Poke the Box by Seth Godin – A Review

If your anything like me, you’ve read dozens and dozens of books on various aspects of your life that you’ve wanted to fix. The problem is that I’m always stuck in the planning and research phase. I hardly ever take action on what I’ve learned. This book is the kick in the pants I needed to just start something.

This book is the first to be published by the Domino Project. The Domino Project is joint venture between Seth Godin and Amazon to bring a new way for authors to bring books to market. Projects like this, that are new, that break the rules, are risky, and so on are just what this book goes on to describe. The ideas presented really aren’t anything new, just uncommon. There simple: Go, Just Start, Do Something.

Seth Godin uses his unique talent to help you understand that the working world is changing. There is a missing element that we all need to improve upon: taking initiative. Don’t just sit around any more. Go do something. Don’t wait to be “picked”. Be proactive. Take risks. It might not work out, but so what. You have no idea where it might take you. The journey is more interesting than the destination.

Now GO read the book. I dare you. It will change your life.

Personal Finance Isn’t About Mathmatics!

Let’s face it. Personal finance isn’t about math. If it was, we would all be rich. Most of us know what to do, it is just that human behavior jumps in and screws it all up. When I went broke and nearly bankrupted myself it wasn’t math that got me into trouble, it was the man in the mirror that got me there.

I am a math nerd, so when I started to fix my finances I tried to fix the problem with math. I thought budgets didn’t work so I refused to make one and only “tracked” my spending. This didn’t help as I didn’t change my spending habits. I knew where my money was going but I wasn’t telling it where to go. I was making extra payments on my high interest cards, but my habits remained the same, so the outcome was the same. I was still spending more than I made and then some. I just kept having more month at the end of my money.

Something had to change. What I didn’t realize at the time was that it was me who was going to have to change. I was a creature of habit. I was doing the same things, yet expecting different results. I was the definition of insanity. It wasn’t until I looked inward to find the causes of my money problems that I began to see improvements in my money situation.

Now change didn’t happen overnight. It came very slowly for me. Don’t expect it to happen overnight for you either. I had to learn to get to know myself a little better. Only then was I able to focus on changing various aspects of my behaviors that were causing my financial problems.

Once I started to fix the man in the mirror did I begin to see a dramatic difference on how much of my debt that I was paying off. I no longer saw the available balance on my credit card as “cash” that I could spend. I only bought things that I could actually pay real hard cash for. I began to be thankful for what I had and desired to have less stuff. I learned to live on less than what I made. What an amazing concept! (I say with extreme sarcasm!)

Questions to ask yourself:

• What behaviors led me to where I am?
• What do I keep doing expecting to see different results?
• What are some new ways to attack the problem?

I encourage you to look within and see what you need to change to achieve the results that you desire. Don’t be afraid to take action or to be wrong. Make something happen and break the mold that you’ve been stuck in. I am not perfect, that’s why I’m writing this. I need to remind myself of this constantly. Now go on and make something happen!

My First Steps…

My name is Jonathan and I’m human.  Like all humans I’ve made mistakes. Shocking I know, but it is true.  I am starting this blog to put my thoughts together so that I may grow and perhaps help others during the process.  Zig Ziglar says that everyone should write a book regardless if anyone ever reads it.  I hope that the process of writing this blog will expand my personal development to levels that I’ve never imagined.

You may be asking yourself, “What has this guy done that is so stupid?”  Well I can’t say that it has all been real bad, but lots of little things have added up.  I’ve lost interest in being average and am seeking to improve in several aspects of my life.  I started my personal development journey with trying to improve my personal finances.  I’ve probably made most of the mistakes that many have made with money, so I have an idea of what stupid looks like.  I’m not judging anyone as I have done many of the same things you might have done. From there I’ve began reading and listening to anything I can get my hands on.  Ive  covered topics ranging from finance, business, biographies, dieting and so much more.  I hope that I will be able to share my ideas, and perhaps get some accountability from readers.

I promise to share the lessons that I have learned along the way, many of which I’m sure are wrong.  I could care less if they are.  This is a process and I’m sure this will take time to work out all the kinks.  I ask that you bear with me and chime in with any thoughts that you have.