Category Archives: Episodic Musings

Musings Episode 11: Cars and Status Quo…

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Recently a few friends of mine have been looking for decent automobiles – and naturally with me having ties with the auto auction business, I was the first person they turned to.

Classic.

Classic.

One of them in particular wanted either a BMW or a Lexus. Another wanted a Nissan GT-R.

“Rego, I seriously want a nice luxury vehicle, I’m thinking a BMW 7 series with all the bells and whistles, gps, seat warmers, crazy sensors, one touch gear change, the works,” one of them says.

“Why?” I ask nonchalantly but curious as to where they’re going with it.

“Because – they’re sick! They’re the best luxury cars out there, and I really think it would reflect my personality and lifestyle.”

It’s here I laugh and flop back in my chair putting my hands behind my head.

“Dude….have you looked around lately?” I smirk proceeding to explain my logic.

Everyday I ask this question. There was a time, when seeing a BMW on the road was something enjoyable, unique, different, refreshing….but now, they seem to be the most commonly driven car.

bmw it's a lease

“It’s a lease…” – Fun with Dick and Jane (2005)

Their advertising displays speed, elegance, class, adventure, durability…and while all of these may be true unique to the brand, ironically there are so many leased units out there, the terms “originality” and “distinction,” have lost their association with the BMW name.

What I’m trying to say is – why is it, that every Tom, Dick, and Harry runs around thinking they’ve got the best thing since silk sheets when they own a car that practically everyone drives? There are so many on the road yet I’ve met many a BMW leasee (or owner) that acts with an air of superiority and cockiness because of the keys that jingle in their pocket.

Mila Kunis Quote

I think it all boils down to status quo. An obvious statement some may see that as, but I’m being serious.

Think about it – if media such as television and commercials, movies and music are all things that many people as humans listen to on a daily (especially television), the subconscious idea that car companies such as  BMW or Lexus, Infiniti or Dodge (their new Challenger and Charger models) attempt to instill seems to unintentionally portray that there is, and should be, a certain way one should act upon acquiring such an automobile.

....and that's how I became a douchebag. Now, who's up for champagne?

….and that’s how I became a douchebag. Now, who’s up for champagne?

It was then I continued to explain to my friend there are loads of other ways, and other automobiles, to express your personality and lifestyle choices.

I’ve always been a fan of classics. I love the way each car used to be truly unique – in shape, engine, and characteristics. Customizable, where you could bond with your vehicle and that bond made it feel like it was yours.

Nowadays you see so many cars with automated this and automated that, it becomes so hidden and neatly tucked away from you, that when you pop the hood you’re lucky if you can find the dipstick to your engine’s oil.

Wait...wait...there it is...!

Wait…wait…there it is…!

Pre 2000’s, auto makers strove for originality and keeping their vehicles “open source,” as funny as that may seem to use a computer term…and though I understand today many cars are made the same to maximize costs and time efficiency, they’re made cheaper with lesser quality materials.

Yet there has been another thing going on – you see many people starting to bring the classics back…the A/C 427 SC, ’69 Ford Mustang, Plymouth Cuda, even the VW Beetle – all slowly being restored and coming out of the woodwork.

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That’s originality.

Like I said, and as I will always say, life is all about experiences, and it is absolutely unnecessary to pursue an experience television advertisements flash in front of your face everyday simply because they dictate what qualifies as status quo and lifestyle classification.

After hearing this my friend then starts thinking differently, realizing there are loads more options he really likes but just never thought of before.

Long story short he’s a large-sized car fan (go figure wanting a 7 series) and decides instead of dropping $70-$130,000 on a single, shiny BMW, he’s gonna do his research and look for 3 cars he really likes – one of them being a Plymouth Superbird.

"Like in the movie...???"..."Like in the movie."

“Like in the movie…???”…”Like in the movie.”

Many times I find that hype and enough mass enthusiasm can get people as humans into a real pickle and cause many to lose track of their real desires and dreams.

Truth is it’s not really what anyone else thinks or drives, what commercials or large corporations tell you what’s in or out, or even if your tailor tells you “ostrich shoes are far more stylish this year than your standard cow hide.”

It doesn’t matter how stylish anything is – it boils down to what makes you feel good in your own skin and you alone. Not anyone else.

We have so many choices as humans yet daily, I see many give up their free will and follow in masses. Like Mark Twain said, “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it’s time to pause and reflect.”

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I’m sure I’ve written that previously, but it constantly needs reiteration, because it’s true. This post isn’t just about cars, but the overall message of what society claims status quo to be.

If anything, it is merely a meter. A measure for what qualifies as social class and what drops below any given rank.

Forget the ranks.

Forget the social class.

Always pursue great experiences yes, but sometimes a ride down the boardwalk on a long board can beat a ride down South Beach in a ridiculous looking stretch limo.

It’s all about the good feeling.

What makes you feel good, without letting the majority of what you see influence your decisions.

Lifestyle? Personality? Like I tell my friends – always, always make sure your personality defines your lifestyle – not the other way around. Keep your eye on the ball, avoid getting caught up in the majority, and stay true to yourself – regardless of what anyone else says.

Also, before I conclude, there’s this really great song (featuring Seulong of 2AM) from DJ Clazzi – the leader of Clazziquai that’s been stuck in my head. Great driving song 😉 Thought I’d share it with you all, it’s got a great beat and the lyrics are well written (which you can find here – thanks Princess of Tea for the post).

Have a great week.

– Rego

Musings Episode 11: Cars and Status Quo… is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

Musings Episode 10: Clothes Make The Man…Woman…Person.

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So recently I’ve been considering changing up my style for summer and created a list of clothing I’m gonna be shopping around for soon…and it made me think of another key component of successful business and business tactics.

Clothing play a big part in multiple aspects of success – the most common being first impressions and subconscious affiliations.

Think about it.

I currently have numerous ventures going on, and with each, must wear a different “hat”. If you were an investor and were meeting me at a smart casual restaurant to discuss financing, and we’d never met before, you wouldn’t exactly expect me to show up in a pair of trainers/sneakers, shorts, and an underarmour shirt that I just came from a fitness session wearing, would you?

You probably also wouldn't be too thrilled if I showed up looking like I was ready for an MMA match.

You probably also wouldn’t be too thrilled if I showed up looking like I was ready for an MMA match.

What would be your first impression?

Your first thought?

Would you take me seriously?

Would you instantly start sizing me up according to things such as social class, business etiquette, and ability to handle myself in a professional setting?

Probably not…and then maybe. It all depends on the individual.

My point here is clothes make the man/woman. No matter what, society inevitably links appearance to expectations. When you see someone with black trousers, black short sleeve button down, gun on the hip, and a badge, you instantly think policeman. When you see someone in a suit, tie, and holding a briefcase, you think corporate ladder climber. If you see someone in a silk suit, some form of exotic animal leather shoes, and gold/platinum cufflinks, you think rich executive or business owner. If you see a well groomed metrosexual man even, you’ll probably have one or two people assume he’s gay.

And honestly guys, there's so many of you that should start doing this.

And honestly guys, there’s so many of you that should start doing this. It gets you places with the ladies.

In knowing all this, I’d say it’s fairly safe to conclude what you wear is what you’re labeled as.

Now wait – before you jump to conclusions, I’m not going to judge you and tell you what you should and shouldn’t wear. I am however, going to give you a few pointers on what can aid you overall in life – business and personal. There’s a list of different things that could visually send power statements to a wide range of people, and it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune, unless you want it to.

As you all know Urban Daddy is my party bible, but they’ve also been known to be my go to spot for all things original and distinct. This also includes clothing. Jetset Magazine is also another great go to place. The great thing about living in this world is the huge amount of variety we get. From tailor made to standard cheap cuts, we have choices. Why not make the choice to dress better? It just makes sense.

This goes for both the men...

This goes for both the men…

...and the women. Remember ladies - the perfect waistline is still considered the most attractive feature on a woman.

…and the women. Remember ladies – the perfect waistline is still considered the most attractive feature on a woman.

When you dress better, you feel more confident. Pair that with fitness and actually allowing yourself to look good in your clothing, and you’ve got yourself feeling like a new person, and sometimes, more often than not, rocking a new personality…and guys, this also means keeping up your fitness levels as well. You may be able to snag that 10 at the bar, but she still appreciates a well cut body – the same way you were eyeing her for her flawless figure.

I’m serious. Think about how many people look up to actors and actresses in Hollywood, or even athletes. What is it that most people admire about these people? Their acting? Their personalities? Their accomplishments?

david-beckham-for-hm

Hardly is it ever their personalities…you may think you know an actor/actress or any other famous figure by their persona they display on TV during interviews – but then that’s just what it is. A persona…they’ve been trained and have learned to change up their attitude and personality at any given moment. It’s their job.

No, I’d say much of what makes them admirable is the way they present themselves. Presentation is everything. In our food, in our dress, even in our location. Most often we pick where we would like to live based on what the location has to offer us, what the place looks like, and the safety and happenings of the area. Find me one person that will live anywhere, and I do mean anywhere, and say they have zero regard for what the place looks like, and I will confidently call bullshit. The travel industry makes their money off appearance – appearance, location, and nothing else.

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In my opinion, it’s always a good idea to make sure you make a small effort to look decent in general. A decent well made shoe, well made quality thread clothing, well maintained hair, facial grooming, moisturizing, smelling good, all these things have a great impact in more ways than one.

As humans, we’re mostly sensory beings. 90% of what we interpret and how we communicate doesn’t come from our mouth – it comes from all 5 senses, but hearing is just a small factor. Smell, touch, taste, and sight are critical.

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So when we’re meeting up with friends, or we’re going on a date, or we’re meeting potential future business partners, most of what’s being evaluated isn’t coming out of our mouths. So what are the top things I look out for when I evaluate future business associates and want to see if they would reflect the business image I’m looking for? Read on…

Shoes. As mentioned earlier, shoes I believe are really important. No, I’m not saying you have to go out and buy a pair of $3000 kicks. Not at all. I do however, believe that they should look clean, be quality made, and show your personality. Whether it’s a pair of sandals or custom made boots, in my opinion they should reflect that you value yourself and your appearance.

Marcello Mastroianni - one of a kind...

Marcello Mastroianni – one of a kind…

Pants and shirts, skirts and dresses. I’m all for individualism and creativity, but let’s not forget style and class. Even dressed like you’re slumming it should seem like you’re making effort and still maintaining the ability to catch a few eyes…fitted clothing I think work best – so many times nowadays I see women wearing clothing TOO tight, and guys wearing clothing like they just rolled out of bed. What’s up with that? Na, stop trying too hard, stop not trying at all, and instead try to find a nice median in between. You’ll get there – it just takes a bit of effort.

well-dressed-men

Hair. I’m always one for great looking hair. Like seriously – when someone makes the effort to make their hair look great, in being a former photographer it really gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside. Making the effort doesn’t mean going to any crazy extent and paying someone at a salon or barber shop either. Sometimes, it can mean just researching and looking into a few great hair products, finding a style that frames your face, and most importantly, what makes you feel comfortable in your own skin. Everything I mention here should make you feel comfortable in your own skin.

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Accessories. These really say a lot about a person…more than you may think. A few good accessories can sum up your personality, your viewpoint in life, and even how you go about your day to day life. A watch could mean you’re mindful of time, while a bracelet made of fish hooks could mean you like adventure and the open sea.

david-beckham-600x450

I have a silver chain style necklace with a key that looks like a fin key to a surf board that I’ve had around my neck for the past 6 years, and it still says a lot. A few carefully selected accessories can get a message across without you having to say anything.

Lastly, personal grooming such as face and skin, perfumes and colognes, all tie in with completing the unsaid self-statement. Choosing good skin products, decent facial washes, and quality scents that match well with your body chemistry can aid greatly in getting people’s smelling and feeling sensory mechanisms to pick up on positively…and I don’t mean spraying scents on like a crop duster…

CROP_DUSTING_NEAR_CALIPATRIA_IN_THE_IMPERIAL_VALLEY._(FROM_THE_SITES_EXHIBITION._FOR_OTHER_IMAGES_IN_THIS_ASSIGNMENT..._-_NARA_-_553873

…or coating yourself in self-tanning lotion.

Subtlety is key, and less is more – except when it comes to showering.

You all know my viewpoints on exercise, eating healthy and staying fit…and honestly eating healthy can be Monday morning to Friday afternoon with weekends free to splurge and indulge. This spikes your metabolism and doesn’t make you feel like a prisoner to healthy foods – or a sinner if you pick up that dozen of Krispy Kreme donuts at your local Publix (hey, I’m guilty for it). Go ahead, you deserve it.

…and that’s pretty much it. It’s these little things that can help a lot in daily life, with just a little conscious effort, that go a long way. Keep this in mind and you’ll see subtle changes, in yourself and your surroundings.

Stay classy.

– Rego

Musings Episode 10: Clothes Make The Man…Woman…Person. is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

Musings Episode 9: Fitness, Stress, and Finances…

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So this weekend a friend and I worked out together. My usual routine is 5 days a week and weekends to myself, but I thought I’d throw in some extra credit this weekend just for fun.

So we’re at my gym and he’s on the spinning cycle while I’m cranking out a few pull-up variations and we get to talking.

Y'know, just crankin' 'em out....

Y’know, just crankin’ ’em out….

“Hey Rego?”

“Yeah?” I say between breaths.

“What’s the point of all this really? I mean besides the physical results, why really bother if you just eat right?”

It’s here I drop from the bar wiping sweat off my forehead and giving him the look.

The look being the “are you serious” kind.

At first, I thought about giving him the long, logical, “it practically makes sense, man” type explanation…but I didn’t. Instead, I uttered these three words:

“It makes money”.

Puzzled, he looked on at me trying to fathom how that even made any sort of sense at all.

You’re probably wondering the same thing. Well, let me elaborate….

Exercise…working out…fitness, whatever you may want to call it, is one of the many things that breeds success. Sure, there are many other things that breed success, but to be honest, working out, scientifically, can get your head clear…and if you have blue skies in the horizon where your dome is (dome as in, noggin…as in head), you’re far less likely to experience a “success block.” Ever heard that saying “empty room empty mind”? Yeah, the same applies here.

And contrary to popular belief, fitness isn’t just about the physical results – in my opinion, that’s just a perk.

MyAbsFbCoverPic

Think of it this way – by staying fit, (along with healthy eating), you eliminate stress. Stress causes toxic release, and can also cause high levels of LDLs/VLDLs to be released – aka “bad cholesterol”. By working out, this counters those LDLs/VLDLs with HDLs, or “good cholesterol.”

Yes, there is such a thing, as good cholesterol.

Archer Season 2: "Wait wait wait...there's GOOD cholesterol...???"

Archer Season 2: “Wait wait wait…there’s GOOD cholesterol…???”

By eliminating stress, you have more energy, more awareness, and more clarity. All of these combined can be of extraordinary benefit, because this means you can focus more on brainstorming and have ideas “pop” into your head, staying there with better vividness and goal oriented objectives.

Many of the private clients I train are corporate level people. While some drop off like flies because they can’t hack the workouts, others stick around understanding exactly why they’re doing it.

It’s not hard work they’re after. They’re not masochists…but they do understand that the slight edge comes from doing little things that seem to make little difference – but in fact are huge.

They understand that it’s not just about acquiring money – but keeping your head clear, focused, driven, and on track to acquire, keep, and distribute that money most effectively.

Right down to the penny.

Right down to the penny.

The sad part is many people don’t look at life that way….I can tell you of people who make in excess of $1 million per annum…but their cash flow makes them live like a $30,000 per annum type person.

Understand this whole discussion on fitness is partially a metaphor…and partially fact. For a while now you guys have seen me blog on epic life experiences to keep your imaginations active, contribute to your lives being filled with fun, and remind you to not take every little thing so seriously.

Today though, I want you to see the scientific side of things.

So often nowadays many just sit on their bums tapping away at their smart phones, they never ponder over why they really DO any of the things they do. You get out there, you pitch, you make money, but for what…? What actual goal is it that you have in mind, that motivates you…?

motivation quote 1

People who say they work a job or own a business for the passion of it, I call bullshit. Yes, true, you can thoroughly enjoy the work you do, but really it still boils down to an objective.

This is what fitness does.

It trains you mentally to form objectives.

To form milestones.

To form goals.

Without this, all of humanity would just be a meandering and meaningless existence.

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The first time I saw this, I laughed, thinking no way humans would ever get to that state….now, I stand in silence sometimes.

The lion hunts to eat.

The bird flies to travel from A to B.

Even the shrimp sucks up bacteria for a greater purpose.

Every living thing, was designed for an objective.

The difference is, humans have free will. They have choice. Something that was never given or bestowed upon any other creature on earth.

motivational_quotes_2

When I look at people, and I see them exercising – I see someone who takes initiative – for themselves mostly but indirectly for every other choice in their life.

Financially speaking, working out is beneficial in that it can clear your head on different levels. A difficult, long-enduring workout can make you feel reborn again the next morning. It may hurt like hell the first time, but it makes you feel different. Working out, any kind of working out unblocks certain paths in the brain to enhance thinking, heighten awareness, and adjust to environment.

This is why some guys who just pump iron for size, well…I call them lazy gym buffs.

As an entrepreneur, it’s all about improv, new ideas, improved thinking, different methods of approach, finding more than one solution, and finding the most effective way to get something accomplished.

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Being active in fitness for more than 10 years, all of these principles and concepts apply in both business and health.

Just another reason why I’m a great admirer of contact and combat sports such as MMA and fencing.

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They open your mind to thinking steps ahead of your opponent…and your opponent doesn’t even have to be another person – it could be thinking ahead for potential future business concepts.

Look at Donald Trump.

Robert Kiyosaki.

Tim Ferriss.

Venus & Serena Williams.

Kelly Slater.

Heck, Warren Buffet even.

They all share a common trait. They all hold a certain set of beliefs and ideas about both business and lifestyle. The two are inseparable.

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It’s athlete’s like these which will always be ahead of the game…even when they come out of it. Kelly Slater – moving from performance to product. Genius.

They all think one, two, even three steps ahead of the game. That game you could label as life, business, anything. The bottom line is, they’ve learned to alter their thinking to such an extent that when it really is game time – they don’t choke – but seize the opportunity.

He who hesitates is lost.

This is what I meant when I said to my friend fitness makes money.

It clears your head.

Opens your mind.

Makes you constantly think of new, different ways to enhance your health…just another reason why I try never to let my private clients get bored with their workouts – you get bored with the workout, it becomes routine – routine is damaging. A routine workout can be as bad as being stuck in the rat race – you’re on that treadmill never thinking of when you’ll reach your destination because you’re too distracted by meaningless crap that keeps you from looking at your milestone markers, which help you indicate how much road you’ve got left to go.

treadmill

TVs on treadmills….minus ten points.

It’s all about TRACKING progress. Self-evaluation is critical. Don’t ignore the miles – count them and jump for joy every time you can go an extra one.

Remember – it does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you have an objective and DO. NOT. STOP.

advance past go

Advance past go and collect $200.

– Rego

Musings Episode 9: Fitness, Stress, and Finances… is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

Musings Episode 8: Self-employment, Investing, and Commodities

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So this weekend a couple of buddies of mine and I talked finance over a Sunday lunch, and this is what we came up with.

Why is it…that self-employed people don’t think to invest in commodities? Or even currency trade?

Forget stocks, bonds, and all that other junk. Well…option buying with stocks isn’t too bad, but that’s another story, another time.

The reason why I’m focusing on currency trade and commodities, is, well…because they both make absolute sense in today’s time. Commodities, more than currency trade by far.

Why?

Well, think pre-fiat currency. Before paper money, many bartered – with either silver, gold, copper, iron, you name it.

Back then, this could even be considered being a fucking millionaire.

Back then, this could even be considered being a fucking millionaire…

The Aztecs form of currency was cacao bean.

....and that better be a thoroughbred.

….and that better be a thoroughbred.

The trades we often forget about today brought in great profit if you knew what you were doing and knew what you were looking for.

Fur trade, carpentry, sewing, and every material that was required to make these things possible – all things that we take for granted today, were valued highly and well known with our ancestors.

...especially this guy. This guy was a god. Assassin and Native American

…especially this guy. Though non-existent, this guy was a god. Assassin and Native American.

Now, when we go to pick up milk in a grocery store (coconut milk for me), most of us don’t even think about how many coconuts it took to make it.

The bottome line is…many of these services, from making clothing (unless you wear polyester) to the pack of (certain) chewing gum you’re constantly smacking on, all require basic things from nature – aka commodities.

Getting back to my point, investments are so much more than stocks, bonds, 401ks, and savings accounts (HA…haha….ha)…those are the outdated ways of making extra money. Either high risk and little return (if you don’t know what you’re doing), or slow risk and break even return (by the time you compare inflation with it).

Look Timmy...you made a whole .0032549498 cents!

Look Timmy…you made a whole .0032549498 cents!

You wanna talk recession proof? Depression proof? End of paper currency oh shiz it’s the end of the world proof? Start investing in solid investments – things that humanity can’t live without.

Filtered clean water.

Food items, whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, or omnivorous.

Crude oil.

Natural Gas.

Copper.

Cotton.

Timber.

Think up any basic thing that you put on, eat, drink, write on, or consume, think what it’s made from, and you’ve got yourself a solid market to invest in.

And currency? Ha…the currency we have to day is a joke – but for the time being it still buys and allows us to invest in all these stable things….

….and we can invest in REAL currency such as precious metals, while the getting is good.

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Everyday, I wear around my neck a silver chain necklace I’ve had in my possession for over 10 years. 10 years ago, it was valued at $30.

Present day, it’s valued at almost triple that.

I remember walking into a Jeweler’s in England back in ’09. Doing some light holiday shopping, I thought I’d buy a bracelet of equal weight to complement it. The bracelet was quoted at double what I paid for the necklace – but half in size.

How’s that for an obvious statement.

I remember writing a 20 minute critical commentary, including powerpoint presentation concerning China and it’s global effect. I decided to center the commentary around China and commodities, and if the boom would become an eventual bust.

Ahh, Shanghai…

2 months later back on my way to the U.K. I picked up a Financial Times paper before getting on a departing flight from Seoul, South Korea. My evaluation, and prediction, stared at me in the face within an article in that same paper concerning that exact subject.

Speaking honestly – university wasn’t an education for me…God no. It was academia, and business thinking was far from expected. No, that was, “after uni.” Any time before that, many times you were considered unusual or “idiosyncratic,” one of my lectures not so fondly said of me.

No, instead, university was something I partook of as an experiment, to see if what I’d learned from the real world was actually applicable, and really, if I’d learnt anything at all.

And I did.

Plain and simple I did.

And I learnt it well.

What I realise is, in all the academic training we receive from colleges or universities, people are rarely ever taught in most courses or modules the truth. They’re instructed how to follow – never to lead. They’re instructed to regurgitate information from a book – but rarely to state their own opinions without always referring back to some scholarly person.

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Academia…the second best business to get into next to religion.

So when people become employed, and they choose to branch off into self-employment or any form of independent business practice such as starting their own company, most often the “employee” minded thinking never quite leaves them. The inside-the-box thinking stays with them.

And really, it doesn’t take much to think outside the box about commodities. If you just think, “back to basics,” you’ll realize there are a plethora of lucrative business opportunities and investments, just by thinking of the simple things.

But for now, I both want, and need, all of you to understand that following the mass majority way of thinking is old and dated. People like Tim Ferriss – the man well known for being part of the new rich, and though older and more classic, Robert Kiyosaki – heck, even Donald Trump, as much as I don’t always agree with him – are on the right track.

Do you know why? Because they rarely, if ever, reinvent the wheel…they simply, improve upon it.

Commodities….currency.

Currency trade is not for the faint of heart. Though ironically fueled by emotion, it is still partially fueled by world economic decisions – which still, when you think about it, tie in with emotion. Worry, stress, and pessimism. Excitement, anticipation, and optimism.

Each and every on of these things plays a hand in how currency value and exchange rates fluctuate.

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Commodities, on the other hand…well, while some can also be fueled by emotion (mass panics when the media states there may be a “shortage” of gas), most of it, if played right, can be a steady investment.

Hell, even liquor stores are worth their weight in gold – while liquor stores make money, rain, snow, or shine, depression, recession, Cinco de Mayo or world Olympics time, the suppliers of the ingredients that provide the breweries and factories that make the liquor prosper and prosper well.

Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?

Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?

Let me reiterate. It’s not always a matter of reinventing the wheel…

…but improving it.

I’d like to expand more on this topic…I may very well be over the next few weeks, who knows.

In the meantime, really read into what I’m trying to say hear. Don’t just skim. There’s a bigger picture here other than words can describe…even if it may just be a teaser.

Stay sharp.

– Rego

Musings Episode 8: Self-employment, Investing, and Commodities is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

Musings Episode 7: Work, Play, and Love…

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Tonight I thought I’d get off the usual track of how my recent episodes have been going, instead switching to something a little different, yet still applicable to all aspects of life.

So many moments throughout the day people are clouded with the daily grind of work. Many times a balance is forgotten to be had, instead the sole focus being monetary gain.

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I don’t blame you for it.

There’s many awesome, and great things and experiences money can buy…and for all those who say money can’t buy happiness – bullshit. Like the infamous quote that once floated around in the social ether once upon a time, “money can’t buy me happiness…but at least I can cry in my Ferrari.”

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Also my private jet.

Money is a very, very useful and beneficial tool, if used correctly. The thing that can mess people up however, is losing sight of the purpose of creating and/or attaining the money.

Things are not the primary objective here. As I’ve said before it’s experiences. Road trips across Europe. Baseball games in South Korea. Sauna with your S.O. in Japan. Sandboarding in Brazil.

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We live in such a 40-hour work week driven society, many forget that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy…ergo why this is reflected for many by blowing hundreds on alcohol over the weekend.

Throw in the consumerism of technology today, the “OMG I MUST have the iPhone 5, the 4S is like, so played out!” and you’ve got a recipe for a bad mix.

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I’ll admit it, aside from all the B.S. the media has portrayed since the beginning of time, one thing they did get spot on is the bits they’ve done on technology and the de-sensitizing of the youth today.

Why, you ask, do I agree with this?

Well, before technology, ironic as it may seem, there was more creativity…hear me out for a second. I’m talking about creativity in activities, in socializing, and in getting out and hitting the town.

Again, you’re probably asking, why do I say this?

In the movie Powder (1995), one of the characters quotes “It’s become appallingly clear that our technology has surpassed our humanity.”

I find this an interesting quote, because partially it’s true. Think about it – before the internet and smart phone age, the majority of the time if people wanted to talk or socialize with each other, they had two options – either pick up a land line (or if you could afford it) grab up your cell phone that was once the size of 2 bricks taped together, and call up whoever it was they wanted to get in contact with. If that wasn’t the case or if airtime was too ridiculous to pay for (before the days of “unlimited” everything), you had to go and meet up with that friend – or go over to their house.

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Unless you were this guy. This guy answered to no one.

There was a very critical human element in this…it was an engagement that required effort and time, and because this effort and time was expended many made sure that meet or that phone call was used well or properly.

Now? We just shoot text messages to each other, not even having to take the time out to text with our fingers. People constantly in touch with people they know everyday, and by the end of the day being saturated with the interaction, feel that actually meeting up with someone isn’t that big of a deal. They’ve communicated throughout the day, so why would there be more to talk about in person?

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…and contrary to popular belief, the mass majority of people who text and drive are not, just young people…fuckers.

This type of communication in my opinion has affected multiple human relationships, from friendships to relationships.

The friends you used to hang out with in primary school everyday after class, who stuck with you through high school and you used to talk everyday to on the phone, now get shot a casual text to “see how they’re doing”…

…your mom who you used to call on the phone and talk to for at least fifteen minutes you shoot a quick Happy Mother’s Day text to instead of a quick voicemail before work….

...what every mother loves to hear.

…what every mother loves to hear.

….that new girlfriend you have freaks out because you didn’t message her back fast enough or maybe didn’t use the right emoticon in the right sentence….10 years ago you realize the drama could’ve been avoided if you just rang her up for a few minutes…

Technology has reached a peak where people break up and divorce over Facebook statuses and wall posts.

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Fucking Facebook.

One wrong picture.

One wrong status.

Kids nowadays don’t knock on their friend’s doors but instead text, to say they’re outside. The fear of walking up to your friend’s door and [god forbid] having their parents answer is greater than running into traffic with your shoe laces from both shoes tied together and tripping.

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Smooth, ace…

It seems to me now we’re so hung up on data limits and the newest apps we forgot about the basics of human interaction.

This can – and has led to social dysfunction and downfalls. What happened to the novelty of paper birthday cards?

The fun of making the cake from scratch (heck, even the box), instead of picking it up from the store or a caterer?

Or how about instead of watching a movie on NetFlix on your cell phone while sitting at Starbuck’s with your S.O., actually taking the time to get messy in the kitchen and make dinner with each other then watching something on NetFlix with an actual TV later on?

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It’s the little things that matter but people have forgotten about…we forget to get back down to earth and remember the simpler things.

The effort.

The imagination.

The thought.

The involvement.

The more convenience we develop, it seems the less we actually attach or feel like we’ve created or engaged in something that’s a part of us.

This is what I mean when I refer to play and love in the title of this week’s episodic musing. This is why every week, I try to give you ladies and gents different ideas on what to do over the weekend – because if you notice, most of them involve heavy socializing.

They require an effort.

Engagement.

Imagination…and involvement.

Without these, we’re merely on auto pilot with technology dictating to us what we should or shouldn’t do, or how it’s easier to do this than that. Like the 8 ball we used to ask questions to when we were younger.

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But I like the effort. I like the effort of ringing up a friend and sorting out logistics for our next meet instead of through text.

I like the effort of looking for that one special gift for an anniversary by going store to store and taking in the sights, instead of just hopping on Amazon and ordering.

Call me old-fashioned or old school, but I like that feeling of putting effort into connecting with other people.

Networking and genuine interaction is key in everything – business, pleasure, and love.

It’s what keeps and maintains things long-term.

What people have to remember is this: with instant gratification, comes instant boredom.

The faster the high, the harder the crash.

Stay human.

– Rego

Musings Episode 7: Work, Play, and Love… is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

Musings Episode 6: Leadership, Justified Anger, and Professionalism

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This week I really wanted to talk about main aspects of business where you see a lot of articles written about but rarely ever really discussed…it’s usually the cookie cutter version you see, but never the real side.

So I thought I’d talk about how the three points – leadership, justified anger, and professionalism all tie into each other, but are seldom used together successfully.

First off, let’s go with leadership. What really makes a good leader? Most would say someone who is good at giving orders and direction. Others would say someone who has the power of persuasion…and still others would say one who is quick at making decisions when a problem arises and they have to direct an entire team.

While all of these may be true, the other critical parts are kind of, shied away in the corner. What about leaders who show consistency? Resilience? Who are quick to make a decision AND slow to change their mind? Or, how about a leader who knows how to project the image of leadership but not the image of a tyrant or jackass?

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Many times, especially today, leaders are thought to be powerful and feared, with a sort of dictator-type presence to them…fear and intimidation are taught to be the defining attributes of a good leader, having everyone tremble when you walk into the room…pair it with a hot temper when an employee screws up or doesn’t deliver, and you’ve got yourself an office nazi.

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But really, when we think about it, it’s this type of fear that causes many of a leader’s subordinates to begin developing a smoldering, slow resentment or disdain for their supervisor, which can have more detrimental than successful results.

While the whip and sheckels tactic may have worked for some of humanity’s prior ancestors in the days of Egypt, what many corporations today don’t realize is that this kind of method can make a company lose tons of money.

The way a business owner, manager, or any kind of supervisor treats their employees or subordinates plays a big role in productivity, work efficiency, and morale…and frankly, I believe these are the things that are being sorely overlooked nowadays.

Sure, you may be able to get away with barking at Joe’s back all day everyday for a week because he’s the new kid on the block, but within a month there is a high probability Joe is going to feel frustrated, stressed, angry, and non-chalant about his job, and he’s pretty much going to experience a huge morale drop.

Joe also may become a tad edgy. Just a tad.

This kind of thing would then create a domino effect of decreased work performance, meaning more mistakes, less attention to detail, and even a “fuck it all” attitude towards any work that gets pushed Joe’s way. This ultimately leads to overall sub-par effort and a decrease in company profit.

The sad part is Joe could be a really great employee. I’ve seen so many employees who put 300% effort into their work get metaphorically kicked around and abused, or short changed and taken advantage of by employers who don’t realize they’ve hired a potential gold mine, if they just changed their leadership tactics…these same employees eventually give up, instead kicking themselves into “auto pilot mode” and giving at most 75%, feeling like work is a never-ending  spiral of monotany.

Hell, whenever I used to do hiring and even present day, I look for many things average employers don’t – and I’ll turn down many who try to kiss my ass on the first meet.

I believe employees should be directed as such: I like to make sure my hirees know responsibility, accountability, self-confidence but humbleness, and knowing when and how to stand up for themselves. I’ll treat my employees as my equal so long as it’s understood the respect is on a contingent basis of their performance and responsibility for their own actions.

They have to, have to, HAVE TO, be the type to own up to their mistakes without fear, or fear of judgment. Everyone fucks up sometimes, but admitting you did takes courage – and courage shows initiative – and initiative shows leadership.

If an employee shows me genuine effort – which doesn’t mean working themselves to the bone – and knows how to maximize time efficiency while showing independent thinking, I grab such a person and hold onto them by treating them as a business partner – not a subordinate.

Business Day

Because when you think about it – everyone is a partner in business, it’s a team effort. If one “gear” stops working or is neglected, eventually the whole machine starts having problems.

So I treat my employees as my equal, and when disciplinary action arises, enforce it. After all, whipping a horse so many times will only make it become numb to the feeling after a while.

This leads me to my next point – justifiable anger. So many employers nowadays look at aggression as a power tool, showing dominance and “who’s boss”. Little do they realize this type of controlling attitude long-term gets them nowhere.

I tend to think the opposite…because anger is a two way street. A supervisor could think that consistently seeming angry at everyone in the business is equivalent to running a ship with an iron fist, but what they fail to realize is that through the false anger – legitimate anger can materialize – on the employees side.

Jusitifiable anger can be defined by examples such as this: If an employer constantly barks at and criticizes the employee that is doing their work, as mentioned earlier, eventually this employee can, and will develop a slow, smoldering resentment towards their supervisor.

This is justified anger. The same way some employers who have administrative assistants, get the people who work under that job title to run millions of errands for them. The admin assistant may carry out everything to a T – but if it’s eating a huge hole in their pocket, eventually that assistant will begin to become stressed due to unnecessary financial expense variables they had not originally planned to come out of their wages…and by becoming stressed become irritated…and irritated then becomes aggravation, and aggravation becomes frustration…and frustration, anger.

When you have employees in this state, the power of persuasion is powerless. Hence why many supervisors find themselves only getting employees to carry out a task one of two ways – through forced command, or half-assedly…and they wonder why.

The funny thing is, the whole concept of how to treat an employee, or any person for that matter still boils down to the one rule everyone learned in kindergarten but always seems to forget as they age:

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This doesn’t mean just being nice to someone – it also means when problems arise standing up for yourself, and expecting other to do the same.

Such a simple, no-brainer rule…yet still many seem to forget. Sure it may sound silly to some – but this rule can get businesses – and anyone really, on the right track and in line with the prosperity they’ve been looking for. It also makes for a stress free environment. Who doesn’t want that???

I highly recommend checking out All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, by Robert Fulghum. It’s a read you won’t wanna pass up.

Stay awesome.

– Rego

Musings Episode 6: Leadership, Justified Anger, and Professionalism is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

Musings Episode 5: Winning the Lottery – Not as bad as you think…

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Alright…so I’m not promoting any sort of gambling…but a few buddies and I had a discussion about what it’d be like to win the lottery. What we’d do with the money, how we’d feel, etc.

So the answers rolled in. One said they’d buy a big house, one said a Bugatti Veyron, another said both, and another said an estate with a golf course. While listening to all these answers, I was a little shocked and disappointed – until one of them said, “guys….what about after you buy all that stuff? What about maintenance costs? I know for a fact a million dollar beach unit can run about $30,000 in taxes alone – how much do you really think an estate would cost per annum?”

Alright sir, and your total annual costs come to....$1654649848465....and 63 cents.

Alright sir, and your total annual costs comes to….$1654649848465….and 63 cents.

She beat me to the chase…with a grin I agreed, and then asked her what she’d do with it. She then proceeded to list off business ventures and commodities she’d invest in, along with some other business ideas, and positive life experiences she’d like to have.

WOOOOO....!!!

WOOOOO….!!!

Usually, with the lottery there is a very negative stigma attached to it – there’s an actual statistic that states the majority of lottery winners lose all their money within the first couple of years and end up worse off than where they started.

But what I’ve found is noone really bothers to ask why such a negative stigma is attached to this gambling trend that is practiced by millions every day. They never ask, “why do these people lose all that money?” and never ask “how did they lose all that money?” Most people just accept the fact that, “it is what it is,” and feed into the stigma, never unearthing the real root of the problem.

The root of the problem is not foaming at the mouth from having millions of dollars, no…there was once a report of a man who was on public assistance for food and continued to receive benefits while still holding his lottery money.

The root of the problem is in fact much simpler than that – and it’s only four words – lack of financial education.

And I don’t mean the economic kind they teach you in school. The Keynesian economics taught is more of a joke than an actual way to rationalize how money works and why fiat currency operates the way it does.

The answer is many people have just learned to spend their money – never how to actually use it. They’re trained from kindergarten onward to do two things – buy “stuff” and work to buy stuff…then when they get to college (or sometimes earlier dependent upon circumstances) and go out on their own, they’re taught to “work to buy stuff and pay bills.”

The way the employment system is designed, the average person just meets the mark. They start out in school spending 7-8 hours learning – which conditions them for 7-8 hours of work when they reach adulthood. Aside from college where your lectures (or classes, in American terms) are staggered and you get more freedom of time, the average person is conditioned from age 4/5 to sit at a desk and build someone else’s dream…no wonder so many people are depressed or stressed out.

"When Cameron was in Egypt's land...let my Cameron goooo......"

“When Cameron was in Egypt’s land…let my Cameron goooo……”

So what happens many times when you spend 8 hours a day building someone else’s dream? You forget your own…but you still make money. The void one can feel is filled by consumerism, which thus begins the cycle. You work to pay bills, and whatever you have left over, you use to purchase “items” that give short term gratification.

They’re never taught about after purchase maintenance costs…matter of fact they’re discouraged to even think about it…and don’t even get me started on credit. Max out your card and then pay the minimum? Bull. Sh*t. The motto is “buy, buy, buy, and feel good…but don’t weep when the bills after the initial one comes”.

“Buy that BMW 5 series where they say you never have to change the oil except every 15,000 miles…but don’t weep when it gets engine sludge because we didn’t mention to only use a specific oil.”

“Buy that Ferrari Spyder, but don’t cry when repairs are needed.”

Those Ferrari’s are sweet rides, huh?

There is a belief in Europe. “Americans live to work, and Europeans work to live.” In my travels, I’ve realized this is partially true. No offense to any one nation.

So tying this all in with the lottery, we can understand to a degree now why people lose all the money they’ve won within the first two years and can be worse off than when they started. From childhood if their parents didn’t know any better, many have been steered in the wrong direction.

Instead of investing $40,000 in a string of automated businesses, they’re encouraged to go and spend $40,000 on a couple of Rolex watches and ridiculous looking rims.

This…this is how I get all the ladies…if I don’t run them over by accident first.

Instead of investing $1.1 million in solid commodities like gold and silver (no, not the kind you wear), they’re encouraged to go get that Ferrari Enzo they’ve been eyeing but thought they could never afford.

$15 million on a house by the beach? Or $15 million on something that could potentially bring you in an income of $30 million a year? Nope…still, some people will take the house over the business.

Why? It’s my theory that subconsciously we feel so starved from our real desires, the propaganda of the media and product focused companies/markets see this vulnerability and choose to exploit it…and they’re not wrong in it either – it’s nothing personal, just business.

So what do they do? They sell, sell, sell….through magazines, television, movies, music even, billboards, you name it they do it…and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it….because people buy, buy, buy.

They buy because in my opinion when you are so starved from your dreams or desires because you’re constantly pursuing someone else’s through your job, you can pretty much be assimilated to a guy who hasn’t eaten in a week.

It doesn’t matter if this guy ate superfoods at $300 a month alone on just the powder, ate caviar as if it were brazilian nuts, or ate lox and drank an entire bottle of champagne on a daily as breakfast. If he hasn’t eaten in a week and in his mind he’s used to and wants to eat 6 meals a day of only rich (and sometimes unhealthy) foods, it’s irrelevant and he’ll take what he can get if it looks appetizing enough.

So my point is it’s the same thing with the lottery. If the average population is used to having roughly 50-80% of their income go towards bills, of course they’re going to look for an outlet, whether it’s spending $500 at the bar on a weekend to “blow off steam from work”, or spending $5 million on 3 luxury cars right after they’ve won the lottery.

Their vision is clouded because of their surpressed desires. This is what makes them forget about maintenance costs and indefinite taxes…and the way the education system is set up, you can’t really shove the blame on them, they’ve been misled.

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Where they can be reprimanded however, is not making the conscious decision after they’ve realized this, to go and make change with their way of thinking. This is where financial education comes in. Robert Kiyosaki, though slightly old school in his methods compared to Tim Ferriss, believes that financial education is one of the single-most important educations a person should have – even surpassing your standard academic education.

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And he’s right. Academia can get you to a point, but if you don’t know how to utilize all that knowledge, or even turn that knowledge into a financial river of cash flow, and you’re still working away on auto-pilot with no destination that aims towards YOUR financial success, spending $50,000 plus on a college education really wasn’t worth it in the first place…

….because for $5000 a person who’s never even been to college but invested in financial education, works the same job you do, somehow travels or has more experiences than you do, and somehow ends up with the lucky numbers of the lotto and takes off like a rocket in starting their new life and beats the negative stigma of the lotto, just by making choice decisions and knowing how to work the financial system…has developed more value than a piece of paper that shows you made good grades at an institution that is a business within itself.

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Think about it….

Rego

Musings Episode 5: Winning the Lottery – Not as bad as you think… is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

Musings Episode 4: Dreams, Jobs, and Careers – Parallel yet Perpendicular

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Earlier on I mentioned to you guys about a new business venture I’ve delved into. Long story short it has very much to do with working with a CEO of a medium sized real estate company that solely focuses on vacation rentals and extended stays, with a few regular leases thrown in the mix.

Don’t forget the long island iced tea.

To put it simply the guy is a complete mess, and just by speaking to some of his managers I could immediately tell just how much of a mess he is. Yet he’s not the focus – no, because real estate was one of his dreams – so really, he’s a happy mess. It’s the employees, I felt compelled to write about. For legal purposes, I’m not going to disclose any names, and all names used, if any, will be ficticious.

My focus on this episodic musing is really more or less about how people have dreams, choose careers, and work jobs.

Usually the order in which those 3 things are executed are sometimes switched around, and very often, the dreams are lost by the jobs people take.

It’s been my observation, that the cycle goes a little like this:

Pre-K through 3rd grade – your teacher asks you what you want to be when you grow up. If you were like me, you had 2 answers – Spider-Man, or the CEO of an awesome, company. Usually, as all teachers do, you get giggled at and are told that’s “adorable”. Others in class, may say they want to be a fireman or police officer, ballet dancer or singer.

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….fear my wrath.

4th grade through 8th – Again, your teacher asks you the same question, though differently – this time, she asks what profession you’d like to take on. Again, if you’re like me, you come up with multiple answers – CEO of an awesome company, professional drifter, or Spider-Man. In respective descending order this time, mind you. Again, she chuckles slightly, and says that’s cute. Others in class may still say fireman, police officer…or professional skateboarder, world renowned painter.

Weeeee…..

9th grade through 12th – Once more, the same question is asked – though this time, it’s “now that you will be graduating soon, what career path is everyone considering? It is important to know this and hit the books, as it is critical to know what college is going to best aid you in your success”. Again, if you’re like me, you come up with again, multiple answers – awesome CEO of a company, professional drifter, CEO of an automatic business and world traveler. Again, your teacher laughs, saying that’s admirable, but it would be good to start considering an ACTUAL career path, such as doctor, teacher, lawyer, etc. Puzzled you look on fidgeting, slightly offended and annoyed, as the options you stated WERE serious answers.

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………

Fast forward to college, and you find that 50% of your friends and classmates are no longer stating the same answers they had when they were younger, but instead now find themselves developing a pattern of either two things: switching majors based on which pays the most MONEY, or sticking with their major and HATING IT, but sticking with it anyway, because society says it pays the most MONEY…or, simply switching their majors out of sheer boredom because they honestly can’t STAND any of the bullshit society has fed them about college and career paths in general.

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If you notice – as time progresses through the timelines I have just given example of, all of these boil down to 3-4 types of situations and people…no, actually, just 3. We have:

1. The people who have abandoned their DREAMS and genuine desires to invest labor into something they actually LIKE – and instead pursue what pays the most…or as I like to call it – the first signs of SLAVERY to a FIAT currency and CONSUMERISM. Though they may say they are career seekers…they are instead what I call the true JOB seekers…and years later those 50 something year old dudes who drive around in Corvettes with their secretaries they left their wife for 3 months ago…hardly a mid-life crisis, more a psychological break…or both.

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2. The people who sort of stick to something that they find they like, a bit…just a bit, but have a tendency to switch up or feel indecisive in their decision because of the sheer fact none of what they’re really pursuing is something that they feel a BURNING PASSION for within them…the type of burning where it feels like the sun is at the top of your belly button (or solar-plexus , but not in a scorching way…more like a warm, fuzzy feeling type way. Or…as I like to call it, people who have over the years, or are now slowly developing a “blurred” vision of what their real dreams are, and have lost vision again, because of money. Sometimes, I like to call this “slurred,” as well, drunken by the pursuit of money. Dependent on circumstance, this shift could have arisen from true financial necessity or lack (i.e. where no one has had their back, so they fight to survive, learn to hustle, strategize, whatever you may call it). These people, have the potential, to pursue an alternative career TEMPORARILY, in order to work towards their real DREAMS, while sticking to taking ACTION that coincides with their dreams…and not lose focus.

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And finally…

3. The people who are so bored with the bullshit they’ve been fed by society, they switch up from slight misdirection, or because they haven’t yet realized the reason for their actions in doing so is BECAUSE subconsciously, their very inner being is refusing to work with their psyche, and hold true to what they REALLY want out of life, and what they REALLY want to pursue doing, having, and experiencing. There are situations where, these people have the potential to ace whatever they put their mind to or study, and bored because of it…because they know that while they’re good at it, they still want to pursue their real dreams.

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I’m excellent with numbers and organizing but I’m pretty sure I’d stab my own hand with a pen if I had to be an accountant for the rest of my life (to all you accountants out there, I appreciate and admire you…no offense intended).

So basically, we see that the usual routine of society goes like this:

When we’re young, we have dreams – big dreams – and no matter how crazy they seem to “adults,” i.e. being Superman, Spider-Man, Green Lantern, or owner of a multi-billion dollar lemonade stand company, we don’t care. We don’t care if adults laugh, because somehow, when we’re younger, we don’t know FEAR. We don’t know LIMITS. We don’t know DOUBT…and we don’t know FAILURE. ALLLLLL of these things are TAUGHT behavior. We were never born with any of them. Now you can finally explain to your mother about that one time you thought it was “totally safe to jump from the roof line,” and somehow, you still landed just fine.

stupendous

Then, as we progress through standard schooling, we’re taught mistakes are bad, limits and rules are mandatory, failure is getting the wrong answer or thinking the wrong way, which then develops doubt, and doubt develops fear, and fear develops adulthood…or as I like to call it – battered childhood…yet still, we still hold partially onto our dreams, and think that “okay, well, I’m not that great at this, but I’m still pretty good at this, so getting this type of job would be cool..I guess.”

Finally, we find ourselves even further subjected to the vicious cycle of “there is one answer, one solid way of finding that answer, mistakes are death, doubt yourself to avoid making mistakes, fear and get it right the first time to avoid doubt,” and so on and so forth. SO…what do we do? We then sway and spiral between dreams, career paths, and jobs.

Often, we freak out about jobs, because we want the right one, that will steer us on the right career path…and often, we’re so focused on the right career path, we lose focus of our dream…because really, in the first place, any “path” that we were to take…was supposed to lead us to our dreams. Society, however, through repetition  conditioning, and reinforcement, drilled into our head, that our dreams, are not what we think they are.

yikes

BUT….

With enough will power, some of us break this cycle, and KEEP OUR EYE ON THE BALL…and when we do, we avoid being hit in the metaphorical nuts. The pitcher we call life, can be paid to play dirty, after all. It’s whether or not we play by their rules…or our rules. Our rules, are simply keeping ourselves focused and knowing that the “normal system” of doing things, is far from perfect…because what is perfection anyway? It’s not perfection we need. But instead….

Discipline.
Will power.
Focus.
Drive.
Imagination.

These are the ingredients that make dreams come true.

These are the ingredients that make miracles happen.

Miracles do not happen by some haphazard drunken-universe chance.

Miracles happen when we stay FOCUSED on what we want, and can’t fathom it being any. Other. Fucking. Way.

This can range from the money you want to make.
To the things you want to experience.
To the girlfriend or boyfriend you want to have.
To the place you want to live.

It’s SETTLING for LESS, that fucks us over…and settling, expands far beyond the monetary sense.

So…we can have a job and a dream – as long as that job is a tool to work towards that dream…what I call parallel pairing.

We can have a career path, and a dream – as long as that career path is steered towards that dream…again, parallel pairing.

BUT….having a job, to steer us towards a career path…with no dream in the equation or at the finish line whatsoever? This is perpendicular thinking. It collides. You don’t get anywhere like that. It’s a bit like….well, it’s like riding the Yamanote line in Tokyo, and getting off at the last stop.

For those of you who have lived in Tokyo – you will know, that this is a cruel trick played on newcomers.

The Yamanote line is a neverending loop. There is no last stop. The last stop is the first stop. It is quite literally, a circle. So when someone says to you “just take the Yamanote line and get off at the last stop”…believe me…they are totally fucking with you.

Suckers…

The same way your boss fucks with you saying there’s great potential for you but shooting you down everytime you try to “climb that corporate ladder”…

Fuck the ladder.

Keep your eye on the ball, and take a goddamn helicopter.

Stay FOCUSED. The same way you stay focused at the gym. The same way way you stay focused when you try and aim for that 10-headshot streak trophy in C.O.D. Modern Warfare.

If you can do it there, you can do it in every aspect of life.

YOU have to believe in YOU.

Stay DISCIPLINED.

Even if you want to be built like Daniel Craig or look like Eva Mendes.

Stay DRIVEN.

Even if you want every person you date to be a 10.

Even if you want to be a professional race car driver.

Even if that dream is still wanting to be Spider-Man.

They have a technology for that now, too.

Stay awesome.

Iron-Man-Sunglasses

It’s what we were born for.

– Rego

Musings Episode 4: Dreams, Jobs, and Careers – Parallel yet Perpendicular is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

Musings Episode 3: Mobile vs. Immobile – The Joys of a Mobile Business

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Departing Manchester Airport aimed for Seoul, South Korea. Connecting flight in Zurich with a 3 hour layover. With lines plus security check, 30 minutes to an hour of net layover time. Met a nice old Korean couple and was offered Vitamin C while we wait. Perfect.

Charlotte, NC to Porto, Portugal, connecting flight in New Jersey. On the way to Jersey pilot announces over P.A. he’s been flying around in the sky for 3 hours, due to weather conditions trying to route a temporary landing strip, and we’re now running on fumes – “but don’t worry folks; I’ve been doing this for 16 years and will get us landed safely.” Thinking I should head to the cockpit and give pilot my business card for classes on “tactful speech.”
Two hour layover from Jersey to Porto – minus 3 hours of flying on fumes – flight missed. 16 hour stay in airport until morning flight and fuming argument with bag check guy. Horrible.

Miami International Airport to Nagoya Airport Japan, 24 hour flight with 2 connecting flights, first one in London, second one at Charles de Gaulle. 3 hour and 5 hour layover times respectively. Long but reasonable. From Charles de Gaulle to Nagoya, met an interesting business man from Hitachi Corporate on his way back from a business pitch in Europe. Exchanged business cards and went our seperate ways. Business opening – perfect.

In cleaning out one of my suitcases and re-sorting travel documents, I take a brief moment to skim through my passport book pages. Each one is filled with a memory. Some funny, some frustrating, some quirky….but every single stamp worth it.

Until recently, this has been my average work year. Now, it’s 90% leisure. What are the joys of a mobile business, really? Well…for one, it’s constantly an adventure, and an education. It’s still work – just on a different level.

A buddy of mine works in stocks and we were having this discussion over the weekend. He was explaining to me how he’d love to have a business where he doesn’t have to get up and sport the typical suit and tie look, and would sometimes even be content with a t-shirt, shorts, and sandals.

Then he goes onto say how he’d also like to not go to work the same time, same place, same road everyday. He likes what he does; hates the routine. He goes on to vent for another 15-20 minutes while we polish off a bottle of Fris vodka.

So I ask him, “well, what is it you really want to do?”

Pausing for a while, he responds. “Just…something where it’s not so predictable and I have freedom to sleep in if I want or, if I feel like getting up and going I can.”

I push further – “that’s telling me how you want your days to go, not what you want to do. What’s something you want to do?”

Again, he responds, “I don’t know, I like finance, and I like what I do now, but I just want to do it differently.”

“So you want to do what you’re doing now but without being told when to do it?”

“Yeah,” he responds, as if a light bulb slowly lit in his little head.

*Ding*

*Ding*

“So you want it to be mobile?”

“Yeah exactly,” he again responds now starting to really think on what he’s been saying.

“Then do it.”

“Do it?” he asks inquisitively.

“Yes…start doing it.”

“But, how…?” He asks again.

We then go about picking apart his thoughts and getting to the key points of what he really wants, utilizing “backwards goal setting,” as found in the book “The New Psycho-Cybernetics“. You can check out the audio version on youtube:

Backwards goal-setting pretty much works like this:

You mentally prepare a list of things you do not want to do at all, and call it the “I Never Want to do These Things Again” List. This could range from not wanting to wear a tie, to not wanting to drive more than 5 minutes to work; not wanting to deal with stressful customers, not wanting to have a supervisor.
You then begin to use your imagination (yes, if a 5 year old can do it you can too), to shop around for ideas about other businesses or careers you may have a liking for, but would NEVER require you to do the things you don’t want to on your previously mentioned list.

A lot of people don’t realize there are ways to make immobile business or careers mobile – or, “time-freeing,” especially in today’s technological day and age.

There’s so much time wasted in an office setting where most “look busy” just in order to please their supervisor.

This guy I know is good at what he does, smart, quick thinker on his feet, an innovator, mathematician, and forward thinker. Often he finishes his work and work projects well before deadline, then has to busy himself with other things so his boss doesn’t ridicule him for “just sitting around”…and it drives him mad.

Maybe if I break this pencil, it’ll turn into a make-shift dagger…and then stab someone with it.

Let me repeat that: he gets all of his work done, in 50% of the time his average co-worker does. Meaning his value is 50% more. In an ideal world, he could make 50% more than what he’s making, just by his work efficiency.

This is what he wants – he wants his work efficiency to be valued. He knows he’s good at what he does, and wants to condense his hours worked to enjoy life while being good at what he does – compared to wasting away 4 extra hours a day twiddling his thumbs and listening to people talk about their monotonous home lives.

 

Mention your kids again Tracy…I dare you…

 

He wants to turn his 40 hour work week into a 20 hour one – maybe even a 15 hour one…and you know what? He can do it. Easily – there are many ways to work remotely, in the finance industry’s subsector of stocks and commodities. Just as there are many ways to work your business the same way.

What is it I like about mobile businesses? If I had to sum it up in 3 main points, I could easily say:

Freedom of time.
Freedom of money.
Freedom of hybrid thinking and doing.

First and foremost – freedom of time. I’m not a morning person – I work better in the wee hours of the night, often cranking out my best work with Bossanova and crickets singing to me sweetly in perfect harmony with that one old tree frog and the sound of water right outside my window.

Because it really is easy being green.

Second – freedom of money. You probably think I’m talking about income, right? Well, try again…I’m talking about what you can do with the income not allocated towards (non)reimbursed business expenses (non- if you’re working a J.O.B.).

Think about it – let’s just say you commute 15 miles to work everyday, and take a toll road. That’s 30 miles round trip, 5 days a week. That’s 150 miles a week, roughly 600 miles a month, 7800 miles a year. Just for work. Throw in about half of that per annum and you’ve got 11,700 miles a year, 975 a month, roughly 245 a week.

Holy shit snacks.

What’s that, a tank of gas? $50, $60, $70? If you drive that Lincoln Navigator, keep adding. At $70 a week, we’re talking $3640 a year of non-reimbursed gas expenses – across the board, because let’s not forget – you can’t get a tax return on traveling to and from a JOB.

Well Timmy, it was good knowing you son.

Then let’s factor in oil changes, tires, air filters, etc, etc. All accelerated replacements because of that 30 mile round trip commute. Switch to making your career or business mobile and you can easily cut all that down by 50-75%.

Third – Freedom of hybrid thinking and doing. Your 8 hour day, is not an 8 hour day. Let’s take that commute example a step further – let’s say you go by car…or cab…or subway. Let’s think about traffic, people traffic, car traffic, coffee line traffic. You get the idea – traffic.

That 20 minute commute now becomes 40, maybe even 50 minutes. Add that to your 8 hour day – at 50 minutes extra, you’re really working an almost 10 hour day. Change that to a remote or mobile business, and commute time can be cut to 50 seconds – a walk from your kitchen to your in-home office.

Or your den’s couch.

Using my buddy as an example again, this is exactly what he wanted. He wanted to take every non-reimbursed career expense ever spent and put it into something he wanted to do or experience.

He wanted to analyze his trades when his brain was fully turned on, tuned in, and locked on…allowing what he considered the easy stuff to mentally be on auto-pilot during the best times he deemed fit.

He wanted to take the almost $4000 he was spending a year in gas alone and travel to Singapore – for a little business and pleasure.

He wanted to cut his 9-11 hour day into a 4-5 hour day, taking the rest of the time to hit the gym more, and finally map out and set off for that mini road trip to St. Augustine.

Mobile or remote businesses and careers aren’t about just being mobile, they’re about taking the dictation from another human being out of the equation and utilizing a more flexible, efficient path. Making the stress less, so you can focus and innovate more.

In my early days of being mobile, where my income if I wanted to travel relied heavily on photography and internet marketing, – I loved every moment of it. I would explore in the early afternoons and evenings, and do all my editing at night. It was effortless. Aside from the jet lag, check-in and check-out times, new locations, new languages, new maps, orienting and re-orienting myself with areas, I loved every minute of it. I was the ruler of my own time, my own money, and my own pace…I could learn more in months what anyone with a PhD learned in years….and I loved it.

There is a rapid shift that is occurring and has been occurring for many years now, and it’s one of many exciting things I have the opportunity to witness.
It’s my belief that eventually, the standard run-of-the-mill office setting will become obsolete. The reign of left-brained cubicle thinking will – and is – disappearing.

Mankind needs it, and Generation Y is beginning to realize it. We’ve had so many technological advances the mass majority has been put on auto-pilot themselves. Yet this is the perfect day and age to keep creating. Innovative people know this, and they’re seizing the opportunities.

It’s what Tim Ferriss calls “The New Rich.”

Mobile and remote businesses and careers are the way to go – to eliminate stress, improve productivity, and alter lifestyles.

– Rego

Musings Episode 3: Mobile vs. Immobile – The Joys of a Mobile Business is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

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Musings: Episode 2 Lifestyles, Desires, and Passions

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So this Friday night I went out with friends for drinks and good music at Breathe, a lounge I like to frequent when I feel like a change from the Miami scene.

The night started out casually with food, drinks, and music…then mellowed out with hookah and deep conversation.

Most of it centered around lifestyles and desires, passions and bucket lists, all the good stuff everyone of us as humans secretly discuss with ourselves throughout the day, and get into fervent conversation with when the opportunity arises with friends and even newly met acquaintances.

This prompted me to blog, wanting to know other’s opinions and dreams or leisure goals. I figured I’d kick it off here and see if I could get some feedback from you guys, as it’s always good to hear from readers and bounce opinions and ideas off of people.

In being part of Generation Y, combined with being the type of person who’s always valued and enjoyed every millisecond of free time I’ve had since childhood, I’m constantly looking for new, fun, memorable experiences…

….and really, when you think about it, that’s what life is about.

Experiences.

That’s all we really ever pursue. From the girlfriend/boyfriend, to the surfing at Teahupoo, the epic snowboard trips to Hokkaido, and the unforgettable moments with friends that begin with, “Remember that one time when we,” and end with a dozen or so photos with proof showing you actually did make it to the top of the giant horse outside of P.F. Chang’s, posing as a Genghis Khan Warrior with your umbrella outstretched in one hand and the stolen pint glass in the other.

Though at a more innocent level in our childhood youth, the desire for experiences stays with us until we’re adults…the main thing being keeping our eye on the ball, making sure we don’t lose focus and getting caught up in the daily “adult responsibilities” we take on as we progress through life.
I’m not talking about something complex here, or maybe I am as well, but starting with responsibilities that boil down to the basics like rent or a mortgage, basic utilities and the monthly amount we pay to keep our absolutely mandatory access to technology up and running.

Sometimes, we do lose focus and get caught up in consumerism, through the media mostly and advertising, because let’s be honest, that one little secret skate gap in T.H.U.G. (for the less avid gamers, that’s short for Tony Hawk’s Underground) named “Control the Media, Control the Minds” is indeed true and it’s done everyday.

By increasing our consumer habits it’s my belief we lose out on investing in in-the-moment experiences, trading them off instead for mentally planted desires for materialistic instant gratification, an inception so to speak with enough influence…

…but then, we have the people who aren’t entirely distracted, or not distracted at all by mass media advertising for mere materialistic things, but instead hunt after experiences…and this is where it gets fun.

Woohoo!

With enough experiences, you reach a point where less is more, meaning you desire less materialistic things, i.e. the big house, the 17 car garage filled with various collector’s versions of makes such as Lamborghini, Ferrari, or a million dollar Bugatti, or the 9 hole golf course in your back yard. Maybe you do still desire that, it’s up to you, but the point I’m trying to make is this:

If you had to choose between a $410,000 Lambo Aventador which costs anywhere from $60 for a pint of oil in maintenance alone –

Tempting?

or $41,000 to travel around the world, exploring each country and every city you could think of for 2 weeks to a month each – with plenty of spending money to spare – which would you pick? How many experiences do you think you could recall with either one, from memory, a year from now…and still smile about…bringing up the same feelings as if you were doing it all over again?

The choice is up to you, but you get the general idea.

If I had to list of some things I would like to experience again and new things to try out, most of what would roll off my tongue right now would involve epic stories to tell after.

Visiting Brazil, skipping the hotels and luxury resorts, befriending locals and leaving with them embracing you as if you were born there.

A weekend in Key West with a rented luxury car from Lou Lav Vie – hit the town and make nights that are told about 5 years later.

GTR?

or R8? Decisions, decisions…

A month in Thailand checking out street vendor food, club nights in Hatyai, encounters with an overly-friendly-and-slightly-grabby elephant and skipping across to Malaysia for amazing prices on unique liquor.

A full week rental of an 82′ Sunseeker Predator Yacht for an intimate and exclusive party.

Or even better, a weekend of the oh so sultry 28′ Fearless Porsche powerboat, styled by Porsche, only 22 made in the world and powered by a 550 horsepower V10 taken from a Dodge Viper –

Just leave the keys on the dash, cap’n.

Who wouldn’t want a weekend with that puppy?

Nights in South Korea trying out your horribly pronounced Hangul but at least making the effort and meeting locals that become great friends for years to come.

Helicopter rides over the city at night making for fucking amazing photographic moments.

Ahh, London.

The thing about all these examples is you don’t need to own a single materialistic thing, yet the experience stays with you forever.

Soon you begin to realize that less really is more, and simplistic living doesn’t mean a shack and an umbrella for shelter, but that maybe a 10 bedroom house isn’t really where it’s at, and that 3 couches 4 flat screens and 2 pool tables in the den is a little excessive…Then soon you start discovering the philosophy of “cluttered house cluttered mind; empty house empty mind” rings more true than the stuff up in the attic.

We come into this world with nothing materialistic, bare naked and untainted, and we leave this world being unable to take any physical thing with us – only memories.

This – this is why experiences in the end really prevail.
Memories are what make us, and the only way to gain memories are through experiences.

And you know what…? It’s a beautiful thing. It’s so simplistic – and at times if not careful…so easy to lose focus of.

But if we hold focus…and we hold true to our real desires…our real passions…and what really pulls at the very core of our being – the same feeling you get that’s the equivalent of when you’re with your lover, and you’re wrapped up in such a moment that you literally feel pulled, like a deep, gentle, gravitational pull to one another….

right in your core…painless, but full of desire and a sense of fulfillment…it’s then that we can really experience life for what it’s meant to be. It’s then that we can feel life for what it’s really meant to be…

…and that….that’s the greatest feeling of all.

Stay awesome.

– Rego

Musings: Episode 2 Lifestyles, Desires, and Passions is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life