"Think and Grow Rich" - Thoughts Relevant for Today

On the Forum that I frequent we have a "book of the month" that we read and comment on. This past month it was Napoleon Hill's "Think and Grow Rich."

One of the main themes is that your thoughts are things. Many people have said this in one way or another over the years but going back to the source is interesting. It helps to remind me that we have been through tough times before and gotten through them, and the idea that what we think becomes our reality (obviously to some extent) has always resonated with me.

I remember reading somewhere (sorry I can't give credit - I just don't remember the source) about how people react to seeing an envelope from the Internal Revenue Service. The majority of people would react negatively, with dread. But what if the letter was to tell you you had overpaid your taxes and had a refund coming? The envelope itself, nor the return address gave you any clue as to the content, but the "thought" that it was bad news would be enough to create a negative feeling, maybe even a physical reaction of a quickened heartbeat, in most people.

Our subconscious mind really does control our knee-jerk reactions to things. Yesterday we had a record drop in the stock market, today it went back up substantially. In tough times when the "talking heads" have nothing but doom and gloom to impart maybe it's time to turn the TV off and read something uplifting and insightful. It just might help you keep perspective.

The Difference Between Winning and Losing - A Wonderful Blog by a Friend

I'll give you a snippet here, but please follow the link and read the entire thing. It's a must read! By my good friend, Diane Kennedy.

"Ever so often I send an email that resounds with a number of people. The one I sent a week ago, 9/3/08, was one like that. Here it is again. Thank you all for your kind comments.

The past year and a half has been the most challenging I’ve ever faced since I’ve been in business. And last week, in the worst storm in Phoenix’s history, a tree went through our roof. It was a bad enough storm that I looked under the trunk the next morning for little witch’s feet, but apparently it wasn’t that bad. (That was a Wizard of Oz reference, by the way.)

There was a time in my life when this would have been devastating. Now, it’s a hassle, but not the end of the world. Since our son David came to join our family, I’ve found that I think a lot more about my reaction to things. I strive to be the adult that I want my son to become. And I’m better for that.

So, what is the lesson that I should take away, and teach my son about, from all the turmoil that’s come our way? There are a number of them..."

http://www.taxloopholes.com/connect/trackback/1235

Diane Kennedy, CPA and Tax Strategist is co-founder of Diane Kennedy's Tax Services, a leading tax firm that works with clients throughout the U.S. and founder of taxloopholes.com, an award-winning online tax education site. Diane is the author of The Wall Street Journal and Business Week bestsellers, "Loopholes of the Rich" and "Real Estate Loopholes," and co-author of "The Insider’s Guide To Real Estate Investing Loopholes," "The Insider’s Guide to Making Money in Real Estate," "The Insider’s Guide to Tax Free Real Estate Investing" and "Tax Loopholes for eBay® Sellers."