The Wisdom of Sam Walton

The Wisdom of Sam Walton

Sam Walton built a culture of leaders he was rewarded with the largest company in the world. Sam had amazing abilities to cast and realize a vision because he was the real deal and he kept score. He changed the rules of big box retailing causing competitors to play by his new rules. Like him, like Wal-Mart or not, one thing is true, Sam will go down in history as one of the greatest business minds of the 21^st century. We all benefitted from his business model by paying less for the things we consume. Sam Walton and Bill Gates’ businesses were, and continue to be, great forces to fight inflation in the last decade, not just in America but globally.

Here are Sam’s 10 Powerful Rules. Imagine if businesses lived by his rules like he did.

1) Commit to your business. Believe in it more than anybody else. Sheer passion will win every day.

2) Share your profits with your associates and treat them as partners. Behave as a servant leader.

3) Motivate your partners. Be creative in new ways to motivate and challenge your partners. Set high goals and encourage competition and then keep score. Make bets with outrageous pay offs.

4) Communicate everything you possibly can with your partners. The more they know the more they will understand. The more they will understand the more they will care.

http://blip.tv/accessvision/follow-to-lead-6282749

5) Appreciate everything your associates do for the business. We all like to hear it often, and especially when we have done something we’re really proud of.

6) Celebrate your success. Show enthusiasm always. Find humor in your failures.

7) Listen to everyone in your company. Get the people talking.

8) Exceed your customers’ expectations and they will pay you back in loyalty.

9) Control your expenses better than your competition.

10) Swim against the current. Ignore conventional wisdom. Understanding the rules is easy the tough part is implementing them.

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Is your life your message?

Your life is your message.

Lead from within.

Are your actions your currency and your currency your actions?

Good leadership comes from people who have penetrated their own inner darkness and found their hidden wholeness. Think Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill and Henri Nouwen among the many great leaders. We often talk about the complexity of the outer world. However, the complexity of the outer world pales in comparison with the complexity of our inner world. If you can’t get out of your complexity, get into it and you will get out of it. As Churchill said, if you are going through hell, keep walking. Start by transforming your life and you may just transform the world. The concept is simple but hard to do. Lead from within. Leadership is a concept we often resist. In a true community everyone follows and leads. America started to decay when America started to produce self-serving leaders, as evidenced by the decreased importance of living with ethics, morals, compassion, and above all vision.

1) Listen to your voice of vocation. Vocation is a gift to be received.

2) Dissolve your ego and discover your deep identity. Be the person you were born to be.

3) Self-care is never a selfish act. Others will not care if they see you don’t care for yourself.

4) Be faithful to your true self. Be you, everyone else is already taken.

5) Find roles and relationships where you can be yourself and thrive. Know when to run from the pathological boss or the poisonous corporate culture.

6) Burnout is a state of emptiness that occurs when others want to extract what we don’t possess.

7) Our strongest gifts are those buried deep inside us; gifts we barely know we possess.

Follow and lead, lead and follow   www.follow-to-lead.com

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

ANCIENT GREEKS WISDOM

The Wisdom from the Ancient Greeks

Why continually make the same mistakes if there are so many new mistakes to be made?

Those that know and don’t do don’t really know because knowing and not doing is not knowing. The Greeks were the first big deep thinkers. They left us all we need to live significant lives. Why not take time to reflect on what they left us to ponder upon?

1) Examine your life and keep your attitude in check. Be brutally honest when doing a self-evaluation.

2) Master yourself by stopping deceiving yourself and continually get better.

3) Worry only about the things you can control. Continually enhance your mental and spiritual capacities.

4) Learn to treasure friendships. Always be looking for opportunities to enhance your friendships. Don’t do evil to others.

5) Experience true pleasure. Discriminate between true and false pleasures. Seek experiences that give you a piece of mind.

6) Avoid excesses by steering between them. Be a responsible human being and maintain good spiritual hygiene.

7) Don’t be a prosperous fool. Money is necessary but the main component to a great life.

Kindness towards others tends to be rewarded. Givers always end up with more of what matters in life.

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

From Prayer to Peace

The Wisdom of Mother Teresa

Where to find peace in a fast paced world?

She was a servant of servants. She dedicated her life to serve the poorest of the poor. She cared for those the world casted out; she fed and helped them die with dignity. She transformed herself into a saint in the middle of those living in despair. She saw God daily through the eyes of the poor living in destitute. What can we learn from this meek and yet powerful saint?

1) If we pray, we will believe; if we believe, we will love; if we love, we will serve.

2) We are the wire and God is the electrical current that passes through us and that is the way to produce light to the world.

3) True love only comes from true communion with Christ. True love is the love that causes us pain that hurts, and yet brings us joy.

4) More people can do great things; few can do little things with great love. Giving is only effective when it hurts.

5) The fruit of silence is Prayer. The fruit of Prayer is Faith. The fruit of Faith is Love. The fruit of Love is Service. The fruit of Service is Peace.

6) Prayer is not asking, Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God, at his disposition, and listening to his voice the depth of your hearts.

7) Live each day doing your ordinary duties with extraordinary love and devotion. God demands us to be fruitful above being successful. The only sorrow in life is sin.

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

http://blip.tv/accessvision/follow-to-lead-6282749

THE WISDOM OF JOHN PAUL II

The Wisdom of John Paul II

Karol Józef Wojtyła, known as John Paul II since his October 1978 election to the papacy, was born in the Polish town of Wadowice, a small city 50 kilometers from Krakow, on May 18, 1920. He was the youngest of three children born to Karol Wojtyła and Emilia Kaczorowska. His mother died in 1929. His eldest brother Edmund, a doctor, died in 1932 and his father, a non-commissioned army officer died in 1941. A sister, Olga, had died before he was born.

Along with Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan, John Paul II is attributed with the bringing down of communism. In the last decade of his life he suffered a great deal with Parkinson's disease. He endured his suffering with grace and left many significant teachings to those he served. Here are a few words of wisdom he left from the significant life he lived. We can take these words to heart to become better servants to an ever truth seeking world.

1) My faith took shape in the mist of the terrors of World War II, like an inner fact of unquestionable and absolute charity.

2) In all my reading and studies I always tried to achieve a harmony between faith, reason and the heart.

3) What God commands, which may seem humanly impossible, He gives us the means to carry out. God alone is our true and unfailing support.

4) Do not be afraid, open wide the doors to Christ, to His saving power that confines the vast fields of culture, civilization ,and development. Jesus is the Lord of life, the author and the source of life without end.

5) The Holy Spirit is living breath of prayer. The spirit instills in us a desire for great things to come and the secret of our sanctification.

6) Authentic love is an inner attitude that involves the whole human being. Man cannot live without love. Real love is demanding.

7) Today’s world is more than ever yearning for more truth, for more love, for more you. All can be found in Christ and His way of life.

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

The Wisdom of Vince Lombardi

The Wisdom of Vince Lombardi!

Lombardi was a man of character and integrity; a great example to live by. He was a man of great faith. He said that truth is knowing that your character is shaped by your everyday choices. Lombardi derived his strength from daily mass and Holy Communion. Here are a few words of wisdom he left the world from years of success with the Green Bay Packers. He created an unstoppable Football team because he always coached men before coaching ball players.

1) Winning is a habit. Unfortunately so is losing. Success has a price, pay the price to win.

2) It is a reality of life that men are competitive.

3) The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.

4) It is not whether of get knocked down; it is whether you get up.

5) Discipline, born of hard work, helps you make the hard decisions. It helps you embrace the pain associated with change.

6) All great performers possess an enormous degree of discipline and a sense of duty. They learned self-control and they exercise it. Winners have the will to win and the will to excel.

7) He firmly believed that any man’s finest hour - his greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear – is that moment when he worked his heart out in good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – victorious.

We can all learn from this great man; the coach of coaches and the leader of leaders.

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

THE WISDOM OF JOHN WOODEN

The Wisdom of John Wooden

The coach of coaches. 

The leader of leaders. The role model to follow. He put in the time required to achieve success. John occupies a space in the minds of great coaches and many of us today. He set a new standard in the game of basketball and the game of life. He was a great example of dedication to excellence. He was a man of deep faith, dedication to his family, the people around him and the sport he loved. His legacy will live for centuries to come. We can all benefit from learning what true success is and most importantly start our journey towards achieving a peaceful end as we transition to eternal life. Here are a few simple, yet powerful words of wisdom he left to anyone who cares to take them to heart.

1) You are more influential than you think.

2) Success is worthwhile when it leads to peace of mind.

3) He produced man who became great basketball players. He taught the men life skills along with teaching the fundamentals of basketball.

4) True success comes after you have worked hard, long, with dedicated loyalty, concern, caring, detail, meticulously and enthusiastically.

5) Youngsters need role models more than they need critics.

6) The first set of threes is about honesty – never lie, never cheat, never steal. The second set of threes is about dealing with adversity – don’t whine, don’t complain, don’t make excuses.

7) John wisdom came from living the seven point creed from his dad:

1. Be true to yourself
2. Help others
3. Make each day your masterpiece
4. Drink deeply from good books especially the Bible
5. Make friendship a fine art
6. Build a shelter against a rainy day
7. Pray for guidance and count and give thanks for your blessings every day

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

LAST GREAT PRESIDENT

The Wisdom of Ronald Reagan

He was a leader of leaders and the greatest communicator of all presidents. He was a simple man with great wisdom and deep love for his wife Nancy. He spoke in simple language so the common person could understand him. I loved listening to him when I first came to America. He was one of my true English language teachers and inspired me to learn about this great country. He spoke with resolve and credibility because he knew the meaning of all he said. He inspired a nation and the world for peace and democracy. He deeply believed in freedom and entrepreneurship. He loved America and resurrected the American dream. His biggest achievements was to dismantle communism and give hope and belief for the helpless many. He loved and cared for people and they loved him in return. He became a friend to friends and foes.

What wouldn't we do to have him back now to unite the divisive forces roaming throughout America today?

1) The real enemy of America is not big business, it is big government. Government has an inborn tendency to grow. No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them.

2) If we obey The Ten Commandments and The Golden Rule, there would be no need for other laws. Reagan wondered what The Commandments would have looked like if Moses had to run them through a Democratic Legislature? I think you know the answer to that (the mess we are in today).

3) Freedom is a fragile thing and it is never more than one generation away from extinction. It is easy to lose what we don’t value or don’t even know we have. An ignorant nation will not be free for very long.

4) Have you noticed that everyone that is for abortion has already been born? If we don’t respect the life of those that cannot defend themselves, the unborn, who would we respect then?

5) You won’t get gun control by disarming law-abiding citizens. The right to bear arms is guaranteed by our constitution as our founding fathers knew that sometime in the future government would be a threat to citizen’s freedom and prosperity.

6) One of the most important rules in politics is poise – looking like an owl after you have behaved like a Jackass. Imagine politicians saying and doing what is right instead of saying and doing what will get them popularity to get reelected?

7) When he saw all the rhetoric smoke billowing up from the democrats he chose not to inhale it. Bet he is up there having a hard time seeing through all the smoke on his beloved America.

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

HOW BIG IS YOUR PERFORMANCE?

7 DAILY NUGGETS ON PERFORMANCE

How bountiful is your harvest?

Rate yourself in the following statements: 1 Not like me at all  …   10 Exactly like me

(Keep in mind that self-deception is the enemy of greatness)

1) I enjoy the final act, the grand finale that I work for. I rejoice in reaping what I plant and car for. I reward myself and others for achieving my goals and dreams.

2) I know that longer I am willing to wait for the rewards of the work I do, the bigger the rewards.

3) If I don’t like my score card, I change. I am patient as God’s delays are not His denials. I know that failure is never final. One victory can erase all my failures.

4) I am humble and always make my performance greater than my applause and popularity. I find defeats in my victories and victories in my defeats.

5) I count my blessings and share them with others because I believe that more will be given and entrusted to those that live a life of gratitude.

6) I am leaving a legacy for generations to come so they know who you was, not just what I did. I keep asking myself what are the principles am I going to leave for my great-grandchildren?

7) I will be known by what I gave and not by what I received.

Interpreting the scores:

70 = You are a Choleric personality on your way to sainthood!

50-69 = You are a Sanguine having a great time, keep having fun learning and sharing!

35-49 = You are a Melancholy ready to make big things happen as soon as you get a few more details!

22-34 = You are a humble Phlegmatic on your way to greatness, so get moving!

7-21 = You were wither too tough on yourself or you are seriously needing help!

(Caution - the interpretation is not scientific, done for illustration purposes only to see who chuckled when looking at the scale)

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENTS

7 DAILY NUGGETS ON PROTECTION

How well do you protect what is valuable to you?

Rate yourself in the following statements: 1 Not like me at all  …   10 Exactly like me

(Keep in mind that self-deception is the enemy of greatness)

1) I protect my investments with tender loving care. I care and respect to build trust with people.

2) I continuously make deposits into the emotional bank accounts of those around me. I build assets and net worth instead of liabilities and debt.

3) I protect my most valuable asset; my brain and my overall health.

4) I listen, love and learn from nature and wise people. I help the weak and love the unlovable.

5) I use the right quality and quantity of protectors at the right time. I am a nurturer and an encourager of people by leading them to the truth.

6) I believe that what is essential and valuable cannot be seen by the eye, only by the heart and the soul.

7) I want to leave the land and the people in my life better than I found them. I invest in people as the only way to secure a better future.

Interpreting the scores:

70 = You are a Choleric personality on your way to sainthood!

50-69 = You are a Sanguine having a great time, keep having fun learning and sharing!

35-49 = You are a Melancholy ready to make big things happen as soon as you get a few more details!

22-34 = You are a humble Phlegmatic on your way to greatness, so get moving!

7-21 = You were wither too tough on yourself or you are seriously needing help!

(Caution - the interpretation is not scientific, done for illustration purposes only to see who chuckled when looking at the scale)

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

DIAGNOSE BEFORE PRESCRIBING

7 DAILY NUGGETS ON PREVENTION

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

Do you diagnose before prescribing?

Rate yourself in the following statements: 1 Not like me at all  …   10 Exactly like me

(Keep in mind that self-deception is the enemy of greatness)

1) I diagnose then prescribe. I give people what they need not what they want.

2) I get what I expect and measure. I build expectancy in those around me.

3) I trust but verify by following through on all my commitments. My true commitments is what produces miracles.

4) I focus on the leading indicators.  My desired results are always  byproducts of following the law of the farm.

5) I prune so I don’t need to be pruned. I know that obnoxious weeds are undesirable in the middle of the crops just like a negative thought is a toxin to my system.

6) I persist and endure to the end. I know that nothing takes the place of persistence.

7) The greatest harvest at the farm and in my life is possible if I prevent costly mistakes.

Interpreting the scores:

70 = You are a Choleric personality on your way to sainthood!

50-69 = You are a Sanguine having a great time, keep having fun learning and sharing!

35-49 = You are a Melancholy ready to make big things happen as soon as you get a few more details!

22-34 = You are a humble Phlegmatic on your way to greatness, so get moving!

7-21 = You were wither too tough on yourself or you are seriously needing help!

(Caution - the interpretation is not scientific, done for illustration purposes only to see who chuckled when looking at the scale)

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

WE REAP WHAT WE SOW

7 DAILY NUGGETS ON PLANTING

WE REAP WHAT WE SOW

How good a planter are you?

 Rate yourself in the following statements: 1 Not like me at all  …   10 Exactly like me

(Keep in mind that self-deception is the enemy of greatness)

1) I know that timing and attention to detail is critical in planting, in business and in life. Plant with precision when the conditions are right.

2) I believe that there is value in planting quality seeds and investing in people. The natural laws to grow plants, train animals, and develop people are the same.

3) I know that calibrating the planter is like calibrating the attitudes of my mind. Seeds carry in them the genetic potential for a great harvest just like every individual carries the potential for greatness.

4) I plant and pray. Prayers feed my soul like fertilizers feed my plants. 

5) I want my plants start with vigor right from the beginning to choke the weeds. Vigor for a plant is like belief for me.

6) I know that there can be too much of a good thing. Too much fertilizing is damaging to the small plant just like over-stimulation of a young child.

7) I plant my brain with the right seeds and nuggets from wise people. I am a voracious read and I plant readers everywhere I go.

Interpreting the scores:

70 = You are a Choleric personality on your way to sainthood!

50-69 = You are a Sanguine having a great time, keep having fun learning and sharing!

35-49 = You are a Melancholy ready to make big things happen as soon as you get a few more details!

22-34 = You are a humble Phlegmatic on your way to greatness, so get moving!

7-21 = You were wither too tough on yourself or you are seriously needing help!

(Caution - the interpretation is not scientific, done for illustration purposes only to see who chuckled when looking at the scale)

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail!

7 DAILY NUGGETS ON PREPARATION

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail!

How good are you in preparing?

1) I know that success comes when opportunity and preparedness meet.

2) I deliberately practice the right principles to build confidence and lead me to a great performance.

3) I get a daily dose of the right information to lead me to proper thinking.

4) I know that cramming may have worked in my school days but it does not work on the farm, in business or in life.

5) I have the right tools at hand to do the required tasks effectively.

6) I always make sure my time and money reflect my priorities.

7) I have all the quality inputs that are needed to get the job done since time invested in planning and preparation pays off at the farm and in life.

Interpreting the scores:

70 = You are a Choleric personality on your way to sainthood!

50-69 = You are a Sanguine having a great time, keep having fun learning and sharing!

35-49 = You are a Melancholy ready to make big things happen as soon as you get a few more details!

22-34 = You are a humble Phlegmatic on your way to greatness, so get moving!

7-21 = Either you were too tough on yourself or you are seriously needing help!

(Caution - the interpretation is not scientific, done for illustration purposes to see who chuckled when looking at the scale)

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

THE POWER OF READING

THE POWER OF READING

1) How important is reading the right books?

Reading is the most powerful habit a person can have. Reading changes our perspective on how we see the world.

2) What can reading do for you?

Reading allows us to see possibilities and opportunities we could not otherwise. Reading stretches our thinking.

3) What happens when we read a great book?

A great book teaches us how to form coherent thoughts and tell stories and speak our mind. Great books have in them thoughts from great thinkers available for anyone to borrow free of charge.

4) Can we really have the life we always wanted if we read daily?

Yes. Knowledge compounds faster than money; money always follows excellence. A financial free person can dedicate the rest of her life to the benefit of others. Read 30 minutes per day for 30 days to acquire the habit of reading.

5) Can reading help us make a difference in the lives of others?

Yes. Here are a few great readers in history: George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan and Franklin D. Roosevelt (Roosevelt read all the books from his hometown library).

6) What happens if we know how to read and don’t read?

If we know how to read and don't read we are no different than those that do not know how to read. Anyone that is not reading at least one great books a month is falling behind in this fast paced world we live in.

7) Can reading lead us to writing?

All great writers are great readers; not all great readers are great writers. Choose what to read. Read books that help you get better.

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx 

Failing to plan is planning to fail!

7 DAILY NUGGETS ON PLANNING

Failing to plan is planning to fail!

How good a planner are you?

Rate yourself in the following statements: 1 Not like me at all  …   10 Exactly like me

(Keep in mind that self-deception is the enemy of greatness)

1) I know that failing to plan is planning to fail and that dreams without plans will turn into fantasies.

2) My smart plans come from goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely.

3) I take action and the details will be revealed as I go forward in my journey.

4) I make good plans and God guides my steps. I know that plans followed by actions are required for a stunning performance.

5) I measure twice and cut once. I am disciplined to plan and to delay gratification.

6) Plans help me to see the possibilities in what’s to come. Plans give me the motivation to execute.

7) I have patience in action since the results and rewards are worthy of my investments.

Interpreting the scores:

70 = You are a Choleric personality on your way to sainthood!

50-69 = You are a Sanguine having a great time, keep having fun learning and sharing!

35-49 = You are a Melancholy ready to make big things happen as soon as you get a few more details!

22-34 = You are a humble Phlegmatic on your way to greatness, so get moving!

7-21 = Either you were too tough on yourself or you are seriously needing help!

(caution, the interpretation is not scientific, done for illustration purposes only to see who chuckled when looking at the interpretation scale)

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

What is your PERSPECTIVE?

Perspective is very important in business and in life.

Do you have a clear perspective on what matters in life?

Rate yourself in the following statements: 1 Not like me at all  …   10 Exactly like me

(keep in mind that self-deception is the enemy of greatness)

1) I will never live another day without a dream. I picture my dreams every day.

2) I start with the end in mind by spending energy to reach my dreams. I am committed to living my purpose.

3) I have a written clear principle-centered mission statement.

4) I have a crystal-clear vision of where I am going in life. I know that what I will become during my journey is what really counts.

5) My subconscious mind is working for me and I am leveraging its enormous power.

6) I know that my purpose in life is what gives me happiness and joy.

7) My perspective is to live a significant life and to focus in making a difference in the lives of others.

Interpreting the scores:

70 = You are a Choleric personality on your way to sainthood!

50-69 = You are a Sanguine having a great time, keep having fun learning and sharing!

35-49 = You are a Melancholy ready to make big things happen as soon as you get a few more details!

22-34 = You are a humble Phlegmatic on your way to greatness, so get moving!

7-21 = Either you were too tough on yourself or you are seriously needing help!
(caution, the interpretation is not scientific, done for illustration purposes to see who chuckled when  looking at the scale)

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx 

TRUE FRIENDSHIP

OUR FRIEND AND MENTOR LARRY BLEWS US AWAY LAST NIGHT WITH THE MOST AMAZING TALK ABOUT TRUE FRIENDSHIP. LARRY IS THE TRUEST OF FRIENDS BECAUSE HE HELPS HIS FRIENDS TO GET BETTER. THANKS LARRY FOR YOUR TEACHINGS.

1) There is an art and a science element of every true friendship. The art side involves empathy and enthusiasm. It deals with the emotional side. It involves using our joyful spirit to inspire others.

2) Give a friend what a friend needs not necessarily what a friend wants. Friends need empathy not sympathy. Be responsive listener. Love spells time. Give a friend the gift of time.

3) The science side of friendship involves taking deliberate actions to grow in friendships. It involves being a good finder of qualities in others and bringing them.

4) Be a friend to attract a friend. Accept, approve and appreciate others. Be intentional about growing and maintaining friendships.

5) Be a great encourager by building expectancy in others. See in others what they cannot see in themselves. A true friend helps a friend to get better.

6) A true friend encourages us to live the life we always wanted. A true friend lightens our burdens through the journey of life. They don’t criticize, condemn or complain. All the skills required for true friendships are learned.

7) Data shows that in the last couple of decades people grew in the number of acquaintances while the number of true friendships dropped from three to two. We become the average of the five closest friends. We will need six friends to carry our casket. Let’s be a better friend so we can have better friends; at least six good ones. Don’t be a slave to technology. Nothing will ever take place of eye to eye conversation with a friend.

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana, President

Phalanx - A Leadership Education Company

WISDOM DOWN ON THE FARM!

7 DAILY NUGGETS

WISDOM DOWN ON THE FARM!

1) A good farmer is nothing more nor less than a handy man with a sense of humus - E. B. White

2) When tillage begins, other arts follow. The farmers, therefore, are the founders of human civilization - Daniel Webster

3) When planning for a year, plant corn. When planning for a decade, plant trees. When planning for life, train and educate people - Chinese proverb

4) I will prepare and someday my chance will come - Abraham Lincoln

5) Desire is the planting of your seed - Robert Collier

6) At their core, when things really matter, people see a need to turn to God for strength and protection - Lee Greenwood

7) Before the reward there must be labor. You plant before you harvest. You sow in tears before you reap joy - Ralph Ransom

Bonus: Farming was, is, and it will always be, the most noble of all professions - Carlos Fontana

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana

Carlos@pricelessbooksforlife.com

WE REAP WHAT WE SOW

7 DAILY NUGGETS ON PLANTING 

1) Love and laughter are the background music to successful planting. Sow smiles to reap laughter.

2) Know the importance of precision and timely planting. Sow happiness to harvest joy.

3) Faith is the byproduct of believing, behaving and belonging. Sow faith to harvest salvation.

4) Share your knowledge with younger generations. Know the value of high quality seeds. Know when to cut losses, replant and move on. Accept poor harvests with grace and continue to sow.

5) When it comes to business giving birth is easier than raising the dead. Sow seeds in good ground to reap a 50 fold harvest.

6) We can only see in others what we see in ourselves. We project in others what we think of ourselves. Sow a positive attitude and harvest friendships.

7) Learn how to farm other men and how to recognize the seeds of greatness in others. When we help germinate the seeds of greatness in others we fill our hearts with gratitude. Sow gratitude and reap success.

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana

Carlos@pricelessbooksforlife.com

SUCCESS HAS A PRICE, PAY IT!

7 DAILY NUGGETS

SUCCESS HAS A PRICE, PAY IT!

1) Learn not just what it takes to be successful, learn what it takes to stay successful. Don’t just become successful, defend your title. Character is what makes the sustainable.

2) Hunger is the gap between our current life and our freedom life. Our freedom is hidden deeply inside us. Significance is always found on the other side of suffering just like success is always found on the other side of struggles.

3) f you want something you must go get it, it will not come to you. All big things are the sum of little things done correctly. Success happens to common people doing common things uncommonly well.

4) False fears keep people in false freedoms. The media glamorizes mediocrity calling it reality TV. Lean how to think as a free person. Protect your dreams for they are the true treasures in life.

5) The battles for success are fought in our hearts. Success comes to those that can smell the smoke of battle. Success and significance never were, never will, and never should be easy.

6) The principles we teach others will outlive others talking about us. Now, that is success paying the price for.

7) I love having my own business because I love freedom. It is just as difficult to free a slave as it is to enslave a free man.

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana

Carlos@pricelessbooksforlife.com

WHERE TO INVEST?

7 DAILY NUGGETS

How about starting investing in assets and stop spending in liabilities?

Assets create wealth while liabilities create dependence.

1) The best investment you can make is in you. Yes, it is an intangible investment that will produce tangible results. The fruit of this investment will be tangible long after you are gone. Think like Abraham Lincoln did. Plug into a lifelong education system. Security today in no longer where it used to be. Security today is in the quality of our thinking and the speed of our learning and changing. The time has come for us to dream big and invest in our dreams. The only true education is a self-directed education. The power of learning comes from self-discovery. Read the right books, listen to the right information, attend the right events, and associate with the right people. Travel with a wide open mind in educational fun trips. Be part of a community of learners and doers. Invest in living a life where you can leave a legacy. Invest in your health, in your friendships.

2) Invest in the right mentor. Look for someone that has the results you want in life. Ask someone who you admire and respect to mentor you. A mentor gives us perspective and honest feedback on our blind spots. Perform the assignments given to you with utmost dedication. Investing your time and money in a mentor is the second best investment you can make. If you are not well, you will not be able to care and help others. Prepare and your chance will come. Take time for self-evaluation and reflection. Self-deception is the enemy of greatness.

3) Save and build a cash reserve. Be ready to pull the trigger when a great investment opportunity arises. Without it you will be spending precious energy worrying how to pay for those unexpected expenses that always seem to come when we are low in cash.

4) Invest in a business that will outlive you. Invest in a business with a system proven to produce results. Invest in a business where you can learn and grow and help those around you do the same. Invest in a business where the size of your business is equal to the size of your leadership. Invest in those you care about and love. Investment in people produces results for many generations.

5) Pay down all debt. Start with the highest interest debt and work your way down to the lowest interest. If you have to take on debt, never finance a liability, only assets. If we have to finance our entertainment it is not time to play yet.

6) Invest in value stocks. Build a diversified portfolio of about 10 stocks combining growth and high dividend companies. Make sure half of your portfolio is in companies generating profits in currencies other than the dollar. Always know why you are buying a piece of any business.

7) Invest in real estate. Invest in your dream home and in land if you love to spend time in the country.

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana

Carlos@pricelessbooksforlife.com

PREPARE AND YOUR CHANCE WILL COME

Why Is Preparation Important in the Law of the Farm?

What wise farmers know about preparation that the common person doesn’t?

Imagine planting before preparing the soul?

1) Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. Planned use of our precious energy ought is key to success as we start anew each day. Prepare and your chance will come. Do not squander a minute of your awaken time. Sleeping is overrated and naps are underrated. Naps replenish our energy reservoir and increase our productivity. Our actions ought to be directed towards something that matter.

2) Pay attention to details as the devil may be hidden in them. It takes time to master skills and abilities. Be familiar with all the land, field by field, plot by plot, including the little hills and valleys. Learn to learn and to concentrate on the tasks at hand until they are finished. Have the right tools for the work to be done. Leverage your energy where it yields the most results.

3) The future belongs to those that prepare ahead of the opportunities. The early birds always get the juicy warms. Make sure the soil is prepared when the time to plant arrives.

4) The prepared go quickly from problem identified to problem solved. Prepare to fight the internal as well as external battles for they are sure to come. Inspect what you expect by building expectancy in self and in others.

5) Lead from the front as well as the trenches. Know the time to lead and the time to follow. Know the time to prepare and the time to plant.

6) Belong to a community of learners and doers. Know the value of reading great books and the association with the right people. Iron sharpens iron. Know the value of preparation prior to execution.  Healthy competition leads to betterment of community and society.

7) Character is forged during our trials and tribulations. Never waste a struggle. Never allow complacency hurt you or destroy the farm. 

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana

Carlos@pricelessbooksforlife.com

The Law of the Farm - Planning

Why Is Planning Important in the Law of the Farm?

What wise farmers know that the common person doesn’t?

1) Failing to plan is planning to fail. Planning leads to proper timing in getting the work done. Farming offers great training grounds for the school of life.

2) Excellence has to be pursued since mediocrity happens automatically. There is great value in planning, scheduling, and organizing. There is power in developing simple yet flexible plans. Devise and stay flexible with your plans yet stay true to your goals.

3) Financial planning is critical to survival on the farm and in life. Understand the value of timely buying and selling. Know when to buy with cash and when to finance. Let money flow freely like a spring, never letting money stagnate. Always live within your means.

4) Learn how to lay out plans and let God guide the steps. Farming today is not for the faint of heart. Planning is important so we can understand, value, and make good use of resources.

5) Every season offers opportunities for us to learn and grow. Value the associating with like-minded people. Value and appreciate good help. Know your competitive advantages and learn how to leverage them. The best belongs to those who get up early and go execute their plans. There is value in learning from everyone and sharing with others. There is value in information from trusted sources.

6) The truth only comes to those who seek it. Discipline is the hallmark of being a student of life for life. The wise farmer is self-disciplined. A farmer learns to love discipline from a young age. The needs at the farm are a sign of when to ask for God’s help.

7) The wise farmer seeks first to acquire spiritual things then material things. Faith is handed down from generation to generation. Understand the power of an idea whose time has come. Know to prepare the soil for the crops and the soul for the Creator. Plan and  build your future on solid ground.

Be blessed, and then be a blessing to others

Carlos Fontana

Carlos@pricelessbooksforlife.com