Teach That Horse to Fly

By Dan Miller
48days.com

CBN.com – Last week’s article, ”I’m Not Normal” generated some great comments for our frustrated artist. Thanks for sharing your own stories – and for the helpful input for others who may also feel that their creative gifts have not been validated by their church or community.

Speaking of feeling off track, I received one comment where the writer says: “I am now almost 50 and fervently wish that I had not thought that highly of myself - that I could be successful at something. After the many disappointments I have had, I would have to say, stay safe and warm.” Well, trust me, I will have a lot to say in an upcoming issue about the encouragement to just “stay safe and warm.”

We are rapidly approaching the last quarter of 2008. This is the time to be planning what you want 2009 to bring. If you don’t plan, it will at best be a duplicate of this year. Only with planning can you bring new dreams to life.

Free Webinar – here's a free webinar on "Being Fully Alive" in your work. I'll be interviewed by David Bush, founder of eLifePlans.

We’ve got The Eaglepreneur Package. That includes No More Mondays and other materials that will help you do something beyond “stay safe and warm” – for only $48.

"There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would be forever repeating the same patterns." —Edward de Bono

Hot Dog! I Got an Idea

This week I had someone request more information about having a hot dog stand. That’s one of many business ideas I mention in No More Mondays. It reminded me again how many simple business ideas there are available in any city in the world. Having spent last week in Washington, D.C., Joanne and I saw lots of street vendors with creative ideas. The political gadgets alone were amazing. Sometimes a great idea has a very short life – like bumper stickers that will be obsolete in 60 days. Or those Hillary ‘08 T-shirts that are already available at deep discounts.

But here’s an example of how a subtle twist on an old idea may be better than the original:

While registering his car in Miami, Louie Di Raimondo spotted a hot dog vendor and bought a dog. Then he saw a “For Sale” sign hanging on the cart. On impulse, he bought it for $1,500 and set up his own business. But in his hurry to get up and running, Di Raimondo forgot to remove the “For Sale” sign. The first day, he sold more than 100 hot dogs, but what intrigued him the most was the number of people asking if they could buy his cart.

Today, Di Raimondo sells more than 4,000 carts a year out of a Miami showroom. He now has flower carts, pretzel carts, and coffee carts in addition to the original hot dog stands and generates more than $30 million annually in company sales. You can choose from Louie’s many carts – including the American Dream Hot Dog Cart.

Yes, many times the opportunity is right in front of us – if we have our "eyes" open. If you really want a hot dog cart, you can check out the Teeny Weenie for only $1,599.

Of course, here’s a guy who wants to teach you “The Secrets That Most Hot Dog Cart Owners Will Never Know About Starting and Running a Successful Hot Dog Cart".

You can be more knowledgeable about hot dog stands in 30 minutes than 99 percent of the people on the planet. But that knowledge needs to include the fact that location of your cart is more important than the cart or the quality of your hot dog. Make sure when exploring any idea that you complete a business plan that helps you see the idea come to life.

My son Jared uses old brochures and posters to help ladies in Kigali, Rwanda make beautiful necklaces. Maybe those Hillary T-shirts could be turned into something useful as well.

Here's a local Tennessee company that is taking advantage of the short political window -- Flip Flops with McCain or Obama on the toes. Let us know your unique business idea and how you've taken advantage of an unusual twist… when you’ve experienced some success! E-mail it to: mysuccess@48Days.com

Teaching a Horse to Fly

The sultan of Persia had sentenced two men to death. One of them, knowing how much the sultan loved his stallion, offered to teach the horse to fly within a year in return for his life. The sultan, fancying himself as the rider of the only flying horse in the world, agreed.

The other prisoner looked at his friend in disbelief. "You know horses don't fly. What made you come up with a crazy idea like that? You're only postponing the inevitable." "Not so," said the first prisoner. "I have actually given myself four chances for freedom. First, the sultan might die during the year. Second, I might die. Third, the horse might die. And fourth, I might teach the horse to fly."

Wow, I like this guy's thinking. Rather than giving in to victim mentality, with one creative suggestion, he creates four possible outcomes other than just being put to death.

Now, what “impossible” situation are you faced with today? Just lost your job? Just found out your bank is foreclosing on your house? Just shut the doors on the business you always dreamed of having? What are four new possibilities you could see, instead of just assuming crushing loss?

If you lost your job, you could:

Realize you’ve been “underemployed” and “undercompensated.” Do a great job search and begin a much better position.
Use your severance package to take your family on that much deserved vacation that’s been put off for too many years.
Go back to school to finish that long-awaited degree.
Finally have the opportunity to start your own business.

Need help teaching your own horse to fly?

48 Days Online Radio: Life After Lifeway?

Each week I create a new online radio podcast that you can hear on iTunes or at the 48 Days Online Radio Show link below.

Here’s a sampling of the questions I tackled this week. What do you think? "Is there life after being terminated?" Yes, there is. One of the popular questions around Nashville right now is this: "Is there life after LifeWay?"

1. A year ago I decided to leave a good job to attend graduate school to get my Ph.D. in history. I now have no desire to complete my degree and I am completely burned out. How do I explain to an employer the gap in my work history since I did not complete my degree? Is this going to make me look like a quitter?

2. How can I find out what color my parachute is?

3. Dan, I've heard on your podcasts you have sold cars at various times. My son and I would love to start doing this together. I've sent away for a dealer's license, but the application requires a business address and insurance. If you don't mind revealing, how did you start and where did you find deals?

4. I've tried selling eBooks and podcast subscriptions over the Internet before and found that there is so much free information available; it was extremely difficult to get people to actually pay for it. I think I've made about $40 total. How do we make people want it badly enough to pay?

5. Is there really life after being terminated from a position? I have had an excellent work record until this last position. Though I made many improvements, for many reasons, most political, I was terminated. I don't feel bitter or angry – just hurt and disappointed in myself.

6. Years ago I got an entrepreneurial opportunity off the ground only to get killed by the IRS because I am not a good bookkeeper. I have lived in fear of that experience ever since. I'm just trying to turn this seeming setback into an awesome opportunity and turning point in my life.

If you have a question, just click on the 48 Days Online Radio link and you can ask about starting your own business, getting a better job, or finding your purpose in life. That’s the same place you can listen to this week’s broadcast immediately – no downloading, no wait.

48 Days Highlights

Public Domain – Free Resources
Frequently, I have radio questions where someone asks about getting documents that are in the “public domain.” I have mentioned in the past that I have gotten free books and resources where they are old enough there are no copyrights in place. The Acres of Diamonds gift we have as a free e-book when you sign up for the 48 Days newsletter is an example of that. If you want more information, I recommend Yanik Silver’s course on Public Domain Riches. That’s what I did when I started mining the riches just sitting out there.

Personal Coaching
Many of you are asking about my personal coaching. Yes, I still work with two to three people a month. And, yes, we get a lot of requests. I screen each request and either contact you myself , or refer you to a matching coach in our network. I take seriously the confidence shown by the requests and make sure each one is given personal attention. If you want to review the options and give me some basic information, I’ll be honored to evaluate it and give you some feedback. Just go to Personal Coaching and get started.

Here's a note I received this week from a coaching client:

I think when I first wrote to you, I said I was at a point in my life where ‘I was sad most of the time and had moments of happiness and was looking to get back to being happy most of the time with moments of sadness’. I am there, again.

Thank you for your help and your part in my journey. I truly appreciate your positive encouragement, the sharing of your experiences and knowledge, and your ‘reminders’ of the important things about actually ‘living’ ones life. Thank you! Thank YOU! THANK YOU!

Chuck Bowen Coaching - Financial, Career, & Business
"Need to do better (maybe a lot better?) with your personal finances? Is your business as profitable, or enjoyable, as you'd like it to be? Contact Chuck Bowen Coaching. If you want to transform your life permanently for the better, he's your guy. Dave Ramsey trusts Chuck to train his financial coaches, and he serves as President of Dan Miller’s 212 Connection. What better proof is there?!" Contact Chuck Bowen Coaching now!

Need help finding your Acres of Diamonds?
The most popular product in the 48 Days arsenal continues to be the 48 Days Career Profile. Before you begin seeking a better job or self-employment, you need to be sure you are pursuing opportunities that match your personality style and will fulfill and reward you for a lifetime!

Quotes on Thinking

It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all.—Edward de Bono

Imagination is more important than knowledge. For while knowledge defines all we currently know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover and create. —Albert Einstein

Held in the palms of thousands of disgruntled people over the centuries have been ideas worth millions -- if they only had taken the first step and then followed through. —Robert M. Hayes

The human mind once stretched by a new idea never goes back to its original dimensions. —Oliver Wendell Holmes

Few people think more than two or three times a year. I've made an international reputation for myself by thinking once or twice a week. —George Bernard Shaw

The world is but a canvas to our imaginations. —Henry Thoreau

Dan Miller is the bestselling author of 48 Days To The Work You Love and a renowned Life Coach specializing in career fulfillment. His weekly newsletter reaches 70,000 subscribers. Dan’s articles are featured here at CBN every Tuesday, and you can find out more about Dan at www.48days.com.