So, what books am I talking about? Well, off the top of my head, I assembled the following list in no particular order along with the amount I would be willing to pay my kids to read them in parenthesis.

Success God’s Way by Charles Stanley ($50). This has become one of my favorite books on success because it’s written for Christians.

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill ($50). A classic. The language and some of the ideas are dated but the message is still very good.

Basic Economics (4th Edition) by Thomas Sowell ($200). Thomas Sowell is one of my favorites. This is a pretty large book. I would pay $200 for this one.

Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt ($50). This one’s an oldie but a goodie. Written in a very easy-to-understand way. One of my favorites.

Common Sense Economics (Revised Edition) by James D. Gwartney, Richard L. Stroup, Dwight R. Lee, and Tawni Hunt Ferrarini ($50). I thought about not including this one in the group because it might be overkill. However, it’s a great book and could serve as compliment to Hazlitt’s book. Therefore, I want my kids to read both.

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie ($50). A classic if there ever was one. This is an excellent book on how to relate to other people. This book was first published in 1936 and the information it contains has never gone out of style.

Goals! by Brian Tracy ($50). This is the best book I have ever read on goal setting—one of the best things your kids can ever do for themselves.

How an Economy Grows and Why it Crashes by Peter and Andrew Schiff ($50). This is a fictional story about an economy that starts out with three fishermen alone on an island. Start it and you won’t be able to put it down. Excellent illustration of an economy.

Wooden on Leadership by John Wooden and Steve Jamison ($50). Just an all-around good book by an all-around good man.

Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty by Harvey Mackay ($50). A book on networking. Remember: it’s not what you know as much as it is who you know. Sure you, have to have both. You know what I mean.

I had tried walking at night in the past but that never seemed to work because something would always come up that would interfere with my walk. So, I decided that morning was my best bet. I decided to go running at 5AM every weekday morning. Running early in the morning was actually a good thing because it meant I would have to go to bed at a decent time as I tend to be a night owl.

My goal has never been to run marathons or anything like that. I mostly want to run just to do something. I eventually set my distance goal at 3.2 miles, which is just a tad further than a 5K. My workout has deviated and evolved over the months. Once I got up to 3.2 miles, I decided I would run 1.6 miles on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and run 3.2 miles on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday for a total of 14.4 miles per week.

I remember my first day well. It was February 21st. I remember stretching a bit and then setting off down the street. I ran about 2 blocks and had to stop. The next day I made myself go a little further. I wasn’t pushing myself very hard because I didn’t want to get injured and I was kind of lazy. I kept adding little bits to my run until I could run my entire first route, which was a little under a mile. Then, I expanded my route.

I’m now on week 33 and except for a couple of injuries and a couple of weeks off right before school started, I have been out there every weekday morning either running or walking. I’m still very slow but I have built up to my distance goal of 3.2 miles. Now I’ll start working on my time.

There were LOTS of mornings when I did not want to get up. But, I forced myself. Once I got back from my run, I was glad I went. In addition to not letting myself down, I also didn’t want to let my facebook friends down. I say that because when I started running, I started posting my progress on facebook. I got up every morning and ran because I didn’t want to have to tell my friends that I had skipped. My wife and my facebook friends were huge supporters of my program.

Hopefully my story will be an encouragement for you to do something for yourself. You’ll feel better once you do.

• Happiness begins where selfishness ends.

• Earn the right to be proud and confident.

• Discipline yourself and others won’t need to.

• Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.

• If you do not have the time to do it right, when will you find the time to do it over?

• The smallest good deed is better than the best intention.

• The man who is afraid to risk failure seldom has to face success.

• Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.

• Time spent getting even would be better spent trying to get ahead.

• You discipline those under your supervision to correct, to help, to improve—not to punish.

• Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights.

• If I were ever prosecuted for my religion, I truly hope there would be enough evidence to convict me.

• As long as you try your best, you are never a failure. That is, unless you blame others.

• Do not permit what you cannot do to interfere with what you can do.

• Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation. Character is what you really are; reputation is merely what you are perceived to be.

• Be slow to criticize and quick to commend.

• Be more concerned with what you can do for others that what others can do for you. You’ll be surprised at the results.

• You cannot live a perfect day without doing something for another without thought of something in return.

• Forget favors given; remember those received.

• Treat all people with dignity and respect.

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So let me ask you:

Do you regularly set goals? Do you have them written down somewhere? Do you keep track of them and your progress?

I don’t have a problems with financial goals. They are easy to set and administer:

Goal: $3,500 in a savings account to pay property taxes by then end of the year.

Meeting goal: Automatically deposit $350 per month into a savings account until taxes are due.

Pretty simple stuff. With retirement planning is much the same. My goal is to save as close to the maximum amount as possible. I only wish personal/professional goals were as easy.

Regarding the Path of Least Resistance, Tracy writes:

The Path of Least Resistance is what causes people to take the easy way in almost every situation. They seek shortcuts to everything. They arrive at work at the last minute and leave at the first opportunity. They look for get-rich-quick schemes and easy money. Over time, they develop the habit of always seeking an easier, faster way to get the things they want rather than doing what is hard but necessary to achieve real success.

The Expediency Factor is related:

The Expediency Factor, which is an extension of the law of least resistance, is even worse when leading people to failure and underachievement. This principle says, “People invariably seek the fastest and easiest way to get the things they want, right now, with little or no concern for the long-term consequences of their behaviors.” In other words, most people do what is expedient, what is fun and easy rather than what is necessary for success.

I think the Expediency Factor is the reason so many people get into trouble with debt. My wife and I have even experienced this earlier in our marriage. It’s important to understand the true cost of each of our financial decisions. Unfortunately, the true cost requires a calculation that goes beyond just the monthly payment. Why do you suppose car salesmen always ask, “What payment can you afford?”

I think it’s natural for people to take the path of least resistance. It’s the easy way. I know I have fallen into that rut during my lifetime. Heck, I’m in that rut right now!

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After reading her post, I got to thinking about times when I practiced self-control when at the store. I think I have a pretty good handle on compulsiviness when at the store. That’s not to say that I haven’t had times when I walked out of a store thinking, “Why did I buy this?”

My problem is with silly stuff like iTunes. I’m a music nut and I find it too easy to purchase music from iTunes. That’s not to say I’m bad or anything but that’s one area I have to be careful of.

What about you?

How Good Are You at Controlling Compulsive Spending?

She had so much.

A two-bedroom apartment. Two cars. Enough wedding china to serve two dozen people.

Yet Tammy Strobel wasn’t happy. Working as a project manager with an investment management firm in Davis, Calif., and making about $40,000 a year, she was, as she put it, caught in the “work-spend treadmill.”

So one day she stepped off.

Inspired by books and blog entries about living simply, Ms. Strobel and her husband, Logan Smith, both 31, began donating some of their belongings to charity. As the months passed, out went stacks of sweaters, shoes, books, pots and pans, even the television after a trial separation during which it was relegated to a closet. Eventually, they got rid of their cars, too. Emboldened by a Web site that challenges consumers to live with just 100 personal items, Ms. Strobel winnowed down her wardrobe and toiletries to precisely that number.

While I agree that stuff won’t make you happy, I think it’s silly to go to this extreme. The article goes on to mention that this couple was also $30,000 in debt before they downsized. I’d be willing to bet that the debt was a significant source of unhappiness. Let’s face it, CONSUMER DEBT SUCKS.

I think what people need is BALANCE. I also think happiness is comes from WHAT YOU DO and not from WHAT YOU OWN. Let’s also not discount the religious aspects. I know as a Christian, my happiness comes from my faith. To those who aren’t religious will find that statement silly. But, for me, it’s true. It’s when I forget about my walk that I find myself unhappy.

I think the key to happiness is to live within your means, be thankful for what you have, and share with others.

My wife and I are just now getting to the point financially where we don’t have to worry too much about money. We aren’t wealthy by any means but things are starting to get to the point where we have met our needs with our income and we don’t have any big needs before us (other than retirement). In other words, we could come into money and it wouldn’t change our lifestyle that much. Sure, we might treat ourselves to something but it wouldn’t cause us to change too much about where we are right now. To me, that’s a form of happiness or contentment.

Another quote I found interesting…

New studies of consumption and happiness show, for instance, that people are happier when they spend money on experiences instead of material objects, when they relish what they plan to buy long before they buy it, and when they stop trying to outdo the Joneses.

I would agree with that AS LONG as they are not charging the experience on their credit cards. One thing I find frustrating about vacations is the paying of Visa bill after the vacation is over…lol. I’m like, “Wow! I don’t recall the vacation being that much fun!”

Here is my formula for happiness:

1. Live within your means. It may not add to your happiness but it won’t make you unhappy either.

2. Think twice before you upsize your lifestyle. Will a bigger house really make you happier? Will a new car make you any happier? Think of that new car six months after you purchase it with stains on the carpet and a few scratches…

3. Save up for anything you want and pay cash for it. Anticipation adds to happiness (according to the article).

4. Give back (time and money).

5. Be thankful for what you have.

6. Spend time with friends and family.

Thoughts? Read the article and tell me what you think. What stood out for you? What did you take away from the article?

I received an email late last week from Larry Winget, alerting me to a new video series he is offering called “Unfiltered Truth.” The series is composed of 12 videos on the following topics:

• Turn Your Life Around

• Business

• Selling

• Problem Solving

• Life

• Success

• Goal Setting

• Leadership 1 & 2

• Relationships

• Customer Service

• Money

I posted a snippet of one of his videos in the series last week. In case you missed it, it’s this one:

Larry was kind enough to provide me with a special code (LHW2010) for AFM readers, which will allow you to get $20 off the purchase of the series. To order the series, go to Larry Winget Truth Series and follow the order instructions. There will be a place for you to insert the code.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, AFM does not get a cut. I’m simply doing a favor for a friend.

It’s a good series. I watched the episode on business earlier tonight. Larry gets to the point but also adds some humor. Good stuff.

Or…

How is it that I can have a decent library of books—many of which I haven’t even read yet—and yet I still want to buy MORE books?

Or…

Why am I looking forward to my cellphone contract ending so that I can upgrade to a different phone even though I was perfectly happy with my BlackBerry Curve when I got it just a year ago?

And…

Why do I want a Buick Enclave even though my 2002 Buick Rendezvous is in great shape and is PAID FOR?

According to Brent Kessel‘s book, It’s Not About the Money*, all of the above can be attributed to something called the Wanting Mind. We always want something different from what we currently have. It’s the feeling that something has to change in order for us to be happy. From the book:

The Wanting Mind continually takes us out of the present moment in its attempts to make us happy in some better tomorrow. And unless we inquire into the subtle and often hidden workings of the Wanting Mind, including whether its promises of happiness are actually ture, we remain its slave and will likely spend a lifetime chasing its images of freedom.

In other words, people (myself included) buy things because we think those things will make us happy. And, for a brief time, they do bring us happiness because they keep us from wanting more. But, the happiness fades and the wanting returns.

So, how do we overcome the Wanting Mind?

If we look carefully and honestly, we are able to see that the happiness we feel when we get what we want comes from the absense of wanting. If we could experience the same absence of wanting regardless of whether we buy something we crave or not, we would be able to fully accept our present experience and not seek happiness from the objects or experiences we crave. That way, our deepest selves and not our Wanting Minds would be in control of the important financial decisions that will either contribute to or undermine our true freedom.

Kessel’s advice is simply to NOT SATISFY the object of the Wanting Mind. You can do this by telling yourself that what you want won’t make you happy in the long run and will not satisfy your wanting mind for very long.

I can practice this with regards to buying CDs by telling myself that I have enough music to listen to that it would take me 1,217 HOURS of solid listening to listen to it all! I can also take the same approach to buying books. In other words, I need to tell myself enough is enough.

As far as the Enclave goes, all I have to do is sit down with a loan calculator and take a look at how much a monthly note would be to purchase one. Then, all I have to do is go wash the Rendezvous and the desire is squashed for the time being.

One other suggestion I have is to STOP LOOKING for a replacement of what you currently have! I have no business checking out the Enclave website and looking at pictures and specs because I DON’T NEED A NEW CAR! Yes, they are nice-looking and it would be fun to have a new car, but like I said above, I don’t need or want a car payment and new cars become old cars.

I’m still undecided on the phone…lol.

NOTE: Brent Kessel is the co-founder of Abacus Portfolios

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