Increase Your Personal Intellectual Capital #LeadersAreReaders October 2022

When I was working in management, I use to read monthly articles by the late Peter F. Drucker (1909-2005) in the business magazine. My workplace was near the bookstore. At the age of 90, he was more active than most 25-year-olds. As a consultant and an author known as 'the father of management thinking,' he was continually working on new books, most of which became bestsellers. Yet, midst his massive accomplishment, he still found time to read three to five hours a day on a wide range of subjects - a habit he first cultivated as a young man. Like Charles H. Spurgeon, one of my heroes of faith, you just have to admire them but don't need to emulate them.

"Every few years I pick another major topic and read in it daily for three years," Drucker once said candidly. "It's not enough to make me an expert, but it's long enough to understand what the field is all about. I've done this for 60 years." When I enter the full-time ministry, I somewhat learned this strategy from Drucker (and Spurgeon): read widely, from many different fields NOT just Christian books. Drucker is the epitome of the 'knowledge worker,' a term he coined to describe the most valuable resource in the new economy - intellectual capital. "Your knowledge and your experience are your new wealth. They belong to you, not your company. Leave an organization and you take that wealth with you."

Learning how to learn and increase your intellectual capital with practical skills. Be valuable. One of the best ways (meaning, not the only way) to do this is by READING BOOKS and/or through good literature. It takes curiosity and also discipline. In the Information and Digital Age, like the late Peter Drucker, the discipline of reading will be well rewarded. Wherever you go, you take that wealth with you.

#ServeToLead #PeterFDrucker #LifeTimeLearner #ReadersAreReaders #IntellectualCapital #KnowledgeIsWealth #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Your Health Is Your Wealth

If you don't learn anything yet during these challenging times - MCO and COVID-19 - at least, you must realize how important your health is! "So many people spend their health gaining wealth," reminds A. J. Reb Materi, "and then have to spend their wealth to regain their health." Sad but true. Take care of your health people! #ServeToLead #HealthIsWealth

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The Millionaire’s Path: Passion, Optimism, and Wealth (2000) by Mark Fisher, Book Review

The Millionaire’s Path: Passion, Optimism, and Wealth
(2-Books-in-1, Hardcover Edition, 2000) by Mark Fisher

I never heard about this book mention in self-help or financial book reviews or recommendations anywhere. Why? I don’t know. Do you know where I get this book? At the The Hills’ Second Time Around Book Fair. How much? Just Rm7.90! This is crazy! The value of this book (or these books) worth more than Rm7.90, it is worth a million ringgit! Carlos Santana, legendary rock-jazz musician, once said, “Your mind is a magnet. You don’t attract what you need or what you want; you attract who you are.” Perhaps I was thinking about success and personal development all day long when I browsed through the books (this is what I called Purposeful Browsing) and then like a magnet - this book ‘appeared’ in front of me. I’m glad that I bought it. I praise God that I’m able to read and understanding it. Thanks God for written language and His God-given mind.

This book consists of two books The Instant Millionaire and How to Think Like a Millionaire. One is a story; the other is a prose. One is a wisdom fable; the other is simplified success principles. Both have one overarching goal: “By deciding to read [these books] you have just taken the first step toward success and living your dreams,” writes Mark Fisher. These books are easy to read and straight to the points. It gives me somethings to think about such as don’t give up on my dreams, do what I love, managing my priorities in life, managing my financial situation, and set goal in my life. Mind you, the lessons and principles lay down in these books are not new as the author(s) states in the introduction. What make the message refreshing is the way the author(s) narrated the story and how he puts the principles in the most practical terms. Also, it doesn’t really teach you HOW to be a millionaire but its more on how to THINK like a millionaire. I’m okay with that. I read Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations few months ago, and this is one of my favorite quotes on thinking: “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” Not money.

The Instant Millionaire: A Tale of Wisdom and Wealth (1990) by Mark Fisher. If you like Ken Blanchard’s One Minute Manager writing style, then you will like this book. It is about a young man who meet a wise old man called ‘Instant Millionaire’ through the process of mentoring and on the spot teachings. The old man reveals that financial prosperity and a fulfilling life well lived are goals we can all achieve if we understand and practice the principles of success. Through the pages, when I read it, I felt like I was the young man... probably... I am.

How to Think Like a Millionaire (1997) by Mark Fisher with Marc Allen.  The essence of this book is this: Success can’t be attributed to fate but to the deliberate application of very specific principles. Age, education, money, background and childhood experiences do not matter in the face of these principles. Many of the successful people had commonplace, poor and sometimes miserable childhoods. At school, many of them were considered slow learners. Yet, each one of them, at a crucial moment in their lives, decided to take fate into their own hands and enlightened by a book, by the word or example of another person or by a powerful sense of intuition, set out to be successful. You may have reached that critical point that will change your life. This book can help you to stand out among the rest and inspired you to greatness... yes, you can... if you applied the principles taught in this book in your life.

Surely, I recommend this book(s)!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Rich Dad’s Cashflow Quadrant: Guide to Financial Freedom (2012) by Robert T. Kiyosaki, Book Review

Rich Dad’s Cashflow Quadrant: Guide to Financial Freedom (2012)
by Robert T. Kiyosaki

After I read the first chapter of this book, I realized that I should read Robert’s Rich Dad Poor Dad (1997) first because he always refers to it every time. But I don’t want to stop my momentum, so I downloaded the audiobook and decide to listen to Rich Dad instead (I listened to 6 hours audio in a week) while reading this book. In this way, I can understand this book as much as I can since I have only a little knowledge about financial education (sad) and economic terms. I regret that I only read this book NOW but at the same time I’m glad that I read it NOW. I wish I was more concern about my financial education early in my life. I was an ignorance then. But yeah, it’s not too late if I start now, right?

“The main reason people struggle financially is that they have spent years in school but learned nothing about money,” said Robert Kiyosaki matter of fact. “The result is that people learn to work for money… but never learn to have money work for them.” As Robert’s Poor Dad used to say, “Go to school, get good grades, and find a safe secure job.” His Poor Dad as with many of our parents and parent parents always advise us to become either a well-paid employee (usually in Malaysia, work with the government) or a well-paid self-employed professional (such as a medical doctor, lawyer, engineer or accountant). Poor Dad was very concerned about a steady salary, benefits, pension, and job security. Poor Dad’s keyword is SECURITY.

But Robert’s Rich Dad (his friend’s dad), although uneducated in term of formal education, offered very different advice. He said, “Go to school, graduate, build a business, and become a successful investor.” Don’t be a slave of money, said Rich Dad. He believed that life is more important than money, but that money was important for supporting life. He often said, “You only have so many hours in a day, and you can only work so hard. So why work hard for money? Learn to have money and people work hard for you, and you can be free to do the things that are important.” To Robert’s Rich Dad, what was important was: Having lots of time to raise his kids; having money to donate to charities and projects he supported; bringing jobs and financial stability to the community; having time and money to take care of his health; and being able to travel the world with his family. “Those things take money,” said Rich Dad. “That’s why money is important to me. Money is important, but I don’t want to spend my life working for it.” Rich Dad’s keyword is FREEDOM. How? Robert introduces CASHFLOW Quadrant and tells us that we need to move from the left quadrants (E = employee; S = small business or self-employed) to the right quadrants (B = big business [500 employees]; I = investor). The CASHFLOW Quadrant represents the different methods by which income or money is generated.

This book is divided into Three (3) Parts:

Part 1: The CASHFLOW Quadrant. This part focuses on the core differences between people in the four quadrants. It shows why certain people gravitate to certain quadrants and often get stuck there without realizing it (now I realize it). It will help readers to identify where they are today in the quadrant and where they want to be in 5 years. Chapter #1 Why Don’t You Get a Job?; Chapter #2 Different Quadrants, Different People; Chapter #3 Why People Choose Security over Freedom; Chapter #4 The Three Kinds of Business Systems; Chapter #5 The Five Levels of Investors; and Chapter #6 You Cannot See Money with Your Eyes.

Part 2: Bringing Out the Best in You. This part is about personal change. It’s more about who you have to be, instead of what you have to do. Chapter #7 Becoming Who You Are; Chapter #8 How Do I Get Rich?; and Chapter #9 Be the Bank, Not the Banker.

Part 3: How to Become a Successful B and I. In this last part, Robert explains how to find success on the right side of the CASHFLOW Quadrant. Chapter #10 Take Baby Steps; The Seven (7) Steps to Finding Your Financial Fast Track. Step 1: It’s Time to Mind Your Own Business, Step 2: Take Control of Your Cash Flow, Step 3: Know the Difference Between Risk and Risky, Step 4: Decide What Kind of Investor You Want to Be, Step 5: Seek Mentors, Step 6: Make Disappointment Your Strength, and Step 7: The Power of Faith.

I have to admit that I don’t understand fully what Robert says in this book (although I find out that it was written in the simple language). I don’t understand how tax, mortgage, most investing methods, business systems, even loan, etc. works. This doesn’t bring me down. In fact, it makes me want to learn more. I might be far from financial freedom (but not so far) but I'm determined to learn more and take actions necessary to achieve financial freedom in my life! “Your boss’s job is to give you a job,” reminded Robert, “It’s your job to make yourself rich.”

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Angelus' Quote: Serve and You'll Become Rich!

Most of the time, near the elevator (this is for the psychological purpose, I assumed), when you walked at any of the shopping malls, you'll smell delicious cookies. That's Famous Amos cookies! These handmade cookies are expensive but no doubt, superbly delicious! When I read the concise history of Famous Amos at the back of the pack, I was very encouraged (this, I also assumed, is part of the psychological purposes). Here's how the cookies became famous:

"Originally, Wally Amos, a true cookies lover, baked his cookies to share with his friends. Once he perfected the ultimate chocolate chip cookies, he started using them as his calling card and as thank-you gifts. As Wally made his rounds in his entertainment business, more and more of his friends and clients asked for another bag of Wally Amos Cookies. Finally, with the backing of several Hollywood personalities, Wally launched The Famous Amos Company in 1975."

When I read about Wally Amos' story, I remember one of Zig Ziglar's famous quotes (oh, I used to listen to See You at the Top audiobook every day!): "You will get all you want in life, if you help enough people get what they want." That mean, first, you want to serve others! Wally initially baked cookies to share with his friends and clients. He wants to serve them. Soon, people want more of his cookies - he delivered what people want - and so he became the channel of blessing to others and himself (automatically) were blessed. From the desire to serve/share with others, he built his company and inevitably became rich! By serving and giving, he already a rich man in his heart and soul.

Do you want to be rich? (Famous, I'm not sure). Then, first – SERVE.

Instagram ---> Richard_Angelus

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The Science of Getting Rich (1910) by Wallace D. Wattles, Book Review

The Science of Getting Rich (first published in 1910)
by Wallace D. Wattles

Two prosperity books that I dare to read in my younger years were Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill and As a Man Thinketh by James Allen. Since then, I read half a dozen others. I love reading old-classic books. After that, I slow down. At the age of 25-30, I stopped. One because many Christian leaders that I admire said that books that promote material prosperity are deceiving. And the words like “rich” and “wealth” are taboos in most of the Christian communities. I’m not blaming anyone here. What I should’ve realized early on is that I’m free to read any books that I want, be what I want to be, and dream big but be wise and discern what is good and pleasing to Christ, my Lord. What many Christian concerns are right, not all wrong. Prosperity books such as this one can lead us to believe that God (or Infinite Intelligent or Substance, as many prosperity writers refer to God or god vaguely) appears to be our ‘servant’ and we are the masters of our own lives. We willed it, God does it. This doesn't sound right. I realized too that most of the prosperity teachings are saturated with New Age ideology and not necessarily aligned with the Christian faith and beliefs. Because of this, I recommend that any Christians who want to read prosperity books such as this one should be aware of all of this and make it a priority that they should study God’s Word more seriously. With that saying, I want you to read any books that you want even if many people forbid it. There are reasons book like this stand the test of time.

I think titles like this – The Science of Getting Rich (Getting rich???) – turn people off, which is a shame. Because although this book is thin (about 150 pages only) there is nothing shallow in its contents. It is so deep and rich that it would surely benefit anyone who reads it with an open mind (this is both a good tactic and risky advice). Before I read this book, I listened to the audiobook first. So, when I read it, I can understand better and get many new insights. Wallace D. Wattles begins with this statement: “This book is pragmatically, not philosophical; a practical manual, not a treatise upon theories. It is intended for the men and women whose most pressing need is for money; who wish to get rich first, and philosophize afterward. It is for those who have, so far, found neither the time, the means, nor the opportunity to go deeply into the study of metaphysics, but who want results and who are willing to take the conclusions of science as a basis for action, without going into all the processes by which those conclusions were reached.” His approach is direct, simple and to the point. I love it.

According to Wattles, getting rich is an exact science. It works like a set of algorithms, much like the mathematical laws of addition and subtraction. By applying the science in this book, thinking and acting in accord with the laws, anyone can get rich. “To be rich, you must act in a certain way.” This book is for those “who wish to get rich first, and philosophize afterward,” thus he wrote seventeen (17) short and straight-to-the-point chapters on how to think and act on this idea, how to overcome barriers to its application, and how to work with very direct methods that “awaken it in your life.” He further explains how “creation and not competition” is the hidden key to wealth attraction, and how your power to get rich uplifts everyone around you. “Every man who becomes rich by competition throws down behind him the ladder by which he rises, and keeps others down; but every man who gets rich by creation opens a way for thousands to follow him, and inspires them to do so.” Here are the 17 powerful chapters in this book:

Chapter 1: The Right to Be Rich

Chapter 2: There Is a Science of Getting Rich

Chapter 3: Is Opportunity Monopolized?

Chapter 4: the First Principle in the Science of Getting Rich

Chapter 5: Increasing Life

Chapter 6: How Riches Come to You

Chapter 7: Gratitude

Chapter 8: Thinking in the Certain Way

Chapter 9: How to Use the Will

Chapter 10: Further Use of the Will

Chapter 11: Acting in the Certain Way

Chapter 12: Efficient Action

Chapter 13: Getting Into the Right Business

Chapter 14: The Impression of Increase

Chapter 15: The Advancing Man

Chapter 16: Some Cautions, And Concluding Observations

Chapter 17: Summary of the Science of Getting Rich

[Chapter 4, 7, 11 & 17 worth reading over and over again]

I end this short review by quoting Wallace D. Wattles on self-development: “Get rid of the idea that God wants you to sacrifice yourself for others, and that you can secure his favour by doing so; God requires nothing of the kind. What he wants is that you should make the most of yourself, for yourself, and for others; and you can help others more by making the most of yourself than in any other way.” Even if you don’t want to get rich or allergic to thinking about getting rich, read this book for the sake of your personal development and abundance mind-sets. In fact, if you need inspiration and motivation, there are lots of real gems of quotes in the book as well. It’s a short book. You can finish reading it in 1-2 hours (max). Of course, if you want to understand it, read slower.

P.s: Currently, I’m writing chapter-by-chapter blog posts on Secret on the Millionaire Mind (2005) by Harv Eker. CLICK HERE to read.

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Secret of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth (2005) by T. Harv Eker, A Book Review

Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth (2005) 

by T. Harv Eker

A long time ago I read Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich (originally written in 1937) because I have a deep desire to become rich. I can’t further my study due to the financial crisis. I don’t have an impressive resume at that time. And there were no role models to mentor me. No excuse. So, I do the one thing that I can to reach my dream - read books. In Jesus, I’m spiritually rich; by reading, I’m intellectually rich; and soon, I’ll be rich, I reasoned. But many years later, I forget about this deep desire probably due to self-doubt and false idea about money and rich people. This book revives my millionaire mind and revises my money blueprint. Thanks, Harv!

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to get rich easily, while others are destined for a life of financial struggle (read above)? Is the difference found in their education (read above), intelligence, skills, timing, work habits, contacts, luck, or choice of jobs, businesses, or investments? The shocking answer is NONE of the above! “If you want to change the fruits [be rich and wealthy], you will first have to change the roots [your money blueprint],” writes Harv, “If you want to change the visible, you must first change the invisible.” What do we need to change? Our mind! The premise of the book is simple: You can learn all the investment, saving, or wealth-building tips in the world, but if you’re not mentally prepared to own and maintain that wealth the money will go as soon as it arrives. This may sound a little too ‘cheesy and fuzzy’ for some (still is to me now), but I found that Harv Eker’s writing is full of practical and powerful concepts which are geared around the goal of mental reprogramming.

Harv suggests that all our thoughts and beliefs about money come from three main sources: #1 Verbal Programming (such as “Money is the root of all evil” “Rich people are greedy” and “You can’t be rich and spiritual”), #2 Modelling (such as how our parents or guardians think and manage their money) and #3 Specific Incidents (such as what did you experience when you were young around money, wealth and rich people?). Harv believes that these three sources create - at a very young age - our attitudes and beliefs when it comes to money. What he stresses is that our “understanding” is simply a story, programming that we let ourselves believe to be fact. If you were abused by verbal programming, declare that: “What I heard about money isn’t necessarily true. I choose to adopt new ways of thinking that support my happiness and success.” If you have bad modeling, declare to yourself that: “What I modeled around money was their way. I choose my way.” If you had encountered ‘traumatic’ incidents, declare that: “I release my non-supportive money experiences from the past and create a new and rich future.” To counterattack this negative programming, Harv lists down 17 Wealth Files, namely:

1. Rich people believe "I create my life." Poor people believe "Life happens to me."

2. Rich people play the money game to win. Poor people play the money game to not lose.

3. Rich people are committed to being rich. Poor people want to be rich.

4. Rich people think big. Poor people think small.

5. Rich people focus on opportunities. Poor people focus on obstacles.

6. Rich people admire other rich and successful people. Poor people resent rich and successful people.

7. Rich people associate with positive, successful people. Poor people associate with negative or unsuccessful people.

8. Rich people are willing to promote themselves and their values. Poor people think negatively about selling and promotion.

9. Rich people are bigger than their problems. Poor people are smaller than their problems.

10. Rich people are excellent receivers. Poor people are poor receivers.

11. Rich people choose to get paid based on results. Poor people choose to get paid based on time.

12. Rich people think "both". Poor people think "either/or".

13. Rich people focus on their net worth. Poor people focus on their working income.

14. Rich people manage their money well. Poor people mismanage their money well.

15. Rich people have their money and work hard for them. Poor people work hard for their money.

16. Rich people act despite fear. Poor people let fear stop them.

17. Rich people constantly learn and grow. Poor people think they already know.

[Note: Keep in mind that in the book, on page 52, Harv explains why and in what sense he compares generally the rich with the poor. Anyone who read this book and reads this summary must withhold criticism by first understanding the context of his writing.]

I like this book because Harv was brutally honest and straight to the point, this book is short (just 200-pages) but filled with great insights, there are much practical advice and actionable tips, clear presentations and these wealth files can be applied not just to money but to virtually any aspect of life. The first part of this book, Your Money Blueprint, is very basic for having a positive millionaire mind. Even if you’re not interested in becoming rich after you read this book, you’ll surely be inspired by this part. Now, what I don’t like about this book are 1) No doubt Harv writes a lot about his seminar to the point of very annoying me; 2) Harv is so focused on teaching about being rich in terms of money that he might miss the other aspect of being rich such as morally, spiritually, peacefully and contented rich life; and 3) The Bible doesn’t say “Money is the root of evil” as Harv said in this book. It is the “Love of money” that “is the root of evil.” In all, I enjoy reading this book. I wish I read this book earlier.

I Have A Millionaire's Mind!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.