Sales and Marketing Expert? Me?

For spirit-based or conscious entrepreneurs, it can be a challenge to think of ourselves -- at least at first -- as salespeople or marketers. It's very common to want to be of service, first. Although that is a component, the bottom line is we're in business to make money.

My mentor, Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero, says, "For better or for worse, we are all in sales. So face your fears, gulp hard and get out there and market!"

Bold? Yes! True? Yes!

So how do we make this leap to becoming marketing and sales experts?

Step 1 Acknowledge and affirm your primary purpose for being in business; to make money. This one simple exercise will move you into a new space.

Step 2 Begin accumulating knowledge of sales and marketing. One of my favorite books on the subject is Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins.

Step 3 Apply this new information to your business in ways that make the most sense for you. The methods and approaches of others will never work if you don't modify them -- at least a little -- to fit your life.

The process reminds me of a puzzle. You are trying to find the combination of pieces that, when applied, complete the sales and marketing income-generating picture for your inspired business.

Now, go get 'em!

Don't Let This Happen To You

It seems everywhere I look I see spelling, punctuation and grammatical bloopers. Because it's my business, I am especially attuned, but you must see examples of this as well. Whether it's print advertising, billboards, Web sites or other marketing venues, I always wonder how the boo-boos made it through what should be an arduous process of checking and double-checking for errors.

We all make mistakes, but do your best to prevent embarrassing oversights by having an effective, preventive system in place. At the minimum, perform a spell check using your computer software AND have one other person review the copy before releasing your materials to the world.

Here are some examples that make my point:

1. A huge, professionally-painted sign on the side of an old warehouse: "House's Wanted."
   
   
2. A real estate ad describing the benefits of a remote mountain cabin: "Escape the hussel and bussel of the city."
   
   
3. An advertisement for typing/editing services (I did not make up this! How could I?): "I am a very good typist, and have some time on my hands. If you need papers typed or edited for content or grammaracle errors, Give me a call!"

I won't be calling. Will you?

What Is Copyediting?

To answer, let's start with a reference from the Chicago Manual of Style. It says copyediting involves both mechanical editing and substantive editing:

"Mechanical copyediting requires a close reading of the manuscript with an eye to such matters as consistency of capitalization, spelling, and hyphenation; agreement of verbs and subjects; punctuation; beginning and ending quotation marks and parentheses; numbers given in numerals or spelled out; and many similar details of style.

Substantive copyediting involves rewriting, reorganizing, or suggesting other ways to present material."

Mechanical copyediting is more of a science because most rules of grammar are absolute. In contrast, substantive copyediting is more of an art based on innate talent, training or a combination of both. A talented copyeditor effortlessly and simultaneously performs both types of editing unless the client specifically requests one type or the other.

As easy as it sounds to perform either editing task, both are arduous and time-consuming. That's why it's important to hire a pro so you can focus on growing your business!

Get The Support You Need From Those Around You!

Mark Twain said, "Keep away from small people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Although it can be a challenge to avoid being in the "tarket zone" of those who are envious (envy is at the core of belittling attempts), eliminating the toxic energy is imperative to accomplishing your goals.

There are no easy answers, but here are a few tips that are very effective in blasting through to the heart of what's really going on; the person feels left out.

• Talk candidly about your short-term and long-term vision. Most times, the details are in our heads and we actually forget to share them with those closest to us. This can be very comforting to them because they now feel they're a part. They understand more about why you're doing what you do.
  
  
• Sincerely ask for a constructive perspective on one specific issue. This narrows the focus, but still allows them to provide input that may not have ocurred to you. Incorporate the suggestions and keep them updated on how this has improved your business. On a core level, we all like to feel like we're being helpful to others and it makes us feel good when someone takes the time to acknowledge our contribution.
  
  
• Invite them into your world by providing more details about how everyday activities fit into the larger plan. No one can read your mind or make sense of what you do everyday to accomplish your goals. Don't expect them to. Keep them in the communication loop.
  
  
• Assign a specific, but meaningful task and explain why this is vital to your success. Be sure to choose tasks that are fitting for the assignee. Without a mini-assessment, this could lead to frustration for both parties. Don't allow this to happen! Just choose tasks you know are manageable. When the task is complete, praise, praise, praise -- with authenticity, of course.
  
  
• Here's a little tough love for the more complex situations. As a last resort, "invite" the friend, family member or acquaintance to make only constructive contributions. You are no longer willing to accept anything less because although you know he or she wouldn't deliberately try to sabotage your efforts, that's the result. This is quite effective, because once you state your position and your expectations are made clear, the other person usually doesn't want to be someone who would boldly and blatantly try to stand in the way of you realizing your dream.

Communicate more openly and you might be delightfully surprised at how willing those around you are to participate in helping you achieve your personal and business goals.

Are your marketing materials overtaxed?

With tax season upon us, how many times in the past few weeks have you seen advertising messages using the tax season to sell their products or services?

From gas stations to fitness clubs to the local grocery store, the owners know something; they must use every possible angle to entice their customers. Using the same marketing messages over and over again is death to your business.

Use holidays, seasons, current events and industry news for a fresh approach to marketing. It lets your customers know you're out there on the cutting edge and effortlessly addressing their ever-changing needs based on what's happening NOW.

Entrepreneurs Ask... Should I use articles from other authors if they contain errors? Can I make changes to the articles?

You’re searching for content for your newsletter and access the many resources available to find one that’s perfect for your market. However, the article you chose contains several grammatical and spelling errors. What to do? What to do?

The best response came from Lisa Manyon at Write on Creative ~ Creative Writing Services. She says, “As a professional courtesy, contact the author and let her know you'd like to use the article in your newsletter, but want to know if you can change the few errors you found. Give her the specific occurrences. Most times, authors will allow you to change the content if it contains spelling, grammatical and punctuation errors. Obviously, they doesn’t authorize you to make any other changes. An added benefit to making contact is to introduce yourself and offer your services.” Brilliant idea, Lisa!

Keep in mind that the content of any article is the intellectual property of the author. You cannot change ANYTHING without prior authorization.

So, what if you cannot reach the author in time to distribute your email or you asked for permission and didn’t hear back? In this case you need to decide whether or not to use the article.

It’s okay to use the article even if it contains a few errors... especially if it’s content-rich. However, the last thing you want is for your audience to think YOU overlooked them. This makes you look unprofessional. If you decide to use the article, preface it by stating, “Sourced as-is from [name the source].”

If you think the content isn’t worth using because there are simply too many errors or you cannot get authorization to make the changes, find another article instead. There are plenty of online sources and authors willing to let you use of their articles in exchange for a bio mention – which is usually at the end of the article.

Inspired Action Is THE Key To Efficiency

I adore efficiency. The smarter I work, the better I feel.

During a recent car ride I listened to an audio series I haven’t listened to in years. The medium is cassette tapes so that gives you a clue of how long it’s been! It is Lynn Grabhorn’s “Excuse Me... Your Life Is Waiting.”

In listening I was reminded of the idea of tasking vs. inspired acting. With to-do lists a mile long (can you relate?), it can be a challenge to remain in the inspired zone.

Tasking is about getting things done. It’s about checking things off your list. It’s about plowing forward with the mind as your guide. It’s nothing particularly inspired; you’re just taking care of business.

Inspired acting is a completely different approach and is much more efficient. Basically, it’s taking the same actions, but using your intuition, divine guidance, whatever you want to call it, to prioritize and show you the best way to work through your day. It is effortless flow. Things just fall into place. You notice a relaxed pace, not the frustration or frenzy of tasking. Peace of mind envelopes everything you do.

Another way to think about the difference between the 2 methods is:

Tasking is about depending solely on yourself to get things done; knowledge you’ve accumulated, talents you possess, resources at your disposal, etc. Sounds exhausting, doesn’t it? And it’s very limited and limiting.

I propose something much more savvy and fun!

Inspired acting is a collaborative effort with the Universe/God/
Buddha/Allah/The Goddess, etc. It’s a pairing of energies to realize increased results and joy during the process. No longer are you simply getting things done. You’re tapped into a super high-efficiency mode without expending any more effort. In fact, working from this space actually refuels you as you work. How great is that?

Essentially, not only are you able to use and apply your own knowledge, but you tap into the ether... which contains the accumulation of

* every thought ever entertained
* every idea ever imagined
* every invention ever created
* every inspiration ever felt
* every creation ever manifested

Want to paint like Da Vinci? Ask for and “wear” his etheric impressions. Want to invent like Thomas Edison? Ask for and “wear” his etheric impressions. Want to tap into the brilliant minds of the industrialists of the early 1900’s? Ask for and “wear” their etheric impressions. Try on these impressions to see if they’re a good fit for you. Have fun with this. It provides a new perspective on your potential; one you may not have thought of before.

These are the 4 steps to access heart/soul-inspired work:

1. At the beginning of your day, assess the tasks you want to complete by day’s end.

Come on, now. Be reasonable! This is my loving way of saying don’t put unreasonable expectations on yourself. It’s too much pressure. If your friend asked you what you thought was a realistic and manageable workload, what would you say to her? Okay, pretend you are your friend and set a goal you can actually achieve so at the end of the day you feel proud of what you’ve accomplished.

2. With your thoughts or words ask for help.

"Hello, Universe. It is I; Charlon Bobo.” (Like the Universe doesn’t know! Hah! I like to say silly, fun things because they make me laugh. Be yourself. Relax and just have a conversation.) “I want to work in collaboration with you today. That sounds like an efficient way to get all this done. I could use a bit of help and right now I can’t afford a VA (virtual assistant)! Let’s do it!”

3. With your thoughts or words confirm your specific intent.

“I intend to finish these items by 5 PM today with ease and ultimate clarity (or whatever else you intend).”

4. Expect a free flowing, synchronistic day!

“I expect bountiful results based on my universal request for assistance.”

Throughout the day, notice how you feel. Without judgment or assessment, continue to remind yourself of your intentional, creative collaboration.

Try it for yourself. Refine the steps as necessary to fit your style and personality. Go from merely tasking to inspired acting and your days open up to new and limitless possibility. Not only do you accomplish way more, in a blissful creative flow, but you have fun as well by noticing how easy it is to collaborate with the accessible and willing forces in the universe.

Define Your Target Market NOW! It’s Easy

Initially, set aside at least 1 hour to work on this self-assignment. It is an ongoing exercise and may require several sessions. Don’t rush the process. Let your mind freely explore every aspect of the life of one person in your target market.

If you prefer, answer the questions in the form of a story. This brings your efforts to life. Remember, this isn’t just an exercise to get through. It’s to help you so you write laser-focused copy. In the end, you’re the beneficiary, so make this exercise count.

Complete all questions below in as much detail as possible. So, instead of answering “to Europe” for the question “Where does she vacation?” answer instead, “Janet vacations for 4 weeks every year. She spends 2 weeks in the south of France in April and 2 weeks in a small medieval town in Germany in October – Oktober Fest, of course! She usually includes a few day trips to remote villages to enjoy local culture and food. Her trips include first-class airfare and first-class transportation and accommodations. She goes in high-style because it’s her way of treating herself for working so hard 11 months of the year. These trips rejuvenate and restore her energy and provided a much needed break from a hectic business schedule.”

Here are the areas to explore:

1. Age
2. Gender
3. Marital status
4. Children
5. Pets
6. Occupation
7. Income
8. Geographic location
9. Where does she go on vacation?
10. What magazines/books does she read?
11. What are her hobbies?
12. What does she worry about?
13. What keeps her up at night?
14. What is her greatest fear?


This gets you started, but you can go into much greater detail, e.g. political views, values, daily living habits, financial life, world views, historical perspective, etc.

The more time and energy you invest in this exercise, the better your understanding of your market. The better you understand your market, the easier it is to speak the language that prompts sales, which is the whole point of writing your marketing materials in the first place!

The last two steps are:

1. Name your ideal client.
2. Cut out a picture from a magazine and glue to cardstock. Keep this within easy access. When you’re writing marketing materials, pull it out and write to this person in a friendly, conversational tone.

You only have to do this exercise one time. From now on, your efforts glide smoothly as you speak directly to your market. Your words are so effective, you notice an immediate increase in sales. How's that for a few hours of concentrated research and creative writing!?

A Spiritual Perspective On Mindless Talking

One of my favorite books – The Spiritual Basis of Real Prosperity by Roy Eugene Davis – says, “Vital forces are weakened and wasted by superficial, useless talking.”

This statement changed me forever. I read it and reread it. It rocked my world. It touched my core. And heightened my awareness.

Do you ever find yourself, for whatever reason, talking needlessly? Nervously? Why? Have you ever given it thought? Or analyzed it to figure out what’s behind it?

Our outward manifestation always tells the story of what’s going on inside.

Become the observer of yourself. What feelings are buried just beneath the surface masked by incessant talking? What feelings are deeply buried?

This isn't an exercise for the faint-hearted, for surely you will discover underlying pain. After the pain, though, comes realization and a new self-awareness. No longer are you obsessed with the sound of your voice. Your newfound ability to sit in peace and silence sets you on a journey of fresh exploration and discovery. What awaits? You won't know until you begin.

Blessings on the path.

Entrepreneurs Ask... I’m already successful. Do I still need to define my target market?

To write impactful marketing materials with guaranteed results, first your target market must be clearly defined.

You’ll notice I didn’t say, “To be successful in business, first your target market must be clearly defined.”

That’s because many entrepreneurs experience accidental success. They introduce a product at a most opportune time, they grow a business based on intuition, or they are just at the right place at the right time. It happens all the time, but at some point you realize the value and importance of speaking directly to your target market. You want to refine your existing system to realize even greater results. You want a strategic and specific plan for drawing in even more clients. Do this simple yet revealing exercise to open your eyes to the possibilities.

Once this happens, your vision is now crystal clear. Your perfect clients find you and instantly resonate with you. It’s because you speak “their” language. They feel you know them. And, in a way you do. You’ve zeroed in on their pain, their struggles, their life worries and you paint yourself, your products, your services as the answer to their problems.

Let me give you an example. For which market is this headline intended?

The Latest Sparkly Hair Thing-a-ma-bobber
Will Have All Eyes On You This Spring...
Make Sure It’s YOU Who Ignites This Edgy Trend

a. A 55-year-old corporate male executive with a corner office
who lives and works in Manhattan

b. A 15-year-old female fashionista who attends a public --
but very upscale -- school

c. A 37-year-old conservative, religious female who lives in a
town with the same population as her age

Yep. You guessed it; B is the correct answer.

If you’re like many entrepreneurs who – until this moment – thought a target market analysis was unnecessary, now you understand why this exercise is so crucial.

Do you think the 55-year-old executive or the 37-year-old small town lady will read past the headline? NO! And neither will your customers/clients if you are not clear on who your message is trying to reach. When you have a mental image (you’ll create this during the exercise below) of your perfect client, your marketing materials reflect that clarity.

Your message must speak the language of your intended audience. If it doesn’t, you unnecessarily expend too much time, money and energy trying to sell to everyone. That’s another way to say you waste a great deal of all three.

Your target market isn’t everyone. No product or service is meant for every person on the planet. Stop trying to be everything to everyone and start being the #1 resource for the people with whom you want to do business. Cater to them. Cater well to them. Speak their language. See what happens.

At first you may think this is a waste of time. But I promise: Doing this exercise reveals aspects of your ideal customer that don’t surface any other way. It helps if you have an existing client file, but if not, don’t fret. Chances are your ideal client is you! If that’s true, use that as a starting point.

From this point forward, write every marketing piece directly to one person who represents your target market. With a prominent mental image of this person, your writing becomes more personal and hits the mark every time.

Mark your target, and hit it with precise and pre-determined language that engages, inspires and prompts your reader to take action. Now THAT’S the power of copywriting that sells.

Bald or Not: To Thine Own Self Be True

On Monday I was contacted by a newspaper reporter writing an article on women who are bald by choice. Within minutes an interview for the Baltimore Sun was underway. See full article here.

The reference to responses being mostly negative was a misunderstanding on the part of the reporter. Quite the contrary. I’ve been blessed with an extraordinary amount of spontaneous hugs from women I don't know, tearful approaches of support (they assume I have cancer), remarks about how beautifully-shaped my head is and comments about the courage it takes to do such a thing. It's fascinating to hear people express their take on my hair and head!

The experience of being bald contains many illuminating facets. It continues to serve me and I cannot foresee growing hair again because:

1. It suits me.

2. It’s my way of embracing a simple beauty regimen that doesn’t rob me of my precious time and energy.

3. It’s a passive resistance statement to the multi-billion dollar commercial beauty industry that prefers I feel badly about my 42-year-old face and body so I’ll consume their products.

4. What I look like on the outside doesn’t begin to reflect who and how I am on the inside.

5. Every time I look in the mirror, I am reminded of a line in Shakespeare's Hamlet: “To Thine Own Self Be True.”

People have a compulsion to give their opinions. It's the funniest thing when you're able to watch this dynamic from a distant perspective. They comment on your life; to discuss it, to embrace it, to ridicule it, to criticize it or to support it. Whatever the sentiment, they want to talk.

The bottom line is this: No matter what you do, there will be those who are threatened by you if you live in full alignment and expression of your highest self. Most times, it's those who aren’t doing the same who have the most to say. Sometimes they express anger. They get angry when you do what’s right for you if it falls outside the lines of tribal (cultural) beliefs, e.g., women can have short hair and long hair and blond, red and brunette hair, but women CAN’T have no hair. Well, this one does.

So, I charge you: To You Be True. In your relationships, in business, in life. Be true to you.

You have no higher calling than to express your originality -- your style, your language, your way, your spin, your personality, your opinion, your angle, your insights, your fabulous self.

This isn't about being bald or not. Being bald might NEVER work for you. It’s not for everyone just like kiwi/strawberry toothpaste isn’t for everyone.

The freedom lies in being free enough to do for yourself what you know serves you. And this is not subject to the input of others. It is your birthright and belongs to you exclusively.

Right now take out a piece of paper and write down 10 things that you’re not doing because they’re not socially acceptable (in your home, in your family, in your community, etc.). Remember, these must be things that don’t cause harm to others or take away their ability to make choices that are right for them. Rank them 1-10 and starting with #1, take action. Some are a BIG deal and others -- when implemented -- may be quite subtle. The point is you’re listening to the inner voice that guides you and you’re responding. Good for you!

I’d love to hear back from you on how this exercise positively impacts your life. Feel free to email me comments, progress, inspirations and insights.

PS: If you’ve never put your bald head through a sunroof at 55 MPH, you don’t know what you’re missing!

Do First Impressions Really Matter?

I take great pride in making a memorable, positive first impression. And after the first impression, my passion and commitment for over-delivery borders on compulsive.

Throughout the course of business, I seek the services of other professionals because I need to outsource as many tasks as possible. And I love to support entrepreneurs with my money.

However, I’m very particular. My standards are extraordinarily high of both myself and those who support me. When I require the services of a new team member, I do extensive research, conduct interviews and hire only the best of the best.

I met a fellow copywriter at a recent workshop. She and I enjoyed several conversations throughout the event and I made a mental note to keep in touch. Although I usually make changes to my Web site, this week I DESPERATELY needed the services of a pro. I called her and left a voicemail asking if there was any way what I needed could get done by day’s end. This is what happened:

1. 3 PM – Left a message

2. 4 PM – Received a call from a senior staff member who listened attentively to my request and reassured me, “No problem. We do this all the time.” With a few less-than-1-minute phone calls back-and-forth, he had everything he needed to do the job.

3. 6 PM – Received telephone and email confirmations. Project completed.

Yeah. Leaves you contemplative, huh? It did me. Why doesn’t every business operate this way? It isn’t hard. It isn’t complicated. Yet, so few businesses stand out by offering excellent service.

Recently, a friend recently told me about an experience he had at a retail store. He said, “Charlon, I wanted desperately to give them my money, but they made it too hard. The staff was anything but professional and I couldn’t support them with my dollars.”

Consumers have money... it may as well be in your pocket. But they have to trust you first and that means you must make an impactful positive first impression.

The initial contact with your company is usually an interaction introducing your products/services or delivering your products/services. Either way, it’s your responsibility to orchestrate a first impression that gives prospects confidence in your ability to make their lives easier. Solve their problems and YOU become their one and only resource. Nice positioning!

Impressions 101

1. Be friendly
2. Be sincere
3. Be authentic
4. Take the time to really listen
5. Be in service mode, not selling mode
6. Offer solutions and suggestions
7. Offer additional resources from your inner circle of contacts/suppliers

Once you’ve created a trust, how do you KEEP clients?

1. Deliver on time, or earlier than stated. This is embarrassing to even address, but you’d be surprised at how often it is underrated and overlooked.

2. If things change based on the original agreement, call immediately to discuss. Put yourself in the shoes of your client. Most times you don’t mind a delay if it’s brought to your attention in a timely fashion. What you do mind is several calls or emails to follow-up once the deadline has come and gone and you haven’t heard a peep. So frustrating. Do everything in your power to keep your client from assuming you are yet another unreliable business.

3. Educate your staff on expectations. Not everyone understands the premise of operating from integrity. Also, they may not know how because no one ever taught them. Teach them well so they are extensions of your passion, commitment and mission to excellence.

4. Over deliver. Nothing comes as more of a surprise as a free gift enclosed, a handwritten thank you note, an early delivery, a free article or comped rush charges. Make it your goal to exceed the expectations of your customers. Always give them more, not less. It's no big deal to give as much as is expected. It is a grand act to operate your business by consistently giving people more.

5. Return calls and emails as quickly as possible. So often we must manage our outsourced tasks, which just becomes another job. I don’t know about you, but I don’t need more to do.


As clients and customers ourselves, we can be easily reassured that our job/order is in the queue and is scheduled for on-time delivery. Many times we just want reassurance. Give your clients the same. Don’t make THEM work to deliver what YOU promised. Respond!

It’s so easy to stand out from the masses. Deliver on time, every time and keep your promises. Do it with a sincere heart-smile and gratitude. This cultivates devoted customers for life.

This article was inspired by Sharon and Adam Sayler at Impression Engineers. Thank you for making a first impression on me never to be forgotten. You are a true inspiration to the entrepreneurial spirit operating from the highest level of professionalism and integrity.

When I find the best, I stay with it. From this point, it’s exclusively Impression Engineers for me.

More than just words -- What motivates people to take action?

Copywriting is much more than composing sentences, paragraphs and finished sales materials. What’s behind the words is fascinating.

The true art of copywriting is about understanding fundamental human nature and psychology. What are the 5 things that motivate people to buy?

1. Pride
2. Greed
3. Love
4. Guilt
5. Fear

If you understand this basic premise of motivational triggers, you are equipped to write copy that prompts the reader to take action from this emotional place. It’s a skill that first requires a mind-shift. Write from this perspective and you notice a big difference in your ability to write copy that increases sales.

High Productivity... 33 Minutes At-A-Time

Effective tips. We love them, right? As entrepreneurs we have to implement many tools to ensure smart work habits. Our business depends on it.

One of the most impactful techniques to change the everyday life of my business is something I learned in the last Red Hot Copywriting Bootcamp. It put my workload into high-gear. I accomplish WAY more than ever and finish projects in much less time. The secret is FOCUSED EFFORT.

It’s so simple, it’ll blow your mind.

But don’t take my word for it. Try it for one week and you’ll agree; it increases your ability to accomplish more with better results. Who doesn’t want that?

Here’s how it works:

1. At the start of your day, make a priority list and assign a realistic time for each.

2. Choose the top 3-5 items depending on how much time you have and how much time each task requires.

3. Choose 1 priority to start.

4. Set a timer for 33 minutes and begin.

While the timer is going, the only focus you have is the #1 project you chose. No getting up. No answering calls. No checking email. No nothin’ other than your #1 project.

5. When the timer alarms, take a 5-10 minute break.

6. When your break is over, set the timer for another 33 minutes and either continue with priority #1 or switch to priority #2.

You may prefer to work on one project until completion. That’s fine. Or based on your workload, you may have several deadlines to meet and need to work concurrently on 2 or 3 tasks. That’s fine, too. Whatever works for you.

7. Follow the timer/break formula for the duration of your day and actually get things crossed off your to-do list!


The reason this works is you don’t allow anything to interrupt your focus. Simply genius.

True Prosperity Must Be Based In Spirit

My promise is to give you content inspired by everyday life. This week, while managing the business of my life, I came across a book that has had an enormous impact on me. It is so timely.

I read a great deal about prosperity and this book provides support to a recent thought process. We read and hear so much about prosperity -- mostly financial -- and yet so many sources tell us if we set our intent, the manifesting begins.

True, in part, but setting our intent is just a start.

The book is titled, “The Spiritual Basis of Real Prosperity.” The author is Roy Eugene Davis. From the back cover, “The words prosper and prosperity are derived from Latin prosperus: fortunate. To prosper is to always be in a continuous flow of resources and supportive events and relationships.”

According to the book, what prevents us from experiencing true prosperity is weakened and wasted vital forces brought on by:

• Superficial, useless talking
• Unhealthy dietary habits
• Irregular lifestyle routines
• Addictive behaviors
• Restlessness
• Purposeless actions

That says it all, doesn’t it?

I ponder how my daily choices move me closer or further away from true prosperity. I’d much rather be:

• Energetic, enthusiastic and glad to be alive
• Enjoying life
• Goal-oriented
• Sincerely committed to awakening to my full spiritual potential as quickly as possible
• Abundant in energy
• Using my energy wisely

I love thought-provoking reading material. This book definitely delivers.