Dubai costs roughly £4,000 ($4,800) — Emirates provides its passengers with an unforgettable experience.

A couple of readers, Owen and Rory, documented their experience during a recent trip on board an Emirates A380 and shared some photographs with Business Insider.

See what it's like to travel first class on the best airline in the world:

If you're flying first class or business class, you can relax in one of the Emirates lounges before you board the plane. From here you can board directly, before anyone else, without having to queue.

Flickr/Bill Holler

When boarding as a first-class passenger, you're greeted and escorted to your seat by a flight attendant and offered complimentary Champagne. You're given your own spacious cabin with sliding privacy doors and the kind of amenities that you'd expect to find in a high-end hotel. The leather seat reclines and becomes a bed.

Reuters/ Kai Pfaffenbach

Upon arrival in the cabin, you'll find a wash bag filled with fragrances and toiletries from the luxury fashion house Bvlgari, Gillette shaving foam, a toothbrush, Colgate toothpaste, and Axe deodorant.

Owen. S / Rory. S

The glossy wood paneling and gold trim provide the perfect frame for the view outside. First class on an Emirates Airbus A380 has only 14 seats, so the service is tailored to each person.

Owen. S / Rory. S

If you need to freshen up at 40,000 feet, you can book a slot in one of two onboard showers and spas. The floors are heated, and each passenger is given five minutes of running water during their 30-minute session. When you return to your seat, your shower attendant will have left a fruit plate with honey for you.

Owen. S / Rory. S

Regionally inspired gourmet meals can be prepared for you at any time and are served on Royal Doulton bone china. A flight attendant can transform your suite into a mini dining room.

Owen. S / Rory. S

Passengers can relax and enjoy a range of treats while watching movies on their interactive touch-screen TV, which doubles as a gaming system.

Owen. S / Rory. S

Passengers' chairs also have a massage function — you can see the controls here:

Owen. S / Rory. S

The controls can change the intensity and the type of massage. You can also use the interactive panel to set the ambient lighting and to open and close the doors to your private suite.

Owen. S / Rory. S

Soft drinks are provided in an automated minibar ...

Owen. S / Rory. S

... but passengers can go to the bar if they fancy something a bit heavier. It serves premium spirits, exclusive wines, Champagne, and cocktails — including Dom Perignon, which retails for at least £120 per bottle. There's enough room to stand and talk to other passengers around the bar.

Owen. S / Rory. S

And at night, the bar lights up. It also serves Hennessy Paradis, the most expensive alcohol served by any airline, starting at around £600 per bottle.

Owen. S / Rory. S

Though the £4,000 price tag may seem steep, Emirates treats its first-class passengers like royalty — and also allows them to disembark before anyone else on the plane.

O. Win

6 rules for loaning money to a family member

• Tanza Loudenback
 
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ABC/"Modern Family"

Our families can demand a lot from us. Naturally, they expect love, attention, and support. But sometimes, they also ask for things that are far more tangible, like money.

Loaning a relative money with the expectation to be repaid can be an awkward situation, especially if you're not sure how to approach it — Do I make them sign a contract? Should we establish a repayment schedule? What if they never repay me?

To answer these questions (and more), Business Insider consulted two financial planners. Both cautioned against loaning money to family, but if you’re considering it, here are six rules they recommend following.

Put everything in writing.

"Put the parameters in place — time frame, interest rate, and when payments need to start," says Mary Beth Storjohann, a certified financial planner and CEO and founder of Workable Wealth. "I think getting it in writing makes it more tangible, but still with family, you have to be willing to enforce that."

She added that it's important to have a conversation about what will happen if payments are missed.

Alan Moore, a certified financial planner and cofounder of the XY Planning Network, even suggests putting together a legal contract involving an attorney.

"Treat this as you would any other loan," he said. Don't leave anything out and don't make any assumptions, Moore said.

Determine an interest rate for repayment.

Storjohann suggests consulting the IRS-approved interest rates for family loans above $14,000, the annual limit on tax-free gifts. That currently amounts to 0.43% for "short-term" loans of up to three years, 1.53% for "mid-term" loans from three to nine years, and 2.30% for "long-term" loans over nine years. These rates will help you avoid unnecessary tax complications — for instance, the IRS could charge you taxes for the interest you could have collected, even if you didn't — and hold your borrower accountable.

Consider what will happen if they don't pay you back.

Storjohann asks: If you see your family member taking vacations or making frivolous purchases, but failing to make loan payments, how will you feel and how will you handle it? 

Ideally, you should have an open and honest conversation early on about what will happen in the event that the terms you agreed upon aren't met, according to Moore.

"All parties need to be aware of the consequences should that happen, so it isn't a surprise," Moore says.

Know that your relationship will change.

Money is often a divisive and awkward topic, especially in personal relationships.

"Loaning money to family members is more than just a financial decision — it's also an emotional one," Moore says. "Loaning money to someone across the Thanksgiving table from you can cause major issues, sometimes without you realizing it."

"It turns your relationships from sibling to lender, and when there is an issue (or even if there is not), it can make you seem like you're holding the money over them even when you don't intend to," he said, advising that it's imperative not to mention the payments outside of predetermined times. "Even off-hand comments across the room like, 'Sure hoping to get that first payment soon!' can ruin a relationship."

Learn how to say no respectfully.

Just because someone you love is asking for money doesn't mean you have to comply. Whether you genuinely don't have the cash to loan, or you're just avoiding a potentially sticky situation, Storjohann offers advice for rejecting a family member's request:

"I think the biggest thing is to say, 'I understand the place you're coming from, but I have personal family financial goals that we're working toward right now, and I want to make sure I'm on track for those, and unfortunately there isn't any extra wiggle room to make these things happen.'"

Make it a gift instead.

Both Storjohann and Moore ultimately advise gifting money rather than loaning it, if you can afford it. You can even call it a "pay it forward" gift, Moore says.

"Tell them you are giving them the money knowing they need it, but that you don't want to sour your relationship over it," he said. "Tell them the terms of the loan are [that] they gift the same amount to someone else in need."

See Shocking Reasons Why You Should Stop Eating Suya Meat (Must Read!!)

NAIJA NEWS

by OluwaFemi  9

At a night fall, yakubu Adamu, who sells suya at Agboju Market, Festac town, at Lagos State, fans the flames of charcoal grills under nak-ed light bulbs.

The resultants smoke accompanied with the smell of spices and cooking meat arouses the taste of everyone around that area.

His stand is a popular joint for commuters, motorist and passers-by, everything at the market. He told me that he has been roasting suya for a long-time now on the same spot. Certainly, Adamu is well-known in the area and people always await his arrival every evening time.

A dried version of suya is called Kilishi, although suya originated in the Northen parts of Nigeria, and it has permeated the Nigerian society, being affordable for all and available everywhere. It has been called a unifying factor in Nigeria.

So suya has become a Nigerian national dish with different regions claiming the superiority of their recipe and methods of preparation, but comparable grilled meat recipes are common in many West African Countries Using open flames to grill meat leads to the production of chemicals called carcinogens which cause cancer in the body. They can be biological, physical, radiation or chemical and mainly exert their effects on people who are most sensitive to them.

The most important thing is colonic cancer, and which is the cancer of the large intestine.

This colonic cancer in human beings is mostly caused as a result of people’s dietary habit. The sanitary condition of suya preparation depends on where the consumer buys from.

For instance now, a suya spot is close to a toilet, diseases can be spread and no one can easily contract them but if one is buying it in a mall where it has been packaged, he/she might be safe.

Please, one has to consider where the meat is gotten from because the mallams slaughter the cows and prepare them as suya, such meat can be infected with tapeworms, pinworms or whipworms and these can be passed on to humans.

Ideally, veterinary doctors are supposed to inspect the animals and do so again after animals have been slaughtered before declaring the meat safe consumption. And this is supposed to be done for all animals and the meat sold in the market.