In my personal opinion companies have lulled people into a false sense of prosperity by giving them a job with benefits. Don’t get me wrong a good job with benefits is a wonderful thing but with a good job comes complacency. Having a good job is like being imprisoned. If you are the type of person who is willing to stretch further and reach higher. Far too often people plan their future based on the time it will take them to retire. I hear it all the time. People tell me if they could only get to their 30-year anniversary date then they finally are able to leave the company.

To my knowledge there has never been a legitimate employer that has forced an employee stay. However, companies can make your stay very enticing by sweetening the pot every once and a while. They offer raises additional weeks of vacation. In my personal opinion, this is nothing more than prison with benefits. Why would I make such a profound statement? Maybe it is because I know that there is so much more out there. I know that living out one’s life sitting behind a cubicle or showing up everyday doing the same job is a slow road to nowhere.

But why would I call a job a prison with benefits? Look at it this way. People in prison earn a small wage they receive good time credits and if they are model prisoners they get to spend time in a halfway house. Which is still prison but with liberties. The whole time all the prisoner wants to do is bide his or her time so they can finally leave prison. The sole purpose of being imprisoned is to take away your freedom. Being lock into a 30-year job has the same effect.

Once again I am not saying that having a good job is a bad thing. I am just saying that true freedom is being able to make your own decisions. It is being able to earn a wage based on what you are worth, not based on what your company thinks you are worth. Live life, be free and learn to explore try to explore new possibilities or you can wait until your 30 years are over so you can finally be free. The choice is yours.

I love the sound of music but what does a true music lover do, once the music stops? They hit replay and let the music play again, and again and again. This compulsive behavior may be annoying to some but for the true music lover it satisfies the need. The true music lover never wants the music to stop.

What does playing music over and over have to do with anything? Nothing really but the analogy has something to do with everything. It has to do with continuation, it has to do with momentum, and it has to do with duplication.

I have seen this all too often, people have the slight bit of success and in less than 90 days they stop. They indicate that trying to repeat what they have done in the past is too difficult. They find every excuse in the book to quit. Even worst then those who want to quit are those who gloat in their past successes. I had a good friend who could run like a jackrabbit in high school. He won all types of events and received tons of recognitions. Decades later he is still basking in his past success. If he had gone on to become a great Olympic runner or maybe even pursued advancement in this area his basking would have merit. But he didn’t he let the music die.

Learn to hit the replay button again and again and again. This is the only way to build on your past successes. Consistency is the key. Never let the music stop because when you do, know that there will be nothing left but silence.

Much has been said on how to become successful. Books have been written, seminars have been conducted and the mentors have spoken. The principals have been taught yet most people still suffer from one major setback in their quest. That setback is lack of funding.
Learning all the principals and concepts that come along with success and not having adequate funding to pursue them can be a major setback in the worst way. If funding is unavailable one must learn how to implement their ideas on a shoestring budget or create a passive income stream to help supplement their passion. Creating clever ways to build momentum is a must. Consistency is the key. For those who learn to overcome this obstacle, success can indeed become a reality.
The first obstacle to overcome is one of reality. You will not become an overnight success! The idea of this is nothing more than a fantasy. Everyone starts at the bottom and works their way up. Some faster than others but we all start in the same place. What you hear concerning overnight success stories is just the tip of the Iceberg. All of the blood, sweat, tears and years lay deep below the surface of the end story. For example, before a song can rank #1 on the Billboard charts, equipment has to be purchased, and a song has to be written, edited and recorded and liked by many. Before a book can become a New York Times bestseller it has to be written, published and marketed and purchased by many. (No Fans, No Sales).
Patience is a virtue and a mandatory prerequisite to those looking to become successful. In time with the right amount consistency your dreams will become a reality. The start of the process may require sacrifices but it will all be worth it in the end. Never give up no matter what. It could be one more week, one more day maybe even one more hour but in time, with patience success can and will be yours.

One of my wisdom teachers explained to me that it is important to seek advice of those with grey hair. I was told that the grey hairs of wisdom are based on experience and the wisdom given by those with grey hair should be cherished. I understood the position he was taking and also the advice that he was attempting to give. But in my flair for the extra I asked him several questions that would get him to further explain his position. I asked the following questions:
What about those like myself that have no hair, Should I ignore their wisdom?
Does grey haired wisdom diminish just because a person does not have hair?
How do I know the person with grey hair actually has any wisdom? (I have heard of many old fools)
He obviously knew that I was joking with the question I had asked but I wanted to make a point in explaining that general or blanket statements have no real meaning.
When trying to cover a topic, give helpful advice or when explaining one’s point of view, it is important to use your own words to express what dwells inside your mind. Learning to express your opinion based on your own words helps to not only expand your vocabulary but it also sets you apart. Everyone has something to say and it is important to say it in our own way. There are hundreds of mentors, coaches and motivational speakers that are in high demand because they have learned to use their own words to express their opinions.
Just about everything you will ever learn has been said at one time or another. What makes those words stand out above the crowd is how they are said. My wisdom teacher actually gave me a pat on the back for enlightening the conversation. He looked at me and said, “I guess you can teach an old dog a new trick.” I looked at him and said, “Here we go again!”

Reality says that we live world of uncertainty. On the flip side of the coin uncertainty is the unknown. This being the case it is plan to see that one’s reality has nothing to do with uncertainty. To further explain, let’s take a closer look at the two.
According to the official dictionary explanation reality is the actual being or existence, as opposed to an imaginary, idealized, or false nature. Based on this explanation it becomes obvious that reality is pretty concrete. In other words “It is what it is.”
Reality can take away hope and steal your dreams because reality says this is were you belong, this is your present moment. Many people are stuck in their reality, they have no idea what lies ahead. This by far is one of the biggest setbacks that plague many.
Reality says, were you are, were you are suppose to be but uncertainty trumps reality every time. Uncertainty is something that nobody can predict or guarantee. In other words your reality does not have to be the end. Try living an uncertain life and you will find that life is what you make it. It doesn’t have to be what it is. If you are living in the reality of your situation know that uncertainty says you still have a future and that future is undetermined. Accept the present but make plans for the future because in reality you have an uncertain future.

Today is the day that the forefathers made possible. Take advantage of the liberties that we all have gain through independence. Freedom is appreciated only when you take full advantage of it.
On this 4th of July, I ask that you celebrate life, liberty and your pursuit of happiness.

I recently published an article that challenges church leader’s to help pave the way to a healthy church. It is of no surprise that the response to that article has been limited at best. Many people spend their entire life unable to enjoy the benefits that were put in place by the Father. Good health is an important aspect of an abundant life. Throughout Scripture there are constant warnings that says to never please the flesh, yet many people not only please the flesh but they abuse it.

I always hear leaders say that they want to have the church that takes on the nation. This is proving to be a difficult task because many of them are losing their members to premature death associated with obesity. I talk about this in my article in complete detail. You can view that article by clicking here.

The bottom line is that a change has to come. Christians are supposed to be the salt of the earth. We are supposed to lead by example showing the world the wonderful blessing of abundance that comes from above. Are you the leader that is paving the way or are you a statistic waiting to happen?

I ask that everyone who really wants to make a difference and for those who are sincere about what they preach, teach and learn to stand against an unhealthy kingdom. Too many are dying an un warranted death. It’s time to make a difference.

I have heard it said time and time again that if a person refuses to stand for something then they will fall for just about anything. In recent days I have watch the reality of this statement come to life for many people. I have watched as their dreams were literally carried away because they refuse to ignore the warning signs called reality.

Under normal circumstances common sense would tell you that if it doesn’t make sense to you than it surely wouldn’t make sense to others. However in my short time here on earth I have discovered that all sense is not common.

In the attempt to get rich quick, move up in rank or to be recognized in some other venue people will allow pride and selfishness to stand in the way of the truth. Scripture indicates that the truth will make you free, I am paraphrasing but the statement holds true. Conducting business with integrity will indeed go a long way but when a person uses false methods to gain others trust; it will only be a short time before all of their bridges are burned.

Learning to look at things from a common sense perspective will always help you stay on top. The next time someone approaches you with a get rich quick scheme or promises you the world, know that everything takes time. Know that whatever they are offering should make sense. Know that if it is worth anything than it is worth waiting for, it is worth taking the time to research it out and to make sure that it will stand.

A daddy is a man who brags on his kids. I am so glad that I had a father who was able to support and give. I miss him, I love him and I appreciate him. His words of wisdom will forever dwell deep in my soul.

To all the father’s out there…Happy Father’s Day!

I could have taken a week off. I could have left my computer off to enjoy some much needed rest and relaxation. But as I sit here in the vacation villa, overlooking the golf course, listening to the putting frustrations of the many who pass by, I knew that my Payneless Advice was to valuable to let linger. I have to laugh every morning as I sit here because I know the frustrations of golf. I have a lot of experience in this arena.

Golf is like life, the golfer has a goal in mind and that is to sink the ball in the hole. Most avid golfers have had some professional training and they practice and play whenever they can. However in the game of golf as in life, what the mind thinks is not always the reality of the results. In one’s mind everything lines up perfectly, all the skills training and equipment seem to be in order but one or two distraction can ruin the whole process.

Our villa overlooks the green, which is right next to the lake. As I sit here I see the frustrations of those who lack focus. A splash in the lake water confuses them. A maintenance worker keeping the course in top shape frustrates them. It is the guy who has confidence that steps up to the green and nails the putt. You can see the focus and tenacity in their approach. Nothing shakes them, moves them or causes them to be unable to complete their goal of getting the ball in the hole.

It’s time for me to get off the patio now the temperature is rising quickly but as I prepare to enjoy my day, remember that distraction will come, they are part of life but you have to keep your eye on the end result. Those who can keep their eye on the prize will soon sink their hole in one.