Have you discovered your PURPOSE in life?
 

By "purpose," I mean, have you found what you were MEANT to do? Have you found your calling in life, are you satisfied deep down with what you are doing?

I wanted to share a quick story here, of someone I know.... Of how he stumbled on his calling in life -- and it wasn't what he expected!

He got a bachelor's degree from university, in science.... I think he did a lot of courses in physiology.

With that kind of background, you'd think he'd probably end up in something medically related, or something along those lines....

Well, he also had some technical expertise. After getting his degree, he ended up working for a big company, in the "technical" side of things....

BUT, someone there recognized his forte, his skill, his natural shining light.... And they moved him over into SALES!

He was surprised -- he didn't see himself as a salesperson. But guess what happened....

He started in the sales division of the company. In a short time, he outsold everyone else he was working with....

He was highly successful at what he did, and he enjoyed it too! But he later quit, when he realized he was making many mega-dollars in profit for the company, and he felt that given all the business he generated, that he wasn't being given his fair share....

So he went into business for himself, and he hasn't looked back....

This is a TRUE story of someone I know. But what struck me was he didn't know what his natural "calling" was.... It took someone else in the company to see it, and to place him where he could use his God-given talents best....

I wonder how many of us are like this too? We still may not KNOW what our "calling" in life is?

What do you enjoy? That's a start.... Sometimes, unless you start something, you don't realize how much you really do enjoy it....

I've made an interesting discovery about myself, in that I've found (to my surprise!) that I really enjoy doing "deals" -- starting with chattel.... I have Gordon Alexander and his "Chattel Report" to thank for discovering this, for otherwise I may never have known how much I really do enjoy this!

At first I was terrified! But I stuck at it, and once I got over my fear and did my first successful chattel deal, I've found I really love the whole process.... :)

Since discovering this, I've been reading a lot about many of the world's great deal-makers.... People like Kirk Kerkorian (one of my personal heroes), John Kluge, Ron Perelman.....

These names may not sound familiar, because although all these deal-makers are some of the richest people in the USA, they tend to remain "behind the scenes" regarding the public face of their businesses.... Because their particular skill is in deal-making, they don't need to be in the public eye to make their money....

So, how do you find your calling? What is it you enjoy doing? What are you good at? This is (I think) what Gordon has tried to get at with everyone, when he keeps asking "What Do You Want?"

But.... if you haven't found it yet, believe me, your calling is out there just waiting for you to find it.... You just have to keep digging....

And when you find it, you'll find success comes to you much easier than it ever has before!

So, never never never give up, because rewards are there for those who persevere! Or as a well-known source of wisdom said, "Seek, and ye shall find".... That's one of the most inspiring sentences in the history of mankind....

- Dien

IMHO, here's your next steps
 

Hi!

First, congratulations on discovering a calling.

Next, stick with it until you discover a calling that you like even better than deal-making.

Next, continue doing what you're already doing: studying deal-making and deal-makers. Listen for that inner signal that tells you that what you've just read is something you should be doing.

Next, discover the way to be a deal-maker that earns the most money per unit of time worked. It might be becoming a film producer. It might be creating an organization which would explore all the sales channels for a product you've created or gotten the rights to. It might be structuring a partnership to create a new product. It might be buying that type of boat called a Chinese Junk over in your neck of the woods and selling it to a rich yachtsman in my neck of the woods.

You're lucky to have a very profitable calling, please make the most of it!

(By the way, from what I can remember of things you've done in the past or expressed an interest in, deal-making was at the center of them--this is a way to test whether a calling is really a calling. For example, when you were discussing forming an investment pool which you would trade, that's deal-making, obviously.)

Hope this helped....

Best,

- Boyd

Re: Have you discovered your PURPOSE in life?
 

Dear Dien,

Yes, I agree that we all have a purpose that's tied in with our natural abilities and skills. Of course, that's not to say that we don't have to work to develop those gifts that we have.

I think you hit on an important point when you discuss that we will enjoy it when we are working true to ourselves. There will be a satisfaction, a feeling of "Yes! I was meant to do this."

We all face challenges and hurdles. We all have times when we feel like just tossing it all in a hole. But as we push on, as we keep the faith, that joy is never far away.

Thanks for sharing!

Blessings,
Brenda




Got $6?? That's all it Takes!

I been thinking about the word 'calling'
 

Hi again,

Calling. Have you ever thought about that word?

It's kind of a strange word, yet it describes the way it feels when you realize a calling is a calling.

You see someone doing something, or you read about somebody doing something, and it kind of silently 'calls out' to you.

Anyone willing to believe I'm right? If so, please listen for that silent call.

(How many people out there think I'm crazy? Raise your hand... One thing I like about Lesley's board is that is shows how many people opened each message, and this gives clues about the interest level in the topic or the author's credibility. I always love it when I'm in the top 2 or 3 in any given thread...)

Best,

- Boyd

Thanks Boyd, great suggestions... :)
 

Hi Boyd! :)

> First, congratulations on discovering a
> calling.

Thanks, I feel pretty good about it.... :)

Suddenly, I can see a pathway to future wealth which I believe will work for me....

> Next, stick with it until you discover a
> calling that you like even better than
> deal-making.

Yes, my main problem is sometimes getting too distracted by the side-paths! The kind of things Gordon was mentioning a few days ago here.... That's the danger!

By the way, I've found an interesting side-line to this.... As others come to know that I buy and sell, a few people have wanted me to sell their stuff for them, because they'd rather not do it themselves.... So I'm taking on a couple of these "projects" for a percentage of the profits.... :) I'm going to help sell a van and a laptop computer on this basis.... However, I could see this taking off as a business on its own if I wanted to pursue it. I guess it's essentially like selling things on consignment (except that I don't have a store)....

My main interest though is to build this up to a level to where I am buying and selling businesses.... That's my goal.

> Next, continue doing what you're already
> doing: studying deal-making and deal-makers.
> Listen for that inner signal that tells you
> that what you've just read is something you
> should be doing.

> Next, discover the way to be a deal-maker
> that earns the most money per unit of time
> worked. It might be becoming a film
> producer. It might be creating an
> organization which would explore all the
> sales channels for a product you've created
> or gotten the rights to. It might be
> structuring a partnership to create a new
> product. It might be buying that type of
> boat called a Chinese Junk over in your neck
> of the woods and selling it to a rich
> yachtsman in my neck of the woods.

> You're lucky to have a very profitable
> calling, please make the most of it!

Thanks Boyd for all the excellent suggestions! :)

> (By the way, from what I can remember of
> things you've done in the past or expressed
> an interest in, deal-making was at the
> center of them--this is a way to test
> whether a calling is really a calling. For
> example, when you were discussing forming an
> investment pool which you would trade,
> that's deal-making, obviously.)

Yes, actually I see a value-investing approach to the stock market as being similar.... It's about recognizing value that others don't see (yet). I think this is where I have some ability -- or at least I'm willing to do the necessary research to make it low-risk and profitable. :)

Thanks again Boyd! :)

- Dien

Thankyou Brenda, that was inspiring!
 

Hi Brenda,

> Yes, I agree that we all have a purpose
> that's tied in with our natural abilities
> and skills. Of course, that's not to say
> that we don't have to work to develop those
> gifts that we have.

> I think you hit on an important point when
> you discuss that we will enjoy it when we
> are working true to ourselves. There will be
> a satisfaction, a feeling of "Yes! I
> was meant to do this."

Yes, I think that's the key.... I think when you are doing something which is truly your "calling," then success comes easy to you.

I also believe that this can be more than one thing.... I've been reasonably successful in the world of physics research. So I don't actually denounce that as a particular "calling".... But I've found something else which also isn't difficult for me, yet which will probably be far more lucrative....

I've tended to enjoy doing different things, so I've never liked to put myself into a single "box" and say that's what I am, and nothing else! And I think this kind of diversity is becoming more common (especially as the idea of a life-time career with one company has essentially disappeared from our society)....

> We all face challenges and hurdles. We all
> have times when we feel like just tossing it
> all in a hole. But as we push on, as we keep
> the faith, that joy is never far away.

Thanks Brenda, that was a wonderful post!

You've helped to make me feel more inspired! :)

Best wishes, :)

Dien

I love the idea!
 

Hi!

You wrote:
> My main interest though is to build this up
> to a level to where I am buying and selling
> businesses.... That's my goal.

WOW, that would not only be incredibly profitable but a heck of a lot of fun as well! I'm very excited for you.

I've got a great book you might like to read; it's called _The Secrets Of Syndication / How To Make Money With Other People's Money_ and it's by Richard H. Beguelin. It was copyrighted 1983, 1985 and I bought my copy from abebooks.com. Needless to say it's about deal-making and using Other People's Money.

I know I'm going to be seeing your name in Forbes Magazine in future.

Regards,

- Boyd

Thanks Boyd, could you tell me more about the book?
 

Hi Boyd!

First, sorry for the delay in my reply.... My cable-modem connection was down for a day, but I'm back online now....

> I've got a great book you might like to
> read; it's called _The Secrets Of
> Syndication / How To Make Money With Other
> People's Money_ and it's by Richard H.
> Beguelin. It was copyrighted 1983, 1985 and
> I bought my copy from abebooks.com. Needless
> to say it's about deal-making and using
> Other People's Money.

Thanks for the recommendation, Boyd! I'll try to get hold of a copy....

Could you tell me more about the book? I tried to look for some online reviews, but I couldn't find any.... For example, is it to do mainly with businesses, or property? Or is it mainly a book about negotiation?

> I know I'm going to be seeing your name in
> Forbes Magazine in future.

Heheh, well, I'd like to be rich and obscure, but maybe Forbes magazine will thwart the second part of my plans.... ;)

- Dien

Your wish is my command
 

Hi!

You wrote:
> Could you tell me more about the book? I
> tried to look for some online reviews, but I
> couldn't find any.... For example, is it to
> do mainly with businesses, or property? Or
> is it mainly a book about negotiation?

Here's the Table of Contents:

--

Chapter 1: 100 Percent Return Every Time
[Tells how the author and two friends used OPM to open a fitness club business and sold it five years later; the author made $5000 as a front-end organizing fee, $17,463 as a fund-raising fee, $60,000 in cash flow from operating the business, $28,500 sales fee, $68,590 profit from his 13.3% ownership share.]

Chapter 2: To Hell With Just Making Ends Meet!
[Tells about converting a closed down plant into a thriving new business, an office building gold mine, a finder's fee for a land deal.]

Chapter 3: Using OPM To Make Money For Yourself
[Investor pooling of resources, syndication defined.]

Chapter 4: Getting Started--Search, See and Listen
[Where to look and what to look for, real estate and mortgage brokers, your county recorder's office.]

Chapter 5: Analyzing and Structuring
[A small coffee/sandwich shop, a residential income property]

Chapter 6: Tie Up The Deal
[Raising money for someone else, doing your own deal]

Chapter 7: Packaging The Opportunity: Planning
[An investment syndicate, business form used in a syndication, private offerings, documenting the investment syndicate]

Chapter 8: Confidential Memorandum: Investment Circular Portion

Chapter 9: Confidential Memorandum: Agreement of Limited Partnership, And Statement of Suitability And Subscription Agreement

Chapter 10: Package Presentation Comments

Chapter 11: Coming Up With Other People's Money

Chapter 12: Forming The Partnership And Closing The Investment Transaction

Chapter 13: Managing The Partnership

Chapter 14: Increasing Your Fees, Income and Net Worth

Chapter 15: The Winning Combination

--

Appendix I - Model Full-Length Package

Appendix II - Model Mini-Package

--

All in all, an interesting read (and one I need to re-read).

Hope this was helpful,

- Boyd

Thanks Boyd.... :)
 

Hi Boyd,

Thanks for posting the contents, it sounds like a great book -- I'll definitely try to get myself a copy! :)

I'm grateful.... Thank you! :)

- Dien

You're welcome--abebooks.com has several [DNO]
 

dno dno dno dno dno dno dno dno

> Hi Boyd,

> Thanks for posting the contents, it sounds
> like a great book -- I'll definitely try to
> get myself a copy! :)

> I'm grateful.... Thank you! :)

> - Dien