Losing Your Soul?

By Dan Miller
48days.com

CBN.com – I trust you will find hope and encouragement, as well as useful resources, in this edition of the 48 Days newsletter. You, our readers, are my best source of the information that can help us all in our quest for fulfilling work, time, freedom, and income that allows us to help those around us.

Joanne and I continue to enjoy the opportunities we’ve been given to help others who are capable and willing but just need a level playing field. I know many of you are doing the same.

If you are looking for a fresh start, check out our Ultimate Fresh Start Package – for only $48.

“Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you.” —Oscar Wilde

Goodbye, Nights and Weekends?

Most Americans believe the 9-to-5 workday no longer exists, according to a survey by Management Recruiter International. Of the more than 3,500 executives polled, 61% said the traditional workday hours have disappeared. Many people don’t even look forward to weekends because they no longer exist. As more people gain more control over when and where they work, it seems neither the workday nor the workweek have a distinguishable beginning or end.

This is another of those blessing/curse things. We welcome the flexibility that technology allows, but the breakneck speed many of you know in business is further blurring the line between work/home/family/leisure.

Already workers from the factory floor to the executive suite are on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Many professionals, like real estate agents, have convinced themselves that to be competitive they must be available 24/7. Many have cell phones, lap tops, and pagers within reach at all times. I see people in church who are text-messaging and twittering during the service. I don’t really think they are absorbing the intended worship experience.

Read the complete posting on my blog and give your comments and opinion: Losing Your Soul.

Ready to Launch Your Idea?

Ideas are pouring in from people reading No More Mondays – people who have ideas and are ready to take action. The tools available are making it easier and easier to launch your idea into a money-generating business.

Here are just a few of my suggestions for things you may be able to use – much of it is free.

QuickBooks Simple Start – This is free basic accounting software that will handle payables and receivables and help you prepare any tax reports you may need.
Free Conference calling
DimDim is a free Web conference service you can access through your browser.
GoToMeeting allows you to share files with others on your computer – even specialized drawings like CAD, without the participants needing to have that software.
Open Office is a free open-source office suite that goes beyond Word and Excel.
Open Workbench is an open-source tool for full-scale project management.
Skype is a free service that allows you to talk to people on your computer at no charge – anywhere in the world. Both parties need to have the free program installed. We have used this for years to talk to Jared in Rwanda anytime we wish.
AudioGenerator – We use this to create all the audio pieces on our Web sites (like this one where I talk for about a minute about No More Mondays). We pay a small monthly fee to have this feature all over our material. Here’s a link to show you how it works:
InstantTeleseminar – Many of you ask us about the great service we use for our teleseminars (like the one we did recently on The Cure for the Common Cubicle). We pay one monthly fee for unlimited use of this – we can have 200 people on a live phone line and 2,000 on the Internet, listening and submitting live questions. Here’s a link to try it out for yourself.
Here’s who we use for our online e-commerce store. This service handles payment options, order confirmation, and customer tracking. This link will give you a free month’s trial: 1AutomationWiz.
And, yes, most of what we do is driven by my weekly newsletter, like the one you’re reading now. If you want to try a great service for a month, I suggest this one. It has great templates and features that make it easy to get started: Free Newsletter Trial.

The old days of needing a ton of money to start a legitimate business are over. Today you can be in the game – if you create a plan of action!

Get into the 212ºConnection

48 Days Radio

Each week I create a new online radio podcast — that you can hear on Dan’s Online Radio Show.

Each week I create a new online radio podcast—that you can hear in iTunes or at the 48 Days Online Radio Show link below.

I begin this podcast by sharing about a lunch meeting with an up-and-coming music star in Nashville. Then I spend the rest of the time dealing with this all so common question: How can I possibly start an idea of my own without “enough” money?

We had 4,685 questions submitted for our recent 212ºConnection teleseminar. Probably 800-900 dealt with this issue. Here’s just a sampling – then you can listen to my reasons for moving ahead, even if you have zero money!

1. I have worked for a single employer for 30 years. I can retire now with half of my present income with no benefits. I need to earn enough money to make up the difference plus health care for my family (wife and four kids ages 6 to 13). The idea of self employment sounds like a great adventure from the present torture of my current job. I am 49.

2. My greatest concern is that we have so much debt that I feel like we will never get out of it so that I can pursue my dream of owning my own business.

3. I need cash flow and looking for that is interfering with building my business - a bit ironic.

4. How do I transition from employee to entrepreneur without losing income?

5. My greatest concern is that I will be able to provide income for my family.

6. I have an idea of a business I want to invest in when I save up, but I keep hearing that I can start a business with no capital. But without the structure of the pre-set up business, I'm not sure I will ever actually follow through.

7. My idea is good, but what is stopping me is my credit. I don't think I can afford the start-up cost.

If you have a question, just click on the 48 Days Online Radio link below and you can ask about starting your own business, getting a better job, or finding your purpose in life.

48 Days Recommends

See your business here.

Cruise With The Barefoot Executive™
Carrie Wilkerson is the voice of experience. From corporate life to teaching high school to direct sales, she has 'been there and done that' professionally and personally. An 'overnight mom' to two toddlers through adoption, her priorities instantly changed and so did her workplace. She's now built several businesses and coached others to do the same while overcoming extreme debt, losing 110 pounds, and having two more children, for a total of four, ages infant through 12!

As "The Barefoot Executive,” Carrie and her network of experts have quickly become the definitive resource for helping women achieve extra income and career goals while working from home. Enter to win a free spot on the Barefootin' on the Beach 2009 Cruise - go see www.CruiseBarefoot.com!

Chuck Bowen Coaching - Financial, Career & Business
Need to do better (maybe a lot better?) with your personal finances? Is your business as profitable or enjoyable as you'd like it to be? Seeking your calling in your career? Contact Chuck Bowen Coaching. If you want to transform your life permanently for the better, he's your guy. Dave Ramsey trusts Chuck to train his financial coaches, and he serves as president of Dan Miller’s 212 Connection. What better proof is there? Contact Chuck Bowen Coaching now!

More Recommended Resources

Need to know what to try?
The most popular product in the 48 Days arsenal continues to be the Computerized Personality Report. Before you begin seeking a better job or self-employment, you need to be sure you are pursuing opportunities that match your personality style and will fulfill and reward you for a lifetime!

Stay up to date, add your comments, and share your successes at my No More Mondays Blog.

Humor: Just Business

A farmer went to town to buy a pickup truck that he saw advertised in the paper for a great price. After telling the salesman which truck he wanted, they sat down to do the paperwork. The salesman handed the farmer the bill, and the farmer declared, "This isn't the price I saw!" The salesman went on to tell the wise old farmer how he was getting extras such as power brakes, power windows, special tires, etc. And that was what ran the price up. The farmer needed the truck badly, paid the price, and went home.

A few months later, the salesman called up the farmer and said, "My son is in 4-H and he needs a cow for a project. Do you have any for sale?" The farmer said, "Yes, I have a few cows, and you can take your pick for $500.00 a piece." The salesman said he and his son would be right out. After spending a few hours in the field checking out all the farmer's cows, they decided on one and the salesman proceeded to write out a check for $500.00.

The farmer said, "Now, wait a minute, that's not the final price of the cow. You're getting extras with it and you have to pay for that, too."

"What extras?" asked the salesman.

Below is the list the farmer gave the salesman for the final price of the cow:

BASIC COW...............................$500.00
Two tone exterior..........................$45.00
Extra stomach...............................$75.00
Product storing equipment..........$60.00
Straw compartment....................$120.00
4 Spigots @$10 ea......................$40.00
Leather upholstery......................$125.00
Dual horns.....................................$45.00
Automatic fly swatter....................$38.00
Fertilizer attachment..................$185.00
GRAND TOTAL......................$1,233.00

Dan Miller is the bestselling author of 48 Days To The Work You Love and a renowned Life Coach specializing in career fulfillment. His weekly newsletter reaches 70,000 subscribers. Dan’s articles are featured here at CBN every Tuesday, and you can find out more about Dan at www.48days.com.