Who's in Control?

7 Reasons We Don’t Read

Take control of your life and become a great reader. Books change lives. Great books help us to live the life we always wanted to live. The following are not reasons; they are pure and simple excuses. Turn the excuses into real reasons, not fake reasons, to read so you can live a great life.

1.      Books don’t ring. Turn the phone off and start reading. Eliminate distractions and give priority to reading great books. Who’s in control of your life?

2.      Books don’t talk. Turn the TV off and start reading. Stop being entertained and start educating yourself. Who’s in control of your education?

3.      Don’t have time. Make the time to read. We all have time to read. Anything that is important to us we find time for it. Who’s in control of your time?

4.      Don’t have money. Stop spending and start investing in yourself. Imagine borrowing the great thinking and experiences of great writers for the price of a meal. That is what a call a deal or even a “steal.” Who’s in control of your money?

5.      Don’t like to read. “I fall asleep when I read.” Then stand up. Read out loud. Learn to like reading so you too can live a better life. Read for 15 minutes 30 days in a row and acquire the greatest of all habits. Who’s in control of your habits?

6.      Not a good reader. Decide to become a good reader. No one is good at anything at first. Anything great worth doing is worth being bad at it first until we get good at it. Learn to become a great reader. Who's in control of your skills?

7.      Don’t see the purpose. How about reading great books to find your purpose in life. Books expand our thinking and are full of ideas to live our purpose. Who's in control of your purpose in life?

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to others.

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

The 7 Ways to Prosperity

The 7 Ways to Prosperity

When it comes to personal finances, what really matters is what we do with what we save that makes the difference, not how much we make. Most people are not in control of their personal finances and as a consequence they are slaves of their money instead of being masters of their money. Here are a few nuggets to start taking full control of your money:

1.      Tracking. We can only improve what we can measure. People are not keeping track of their personal finances. Do you know what your after tax income is? Do you know what your net worth is? Do you have a realistic monthly budget and are you staying within your budget?

2.      Spending. Money does not solve anyone’s problems; discipline with money does. People’s spending is out of control. Are you being a slave to your impulsive buying habits? Are you spending the money you have not earned yet? Are you financing things that depreciate?

3.      Inflation and taxes. Inflation is a big hidden tax. Inflation and taxes are taking a big bite out of people’s incomes. Do you know what your real inflation is? Do you know how much are you paying in taxes?

4.      Skills. Security comes from speed of learning and dealing with change. People’s skills are not keeping up with market demands. What skills are you developing to become more valuable and earn more money? What are you doing to set yourself apart from the majority of workers?

5.      Saving. Play good defense with your money; you worked hard for it. People are not saving enough money. What percentage of your income are you saving? How many months can you live without earning an income if you lose your job?

6.      Investing. Play smart offense with your money; leave gambling to idiots. People are not investing enough. What percentage of your income are you investing in yourself? Where are you getting the information to decide on what investments to make?

7.      Education. Self-education is the only true education. People are getting the wrong types of training; getting information for jobs that no longer exist. Is the education you are seeking going to allow you to live the lifestyle you desire to live? Are you educating yourself on personal finances and relationships? How much have you improved your people skills in the last year?

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to others.

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

7 Reasons the Wealthy Are Wealthy

7 Reasons the Wealthy Are Wealthy

There many reason the wealthy are wealthy. The majority of poor people are cynics and/or critics. They are stuck in their own broken thinking. When a great opportunity comes to them they are quickly to criticize it. POOR means People Overlooking Opportunities Repeatedly.

1.      Thinking. The wealthy think differently than the poor. The continuously invest in their self-education. They understand and respect money; therefore, they are great stewards of money.

2.      Investment. The wealthy invest time and money instead of spending time and money. They think return on investment instead of cost.

3.      Long term view. The wealthy take a long term view in all that they do. They are quick to make decisions and take actions when the right opportunity is presented.

4.      Delay gratification. The wealthy are willing to delay the gratification until they earn money to acquire what is important to them and not to others. They are willing to do the work and wait until they master their craft.

5.      Compounding. The wealthy understand and apply the principle of compound interest. They are willing to wait until their assets will produce income for them.

6.      Assets. The wealthy accumulate assets instead of liabilities. They own the right assets.

7.      Scorecard. They wealthy keep score on their personal finances. They have the courage to face their scorecard and take full control of their personal finances.

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to others.

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

Grace it up!

Grace it up!

1.      Life is not fair, love life anyway. How we respond to life is what really matters. Haven’t you figured out yet that stuff happens to all of us?

2.      Grace allows us to go effortless thorough life. If with grace is better why haven’t you accepted it yet?

3.      Grace always comes from a higher power to those living for greatness and forgiveness.

Why not chase excellence to achieve greatness?

4.      Understand that everything happens for a reason as part of a divine plan. Do you understand why certain things are happening in your life?

5.      Find a cause you are willing to die for. What is deep in your heart that makes you passionate to live for?

6.      We are in a state of grace when we trust ourselves and the universe. Can you give grace to those who deserve the least?

7.      Failure is always part of the purification process as we go through life’s journey. Are you willing to be purified?

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity around the world? Pass these nuggets on to others.

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

Breaking the Heatbreakes

Finding breaks in your heartbreaks

1.      Lessons. Lessons show up every day in our lives. What lesson have you learned today?

2.      Teachings. Every event in our lives occurs to teach us something about ourselves. Have you learned something new about yourself today?

3.      Attitude. Let’s have an open attitude towards learning. How wide open is your mind?

4.      Understanding. Let’s gain understanding of what each life situation can teach us. Are you being held hostage by your situations or are you learning from them?

5.      Opportunity. When we think we are getting the raw deal in life, let’s look for the opportunity in disguise. Are you taking advantage of the opportunities being presented to you?

6.      Heartbreaks. Heartbreaks occur to teach us lessons of kindness or detachment. Are you learning from your heartbreaks?

7.      Compounding. Every choice we make in life matters a great deal due to its compounding effect. Have you counted your blessings today?

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in America? Pass these nuggets on to others.

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

Take or leave it!

Take or leave it!

We only get one life. Are you living your life or is life leaving you?

1.      Problems. In life we are presented with all the lessons we need to solve our life’s problems. Are you teachable?

2.      Lessons. If we choose to learn the lessons or not it is entirely up to us. Lessons are repeated until lessons are learned.

3.      Gifts. The lessons are presented to us so we can align ourselves with our own gifts. Out of the hundreds of gifts and abilities inside you, how many have you detected so far?

4.      Scorecard. Never compare your lessons with those of others. Are you taking enough time to check your life’s scorecard?

5.      Speed. We are only presented with lessons we are capable of learning. How fast are you learning?

6.      Purpose. Take advantage of the lessons presented to you to discover your purpose and live it. Is your purpose becoming clearer to you life’s time clock is clicking away?

7.      Future. When we cease being victims of fate or our circumstances we become empowered to live great lives. Can you see a future greater than your past?

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in America? Pass these nuggets on to others.

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

Can you speak it?

Why does leadership matters now more than ever?

Because …

1.      Leaders translate vision into action. Are you fluent in Leadership?

2.      Leaders know how to channel their anger. How many channels can you handle?

3.      Leaders greet the unseen with cheers. Can you be a master greeter?

4.      Leaders don’t lose their temper. How far can you go without losing it?

5.      Leaders have genuine love for their followers. Can you love the unlovable?

6.      Leaders are skilled in reconciling different viewpoints. Can you bend without breaking?

7.      Leaders are surrounded by smart people. Are you normally surrounded by people smarter than you?

Above all, leaders bear fruit in their trees. How is the quantity and quality of your fruits?

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in America? Pass these nuggets on to others.

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

Are you one of them or one of us?

Are you one of them or one of us?

This new economic age belongs to entrepreneurs. Do you have what it takes to be one? Here are the traits of entrepreneurs:

1.      Vision. Do you have a clear mission, purpose and cause to give you focus and direction? Are you chasing your dreams or just building a business?

2.      Learning. Do you have high curiosity for learning through self-discovery? Are you voraciously applying what you are learning?

3.      Discipline. Do you have the discipline to be productive and creative? Do you have the discipline to face your scorecard?

4.      Service.  Do you love people? Are you willing to love people where they are at and develop individuals and teams?

5.      Courage. Do you have the courage to go where others don’t date to go? Can you listen to faith instead of your fears?

6.      Failure. Do you have what it takes to handle failures and learn from them? Do you have the mental toughness to withstand the pressures and uncertainties of the entrepreneurial age?

7.      Persistence. Can you persist and stay the course? Can you be a finisher in a world of starters and quitter?

If you are, welcome to my world!

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in America? Pass these nuggets on to others.

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

Building or Wrecking

Building or Wrecking

The thief enters only to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).

A house divided will fall apart. A house united will stand.

1.      Be a builder. It is a lot easier to wreck than it is to build. Choose to build.

2.      Be an edifier. It is easier to bring others down than it is to build them up. Choose to edify.

3.      Build a strong foundation. It is easier to build a weak than it is to build a strong foundation. Choose the right materials.

4.      Mind the relationships. It is easier to break than it is to build relationships. Choose to relate.

5.      Plan and do. It is easier to make a plan than it is to implement the plan. Choose to implement.

6.      Be a servant. It is easier to be served than it is to serve. Chooser to serve.

7.      Maintain the building. In the long run it is cheaper to do the little maintenance here and there than to rebuild. Choose to maintain.

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in America? Pass these nuggets on to others.

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

Live It!

Are you intentional?

LIFE = Living Intentionally For Excellence

Life is a game. Here are some rules for you to play the game and win.

1.      Intentional score keeping. Keep score in your victories and lessons log.

2.      Intentional learning. Learn daily lessons especially from your mistakes.

3.      Continuously learn. The lessons will continue until you go into eternity.

4.      Play your position. Whatever position you play make the most out of it.

5.      Compare with yourself only. Only you can determine how well you play the game.

6.      Be on the alert. Look around, listen, reflect and look inside you for clues on your next moves.

7.      Let your actions do the talking. You only know after you do. Be victorious in the game of life by the compounding of the results from your actions!

When life gets difficult, think of the above nuggets, and realize that what you are going through may not be as big or as difficult as you think.

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in America? Pass these nuggets on to others.

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy)