		Michael Phelps - Golden Child?

In This Issue:

Issue 422 -- August 19, 2008

•	A Minute with Dan

•	3. 48 Days Online Radio

•	1. Michael Phelps - Golden Child?

•	4. 48 Days Highlights

•	2. If I Had My Life to Live Over

•	5. Humor -- Thanks for the Bonus

A Minute with Dan

Thanks for the many responses to the Dave Ramsey Stay-At-Home Moms input. I am always amazed at the wealth of ideas that are being developed and lived out by you, our readers. Everyone has ideas - but to create a plan of action and actually do it puts you in another category.

I re-organized my books in my new office in the Sanctuary recently - that's my barn there in the picture - we call it our Sanctuary. As I was going through nearly 1000 books, I reserved an entire shelf for those self-published books you readers have sent me. I love seeing the personal passions put between two covers. But more than the value of the stories themselves is the value of having moved through all the steps to complete a book. That goal-setting, perseverance, and self-discipline puts in place a system you can use to more easily attain success in any area of life - for the rest of your life. Even if the book sells only 25 copies you can use the process as a foundation for new successes in many other areas.

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We've got an Ultimate Fresh-Start Package - materials that will help find and release your passion -- for only $48.
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" Always reward your long hours of labor and toil in the very best way, surrounded by your family. Nurture their love carefully, remembering that your children need models, not critics, and your own progress will hasten when you constantly strive to present your best side to your children. And even if you have failed at all else in the eyes of the world, if you have a loving family, you are a success." -- Og Mandino

Check out our Ultimate Fresh-Start package

1. Michael Phelps - Golden Child?

Michael Phelps made history over the weekend. The 23-yr-old from Baltimore now has 8 gold medals from the Beijing Olympics. So is this guy a golden child, raised in an ideal life with every advantage coming his way? It doesn't appear to be so. As a little boy Michael was diagnosed with ADHD. He started swimming at age 7 to have an outlet for his excess energy. When he was 9 his parents divorced. At 19 he was arrested for driving under the influence. He has "attended" college between 2004 and 2008 but doesn't plan to graduate anytime soon. He's already been making approximately $5 million per year in endorsements, and the 8 gold medals have earned him a $1 million bonus from his sponsor, Speedo. His friends call him "Gomer" because of his resemblance to the good-natured country boy played by Jim Nabors. He eats around 12,000 calories a day (about five times more than the average adult male) to keep up with his amazing level of activity.

So what are you doing with your "challenges?" Are you using them as an excuse to justify mediocrity? Or are you, like Michael, focusing your uniqueness in a positive direction. Do you have a diagnosed malady? Were your parents divorced or did you get into trouble in your teenage years? Maybe having "challenges" is a strong motivator for doing something extraordinary. And maybe having things too easy makes coasting too attractive. Remember the caterpillar's transition to a butterfly. It's the struggle that causes those beautiful wings to appear. Maybe your "disadvantages" are your opportunity to find a more authentic path to success.

It's typically the challenges that help us find our true calling. Henry David Thoreau said: "I see young men, my townsmen, whose misfortune it is to have inherited farms, houses, barns, cattle, and farming tools; for these are more easily acquired than got rid of. Better if they had been born in the open pasture and suckled by a wolf, that they might have seen with clearer eyes what field they were called to labor in."

Frequently I see that those who have been given advantages early in life find themselves with a strong sense of being off track in their forties or fifties. I have a friend who, while a gifted singer and performer, has never developed these or any other talents as he is too busy protecting the money he inherited from his father. A current client was given the best education money could buy, including medical school, and now, at age fifty-two, realizes he has never pursued his real calling. The search for authentic work is a very personalized and internal one and can easily be derailed by too many advantages. The best medical, dental, or law school will never provide a fulfilling career path if that path is not a match with the unique gifts of the person involved. Just as you shouldn't let a lack of money deter you from pursuing a great opportunity now, don't let money or circumstances you already have keep you from moving toward your passion.

Incidentally, I have to also add that in addition to his goal-setting and amazing focus, Michael Phelps is described by the Baltimore Sun as "a man incredibly invested in the success of the people he cares about." They go on to say he's "unbelievably kind-hearted" with young children after practices and events. I suspect that even at age 23 he remembers the painful challenges of his own childhood.

Comment here

2. If I Had My Life to Live Over


This is a very special response from a lady in Louisville, KY when asked on her 93rd birthday what she would do differently if she had her life to live over. It bears retelling here to remind those of us who are younger to hear her advice. "If I had my life to live over, I would dare to make more mistakes next time. I would relax. I would limber up. I would be sillier than I've been this time. I would take fewer things seriously, and I would take more chances. I'd take more trips; I'd climb more mountains and swim more rivers. I would eat more ice cream, and fewer beans. I would perhaps have more actual troubles, but I'd have fewer imaginary ones. "You see, I am one of those people who lived sensibly and sanely, hour after hour, day after day. Oh, I've had my moments, but if I had it to do over again, I'd have more of them. In fact, I'd try to have nothing else -just moments - one after another instead of living so many years ahead. "I've been one of those persons who never goes anywhere without a thermometer, a hot-water bottle, a raincoat, and a parachute. If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring, and I would stay that way later in the fall. I would go to more dances. I would ride more merry-go-rounds. I would pick more daisies." -- Nadine Stair

3. 48 Days Online Radio

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.

We had lots of response to last week's podcast on "social entrepreneurship." Here's just one:

Thank you so much for the podcast with Jared. I am from Kenya and my village is crippled with so much poverty. I have wanted to do something with the women, most men are dead or gone. I wanted not to ask for aid or give the women handouts, I want them to use the available resources to make money and come out of poverty. My village is pretty small and I know this can work. I just had no idea how to implement this whole thing. I need to sort myself out in terms of getting some income and then achieve this long term goal that I have. Thank you so much and to Jared, you are a jewel in Africa we do not need Aid, we need to get out of the poverty ourselves. Grace Onyango

And then the usual probing real-life questions:

1. I have a lot of academic and volunteer experience in the field of disability services. As a person with a disability I would like to coach persons with disabilities and/or their parents in life success strategies and navigating programs for the disabled. Is it reasonable for me to think that I could have a business coaching persons with disabilities up and generating a decent income in the next three to six months?

2. Dan: I have been through the 48Days course and I wonder if I could adapt it to teach as a technical college continuing education type course. I am currently teaching at a two year technical college in Commercial Printing but I talk to a lot of students (old & young) that have no idea what they want to do career wise that fits their gifts & abilities. Any ideas?

3. Dan, My wife is staying home with our newborn, and I'm trying to find some creative income methods to supplement our greatly reduced income. What do you think about a small carpet cleaning business? It appears that the only startup costs are approximately $1,000 for the equipment. I figure doing a few houses on the weekend could net me somewhere around $8,000 to $15,000 per year, which would make a big difference to our $55,000 household income.

4. I've always worked hard and done my best. 3 years ago I became a manager, but I'm not happy. I just don't care about the job. I can't afford to quit, but I don't feel like I am doing any good. I am unfocused and forgetful and it's affecting my entire life. I feel like I'm failing my family.

5. I cry EVERY day. Single Mom w/3 kids no support. Currently working as paralegal because of high pay. HATE IT. Working through your 48days book. Need your encouragement, please. Tell me I can work this out and still feed the kids. Monthly bills $4000.

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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.

That's the same place you can listen to this week's broadcast immediately - no downloading - no wait.

48 Days Radio - Listen & Ask Your Question Here!

4. 48 Days Highlights

The Extra Degree
Michael Phelps won one of his gold medals by beating the second-place finisher by .01 second. That's one hundredth of a second. Think a little bit extra is insignificant? At 211º water is just hot water - at 212º it can move locomotives and blow up mountains. Take three minutes to watch our 212º video - you'll see why we call our business building community the 212ºConnection. Just scroll down to the 212º Movie. You'll be inspired to go for that extra degree in your own life.

Personal coaching
Many of you are asking about my personal coaching. Yes, I still work with 2-3 people a month. And yes, we get a lot of requests. I screen each request and either contact you myself - or refer you to a matching coach in our network. I take seriously the confidence shown by the requests and make sure each one is given personal attention. If you want to review the options and give me some basic information I'll be honored to evaluate it and give you some feedback. Just go to Personal Coaching and get started.

Public Domain - free resources
In last week's radio questions someone asked about getting documents that are in the "public domain." I have mentioned in the past that I have gotten free books and resources where they are old enough there are no copyrights in place. The Acres of Diamonds gift we have as a free e-book when you sign up for the 48 Days newsletter is an example of that. If you want more information I recommend Yanik Silver's course on Public Domain Riches. That's what I did when I started mining the riches just sitting out there.

212ºConnection
If you'd like to be part of a group where you can get inspiration for taking your ideas to a whole new level - check out our 212ºConnection. Every day new people are becoming part of the exciting group - sharing ideas and gaining momentum. You can read all about it here - and see the growing number who are turning their ideas into time freedom and income. 212ºConnection

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? 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!

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PRODUCT HIGHLIGHT

Need help finding your Extra Degree?
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!

48 Days Computerized Personality Report

5. Humor -- Thanks for the Bonus


The homeowner was delighted with the way the painter had done all the work on his house. "You did a great job" he said and handed the man a check. "Also, in order to thank you, here's an extra $80 to take the missus out to dinner and a movie." Later that night, the doorbell rang and it was the painter, all cleaned up and looking sharp. Thinking the man had forgotten something he asked, "What's the matter, did you forget something?" "Nope." replied the painter. "I'm just here to take your missus out to dinner and a movie like you asked."

48 Days
P.O. Box 681381
Franklin, TN 37068-1381
(615) 373-7771
www.48days.com

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