BEAUTY of Traveling

Hey guys. Just got back from an eventful week in Niagara Falls. Some notables were driving through a tragic plane crash in Buffalo and experiencing a bout of stomach flu with my girlfriend. Nevertheless, the Falls were a wonderful experience illustrating the beauty, power, and grace of nature. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

( The Falls on the US side )

Today, I want to talk about traveling, and how it can be a tremendously valuable experience.

Traveling can serve several purposes:
1. Personal growth, development
2. Learn the local culture - language, cuisine, history, fashion/styles
3. Learn about people from a totally fresh perspective
4. Pleasure, leisure, relaxation

Traveling to an exotic place can be frightening, scary at first. WHY? Because you're stepping out of your comfort zone. Your surroundings, your familiarity with people, everything is being turned upside down. Human beings fear uncertainty. But that's where real value lies.

By visiting a foreign country, you are placing yourself in completely new territory. You will be forced to learn how to get around, how to find the best places to eat & sleep. You will be forced to meet new people. As one of my mentors called it, you will be applying the "INEVITABILITY PRINCIPLE", where you create situations & circumstances where you have no choice, but to succeed. Don't step out of your comfort zone, you risk being bored, alone, eating overpriced food, staying at less than desirable places. Worse than that, you stifle your growth.


By traveling you develop a sense of who you are. Your tastes, styles, passions, likes, dislikes. Your values, your beliefs about yourself and the world. You see where you fit in. You learn to stylize the expression of who you are. You come away with a view that the world is a small place, and have a greater appreciation for the simpler things in this world. You see how & why people live the way they do based on historical, societal, cultural contexts. You learn to be more open minded.

Traveling to places such as Seoul, Sweden, South America, London, Paris, Canada, LA, Manhattan, Sydney I came across some of my greatest insights, had some of my best ideas, & met some of the most unique & amazing people.


Here are some things I personally do when I travel:
1. No work. Total immersion.
2. Read perspective-altering books. One I recommend is: Talent is Never Enough by John Maxwell.
3. Bring a journal to write down all of your thoughts, ideas, experiences.
4. Watch some local TV during your down time, even if you don't understand what they're saying.
5. Structure something where you're talking to the locals everyday (cafes, restaurants, streets, bookstores, pubs, anything).

So with summer just around the corner & airfares being cheaper these days, decide what area of the world you'd like to visit & go there within the next few months. Have a blast!

The FASTEST Way to SUCCESS

Want to know the FASTEST way to achieve MASSIVE success? MENTORS.


When I decided that I was going to be successful in the areas that I was passionate about, I sought out mentors in as many forms as possible. Below are a few of my observations.

Mentors come in many different forms. They can be anyone, anything, in anything that imparts something to you on your path towards success, lasting anywhere from a few seconds to years.

The reason why having a mentor can be so powerful is because:
1. They've done it. They've walked the path you're embarking or are currently on.
2. You are around their way of thinking, how they perceive the world, their mental, emotional, behavioral paradigms.
3. They bring to the table a wealth of experience, expertise both in terms of knowledge as well as "hands-on" experience, that can be extremely beneficial.
4. Can offer support and guidance
5. Can be an excellent resource for future contacts, referrals.

How do I go about selecting mentors?
1. Decide what area you want to be successful in, whether it be in: finance/business, relationships, health, sports, whatever.
2. Ask them - it can be in a letter, an email, a personal request.
3. Take them out to lunch/coffee once a month, & ask them questions, their opinions, viewpoints on whatever is on your mind.


Below are some of the criteria I look for when selecting a mentor:
1. Trust - Most important. Without trust, there is no relationship.
2. Integrity - See #1.
3. Enjoyable - Life is too short. Learning should be fun. If it's not, then it's not worth doing. That's not to say that a mentor shouldn't push you when you're not performing up to your capabilities. They should, but it shouldn't be a relationship that's based on fear or guilt.
4. Should be mutually beneficial. The exchange can be in many different forms such as services, volunteering, etc.
5. Has something to teach that you need to learn - eg public speaking, sales.
6. Has actually achieved success in the particular area - No "talking", but someone who has actually "walked the path" and can produce MASSIVE results on a consistent basis.
6. Other things - make sure that the relationship is not there for approval, or validation of yourself or your ideas, but is providing sound advice that will help you in achieving your purpose. There are people in this world who will try to hold you back for their own personal gain. Avoid these people at all costs.

Here are some other ways of finding a mentor:
1. The internet - Google Video, Youtube, articles, blogs, biographies, autobiographies, interviews, video/audio media. Anything that will help you to gain insight into their world.
2. Books - library, Amazon, Ebay, borrowing/trading with friends, gifts. Audiobooks are great when you're driving in your car, or while your working at home.
3. Groups/clubs - will connect you with like-minded people & plug you into what Napoleon Hill, in Think and Grow Rich calls the "MASTERMIND PRINCIPLE".
4. Seminars - Going to one seminar per year in the area that you want to be successful in. This will help you to get new ideas, new information, and to network with other like-minded people. Doing this while you're on vacation can be an added bonus.
5. Professional coach - various companies offer these services, are usually VERY expensive, but can streamline the process and shave off huge amounts of time in reaching your particular goals.


Well that's it for today. Thanks for reading and stay tuned.

Welcome to MY blog

Hi everyone - Thanks for taking the time to visit.

This blog is about achieving and getting the most out of life, and being happy along the way. About living and enjoying life to the fullest extent possible, whatever that may be for you.

Over time, I will be posting articles on a weekly basis related to finance/business, health, and self actualization. I'll also be putting pictures and details of my travels and adventures. So stay tuned & thanks again for your time.