This past Sunday I got to live out a dream I had as a college student...I attended the Super Bowl game in Indianapolis. And although I haven’t followed the game for nearly 20 plus years (since the 49ers were in their prime with Joe Montana and the boys) I really enjoyed seeing the skill that was demonstrated on the field.
I watched in total awe as Mario Manningham warmed up with his coach prior to the game. It was incredible to see his hands and their ability to grab the ball thrown at him even when it just barely touched his fingertips. I couldn’t help think of the years of practice that developed his skill.
As the noise of the crowd became so intense that I couldn’t even hear Michele who was sitting right next to me, I couldn’t help but wonder how the men on the field could hear the snap or concentrate on what they were there to do. What focus and discipline!
And then the missed catch by Wes Welker! What a heart breaker for him and his team mates. So close and then one little oops and there goes a life time opportunity down the drain.
You know winning football games is a lot like building wealth. There are opportunities that come by once in a life time and you have to be prepared to catch them because they rarely come by twice. In order to be prepared to catch those “tip-of-the-finger” passes (financial opportunities) it helps to have a good coach and a winning team to work with. Learning all that there is to learn now so that when the ball (opportunity) does come along your way you’ll be prepared to catch that pass and still come down inside the playing field. Think about it, “Who really wants to build wealth only to leave it to someone else to manage and spend?” Isn’t it a lot more fun and exciting to build wealth AND be able to use it to help others while you are still around and in play to see them enjoying it too? Then when you are gone (out-of-bounds) they’ll still have plenty of wealth to continue making other people’s lives happy too.
But far too many folks today get caught up in the noise of the crowd. All that does is simply destroy their ability to concentrate on what is important at hand. Fact is far too many never even hear the snap of the ball and so they live their lives completely out of the play at hand.
It doesn’t have to be that way. With a good coach and self-discipline you can win the financial Super Bowl of your life beginning today. All you need to do is desire it. Plan on winning and associate with those who will help you “Get Your Game On.”
Life is short and there are a lot of people that you can make happier if you learn to build wealth instead of following the whims of the market or chasing after risking investments or trusting others with your hard earned talents. Having a good coach and a winning team that can help you take your financial game plan to the next level is critical to winning the financial Super Bowl of your life. Anything less is... less.
Tomas McFie
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Why?
Why is it that so many people do things with money that they would laugh about doing with the things that money buys? For example, why do people lock their hard earned cash away in a qualified plan, where they cannot touch it without penalties until the later years in their life? Just try asking one of these people if they have freezers full of food for retirement as well, and they would probably laugh in your face and wonder what kind of an idiot you are. Why is it that people act this way? Let’s follow the money trail and see if we can find a solution.
First, there is the person that sold them the qualified plan and made a nice slice of cash by doing so, and continues to earn a slice for management whether or not the plan provides any advantage to the owner. Then there is the government that offers the plan as an exception to their tax rules, as R. Nelson Nash author of Becoming Your Own Banker says, “This sounds like appointing the fox to guard the chicken house.” Why would the government offer such a plan? Could it be that by deceiving the public into believing that tax deferral is more important than liquidity, they would be able to harvest more abundantly if people were to allow them free use of their very own money until late in their lives? This seems to be the answer to the question after preforming the math and witnessing the results of so many qualified plans.
As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The truth is beautiful without doubt, but so are lies.” Because they got this lie dressed up so prettily, they were able to dissuade many people to do something which is the opposite of life and growth, namely let what they have stagnate instead of move. If we liken money to water for a moment, we can see that the water in rivers moves, and rivers team with life; water in the ocean moves with the tide and the wind, and the oceans team with life. How much different are these bodies of water from the Dead Sea which takes all it’s given and lets it stagnate in one pool? How much life can you find there? Money is like this too, if you make money flow it will grow, let it stagnate and it will stink! When people lock their money away, where they cannot touch it, it no longer does them any good but rather works for those who control the plan whatever it may be. You see, money works willingly for those who put it to work but it does nothing for those that stash it away and don’t allow it to do any good.
It can be hard sometimes to discern the difference between a deceitful whim, and a solid simple truth because like John Watt said, “A lie can run around the world before the truth can get its boots on.” But, after all, we are made in the image of God our creator, and we should follow His example and be creative with the things He has given us to take care of. Just like He Himself was creative and does good and great things.
When people take self-responsibility for the things which they have been entrusted with and manage them to the best of their ability, suddenly the world becomes a better place. That is why every day is such a good day here at Life Benefit$...we get to work with people that understand the truth and have made the choice to be accountable for the things with which God has entrusted them with. Because these people own this truth and because the truth sets people free, these people are some of the most exciting people on planet earth.
Remember the importance of a coach. A good coach is more than just a financial planner who wants to make management fees off of you. Think about it. If you were to compete in the Olympics you would desire to have a coach who would be intent on your success? The same holds true if you are planning on doing anything serious with your money. Do you want a coach that will help you become more effective? Or just mediocre?
That is where “Your Wealth Team” at Life Benefit$ comes in. If you want to take control your money and teach it to work for you instead of letting others control it and make all the profit, then read Prescription For Wealth. Once you’ve read this little book you are ready for your complimentary appointment with one of your wealth coaches here at Life Benefit$. We are here to help people like you who want to help themselves.
Ben McFie
First, there is the person that sold them the qualified plan and made a nice slice of cash by doing so, and continues to earn a slice for management whether or not the plan provides any advantage to the owner. Then there is the government that offers the plan as an exception to their tax rules, as R. Nelson Nash author of Becoming Your Own Banker says, “This sounds like appointing the fox to guard the chicken house.” Why would the government offer such a plan? Could it be that by deceiving the public into believing that tax deferral is more important than liquidity, they would be able to harvest more abundantly if people were to allow them free use of their very own money until late in their lives? This seems to be the answer to the question after preforming the math and witnessing the results of so many qualified plans.
As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The truth is beautiful without doubt, but so are lies.” Because they got this lie dressed up so prettily, they were able to dissuade many people to do something which is the opposite of life and growth, namely let what they have stagnate instead of move. If we liken money to water for a moment, we can see that the water in rivers moves, and rivers team with life; water in the ocean moves with the tide and the wind, and the oceans team with life. How much different are these bodies of water from the Dead Sea which takes all it’s given and lets it stagnate in one pool? How much life can you find there? Money is like this too, if you make money flow it will grow, let it stagnate and it will stink! When people lock their money away, where they cannot touch it, it no longer does them any good but rather works for those who control the plan whatever it may be. You see, money works willingly for those who put it to work but it does nothing for those that stash it away and don’t allow it to do any good.
It can be hard sometimes to discern the difference between a deceitful whim, and a solid simple truth because like John Watt said, “A lie can run around the world before the truth can get its boots on.” But, after all, we are made in the image of God our creator, and we should follow His example and be creative with the things He has given us to take care of. Just like He Himself was creative and does good and great things.
When people take self-responsibility for the things which they have been entrusted with and manage them to the best of their ability, suddenly the world becomes a better place. That is why every day is such a good day here at Life Benefit$...we get to work with people that understand the truth and have made the choice to be accountable for the things with which God has entrusted them with. Because these people own this truth and because the truth sets people free, these people are some of the most exciting people on planet earth.
Remember the importance of a coach. A good coach is more than just a financial planner who wants to make management fees off of you. Think about it. If you were to compete in the Olympics you would desire to have a coach who would be intent on your success? The same holds true if you are planning on doing anything serious with your money. Do you want a coach that will help you become more effective? Or just mediocre?
That is where “Your Wealth Team” at Life Benefit$ comes in. If you want to take control your money and teach it to work for you instead of letting others control it and make all the profit, then read Prescription For Wealth. Once you’ve read this little book you are ready for your complimentary appointment with one of your wealth coaches here at Life Benefit$. We are here to help people like you who want to help themselves.
Ben McFie
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
When it Rains it Pours
This week was unusual for those of us here in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. We had snow on the valley floor. Two to three inches of it in some places! Of course the children all loved it and even some of us adults, but what came next wasn’t enjoyed by any. A warm rain storm that dumped over nine inches of rain melted all the snow and flooded streams, creeks, rivers, streets, homes and businesses! Amazing how something so beautiful, the snow, can become so destructive combined with other circumstances.
I couldn’t help but think of the financial markets and the months and years prior to 2008. Everything seems to be going along so beautifully. The housing market was booming, the stock market was soaring, and everything that somebody invested in seemed to go up in value and not down. Then came the rain storm. It changed the financial world forever because in a matter of a few short months many people lost their life’s savings. Homes, businesses, jobs and even more devastatingly important, hope for their future was lost by too many people.
But not everybody was personally devastated by the financial storm just like not everybody here in the Willamette Valley is currently underwater...flooded...by the recent winter storm that occurred. Still, most everybody has been affected by what has happened. You can’t go to the grocery store, buy a pair of pants, sell or buy a home, or find a new job and not realize how you and those around you have been affected by the financial storm which poured down on us all in 2008.
So how did it all happen? In the case of the weather that is easily explained. There is only so much water that the ground can absorb over a given period of time. When that amount of water is realized in the form of melting snow or rain then the excess water must run somewhere. And the point of least resistance is where it all ends up. Lower lying land is the area that is filled up with the extra water.
With the financial storm the cause is less obvious. An economy is much like the ground. It can only absorb so much money before there is a run off. When central bankers like Mr. Greenspan and Mr. Bernanke create more money, everything begins to look real pretty just like a fresh snow looks. When people begin to use this extra money to buy things which they normally would not, life begins to appear easy so almost everybody encourages this money creation. Who wouldn’t want to own their own house, vacation home, several rental properties and boats and planes and cars etc., but in reality an economy can only absorb so much money at a time just like the ground can only absorb so much water at a time. Creating more money (snow) only makes the snow BANKS get bigger and bigger. And when the rain comes it melts all the snow and in one swift moment all those assets which you thought were yours are swept away in the flood and you are left underwater financially.
So what causes the rain to come to the financial world? You know the answer. Those who “reign” make both the snow and rain. By circulating more money these snowmakers encouraged folks who owned real assets (homes, real estate, etc.) to sell those assets to folks who thought they could now afford to purchase them with all the snowdrifts piled high all around. But once those assets were deeded over to the snowmakers via the buyers contract to provide the snow to make the payments, the snowmakers turned their attention to reigning again and produced rain (higher interest rates and tougher restrictions on lending.) The rain melted the snow causing the new buyers to be left underwater. Once underwater the reign men just took control of the assets which was their plan all along anyway...the transfer of real wealth (not paper money) to themselves away from the middle class. Of course this process leaves more people underwater (poor people) but that was the reign men’s whole strategy to begin with.
That is why a fixed money supply, like gold, silver or real cash values in whole life insurance which cannot be altered is so necessary for an economy. Those who are most perceptive realize that cash values in whole life insurance are the most desirable of any of these fixed supplies of money as this capital is the least regulated by the reign men today and historically as well.
Cash value in whole life insurance is the best offense you have to deflect financial storms in your life and economy. Without them you are at the mercy of the reign men.
by Tomas McFie
I couldn’t help but think of the financial markets and the months and years prior to 2008. Everything seems to be going along so beautifully. The housing market was booming, the stock market was soaring, and everything that somebody invested in seemed to go up in value and not down. Then came the rain storm. It changed the financial world forever because in a matter of a few short months many people lost their life’s savings. Homes, businesses, jobs and even more devastatingly important, hope for their future was lost by too many people.
But not everybody was personally devastated by the financial storm just like not everybody here in the Willamette Valley is currently underwater...flooded...by the recent winter storm that occurred. Still, most everybody has been affected by what has happened. You can’t go to the grocery store, buy a pair of pants, sell or buy a home, or find a new job and not realize how you and those around you have been affected by the financial storm which poured down on us all in 2008.
So how did it all happen? In the case of the weather that is easily explained. There is only so much water that the ground can absorb over a given period of time. When that amount of water is realized in the form of melting snow or rain then the excess water must run somewhere. And the point of least resistance is where it all ends up. Lower lying land is the area that is filled up with the extra water.
With the financial storm the cause is less obvious. An economy is much like the ground. It can only absorb so much money before there is a run off. When central bankers like Mr. Greenspan and Mr. Bernanke create more money, everything begins to look real pretty just like a fresh snow looks. When people begin to use this extra money to buy things which they normally would not, life begins to appear easy so almost everybody encourages this money creation. Who wouldn’t want to own their own house, vacation home, several rental properties and boats and planes and cars etc., but in reality an economy can only absorb so much money at a time just like the ground can only absorb so much water at a time. Creating more money (snow) only makes the snow BANKS get bigger and bigger. And when the rain comes it melts all the snow and in one swift moment all those assets which you thought were yours are swept away in the flood and you are left underwater financially.
So what causes the rain to come to the financial world? You know the answer. Those who “reign” make both the snow and rain. By circulating more money these snowmakers encouraged folks who owned real assets (homes, real estate, etc.) to sell those assets to folks who thought they could now afford to purchase them with all the snowdrifts piled high all around. But once those assets were deeded over to the snowmakers via the buyers contract to provide the snow to make the payments, the snowmakers turned their attention to reigning again and produced rain (higher interest rates and tougher restrictions on lending.) The rain melted the snow causing the new buyers to be left underwater. Once underwater the reign men just took control of the assets which was their plan all along anyway...the transfer of real wealth (not paper money) to themselves away from the middle class. Of course this process leaves more people underwater (poor people) but that was the reign men’s whole strategy to begin with.
That is why a fixed money supply, like gold, silver or real cash values in whole life insurance which cannot be altered is so necessary for an economy. Those who are most perceptive realize that cash values in whole life insurance are the most desirable of any of these fixed supplies of money as this capital is the least regulated by the reign men today and historically as well.
Cash value in whole life insurance is the best offense you have to deflect financial storms in your life and economy. Without them you are at the mercy of the reign men.
by Tomas McFie
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