No Coincidences

Tag: Fire

  • The Millionaire Mind

    The Millionaire Mind

    I mentioned in another post the repetitive nature of the book The Millionaire Mind by Thomas J. Stanley. It’s a world-famous, best-selling book written in 2000. Being written 22 years ago makes it slightly outdated (might be the billionaire mind now), yet it is clearly still relevant today. The repetition is undoubtedly intentional as that’s the way humans learn. What were the repeated points made over and over, then? What does this book clearly think are the most important aspects of becoming a millionaire or having a “millionaire mind”?

    Before I give the list of things I found repeated in the book, it’s important to point out a distinction made in the book between types of millionaires. In the study of millionaires, the author, Dr. Stanley, was looking for “balance sheet millionaires.” He wanted people with high asset, low debt net worths. For obvious reasons this book was NOT a study of individuals who appear to be living a millionaire lifestyle when in reality they were in huge amounts of debt.

    Here are the things I found myself highlighting over and over from that book:

    1. Marriage is conducive to becoming a millionaire, or financially independent. This is for various reasons including but not limited to:
      • Having a support system and partner
      • Combining skills and talents (2 is better than 1)
      • Stability
    2. Generally, millionaires are cautious with how they spend their money. “Cheap” is not a fair characterization, but frugal might be. They are cautious with their money and particular about how they spend it.
      • The book used the example often that millionaires never bought a car over $41,000 or paid more than $38 for a haircut.
    3. Often, millionaires started their own business. It’s difficult to become a millionaire when you’re being paid by someone else.

    I find point 3 very interesting. There’s a guy on YouTube that has gotten popular making one type of video. In these videos he walks around asking people in expensive cars, “what do you do?” Common answers heard are attorney, doctor, and real estate. But the overwhelming majority of the answers are some form of “I started my own company x.”

    I think about this often. This was the point stressed over and over, more than any other point made in this book. The dead horse was beaten relentlessly. If you want to get “rich,” start your own business. If you don’t know this, I’m telling you now, so now you know. But I think most of us know this. And yet, so few of us start our own business. Why is that?

    Like I said, I think about this a lot. I think there are various reasons more people don’t venture out and start their own thing. They can be boiled down to:

    1. Fear
    2. Doubt in oneself
    3. Laziness
    4. Ignorance

    That’s it. I think those are the four things that keep someone from starting their own business. Working for someone else is stable and comfortable, going out on your own is scary (fear). When it’s up to you and you alone to succeed, the excuses go out the door. Relying on yourself for your paycheck requires a lot of confidence in oneself (doubt in oneself). Laziness is probably the greatest detriment to progress in life (laziness). Finally, ignorance in not knowing where to start, or thinking people who start businesses just knew something they didn’t or had some secret (ignorance). Often this is an accepted ignorance. The thinking that others have a secret sauce of success. This ignorance is tied to laziness more than anything.

    There is *usually no secret sauce. Usually someone who starts their business had less fear, less doubt in themselves, were the opposite of lazy, and did the research and work. Simple as that. I’m trying to work myself towards a financial freedom goal. It’s slow work and I find myself running into these four hurdles constantly:  fear, doubt, laziness, ignorance.

    All these things can be defeated, and I think we would benefit ourselves greatly to face these challenges head on and step out of our comfort zones. Of course, that’s easier said than done.

    So what’s my conclusion? Why am I writing this post if I myself can’t step out of my fear, doubt, laziness, and ignorance? I don’t know yet. But maybe one day I’ll look back on this post and think, “well I was always thinking about it, and eventually I got there.” That’s the hope.

  • Satan’s Story Continued: What I learned from the Qur’an

    Satan’s Story Continued: What I learned from the Qur’an

    In Satan’s Story, I explored the origins of Satan before we came to earth.  This was back when we knew Satan, in the premortal existence.  This was when he was attempting to (mis)lead us.  It was an interesting revelation for me to learn what led to Satan’s revolt.

    If you haven’t read that post, you can click the link (Satan’s Story) above to read it.  It’s not required to understand this post.

    In this post I’d like to explore a little more about the Father of all Lies (John 8:44).

    I’d like to give the same sort of disclaimer I gave in the first post.  My interest in studying Satan is to further my testimony of One person.  That is Jesus Christ.  By studying Satan, I am studying the exact opposite of all that Jesus Christ is.  By studying Satan, I hope to understand him better only to avoid the same traps he is laying today that he laid in the premortal existence.  Those traps led to 1/3 of our brothers and sisters coming out in full rebellion to the light and love that created us.

    First, an update.  After I finished writing and had posted Satan’s Story (part 1), I started a book called Islam by John Alden Williams.  This book contains a quick historical overview of the beginning, development, growth, laws, and customs of Islam. 

    The book started with reviewing portions of the Qur’an (Koran? Quaran?).  While reading, I came across some interesting text about Satan. 

    I’ve found there are many translations of the Qur’an, similar to our modern day Bible. This was the text provided in the book (my own emphasis and commentary in parentheses added):

    “We created you, then we shaped you,

    then we said to the angels: ‘Bow yourselves

    to Adam’; so they bowed themselves,

    save Iblis (Iblis = Satan)-he was not of those

    that bowed themselves.

    Said He (God), ‘What prevented thee to

    Bow thyself, when I commanded thee?’

    Said he (Satan), ‘I am better than he; Thou

    createdst me of fire, and him Thou

    Createdst of clay.’ (God created Adam out of clay)

    Said He (God), ‘Get thee down out of it;

    It is not for thee to wax proud here,

    So go forth; surely thou art

    Among the humbled.’

    It goes on to provide other interesting details about Satan being cast out of heaven.  I find it interesting that so many of the world’s religions and especially the many sects of Christianity have such unique views on Satan’s story.  I think the mythology and legend of Satan in all cultures goes to show the significance of Satan on all of us here. 

    Another noteworthy item from the above, notice the first two lines. We created you. We said to the angels. Who are we? If it is only God, why is he referring to we? Joseph Smith taught and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints theology teaches us that we is referring to Jesus Christ and God.

    That portion of Satan speaking in the Qur‘an I found to add somewhat to the idea that Satan ultimately revolted because he was jealous of Adam and prideful, feeling he deserved the honor that Adam received. We see that pride is the great detriment to all souls. Pride took Satan from “an angel of God who was in authority in the presence of God” to one called Perdition, who fell, who the heavens wept over. (Doctrine and Covenants 76:25-27)

    The book goes on to say that Adam inherited the earth with his wife.  While there “Satan whispered to them…And he swore to them, Truly, I am for you a sincere adviser.”

    So, we see that Satan was a liar and has always been a liar, “from the beginning” (D&C 93:25, John 8:44).

  • Second Coming is Upon Us (maybe?)

    Second Coming is Upon Us (maybe?)

    I’ve been pondering a scripture that many might find a peculiar scripture to study.  I think value can be taken from almost any scripture.

    1 Nephi 18:23 reads:

    “And it came to pass that after we had sailed for the space of many days we did arrive at the promised land; and we went forth upon the land, and did pitch our tents, and we did call it the promised land.”

    “The Rapture,” the “Second Coming,” the “Millennium,” the “End of Times,” it comes in many different terms.  There’s a belief in a lot of Christianity that the end will come overnight, Christ will appear, and the millennium will be ushered in.

    From what I’ve read and studied and what modern revelation tells us, this will not be the case.  There will be a long, drawn out period of famine, war, disease, fires, earthquakes, and other natural disasters that will go on for some time before Christ returns. 

    Check out that list.  War.  Disease.  Fire.  Sound familiar?

    The fall of society and of God’s chosen land (United States of America) will come before the Millennium is ushered in.  The faith of the saints, the believers of Christ, will be tested in serious and tragic ways.  There will be much suffering.  If your foundation and faith in Christ is not firm before it comes you could find yourself asking, “Why is God letting this happen?”

    We’ve always known this was going to happen.  The scriptures have talked about our day since the beginning of time.  Now we’re seeing it happen.   

    Back to 1 Nephi 18:23 (with some emphasis added):

    “And it came to pass that after we had sailed for the space of many days we did arrive at the promised land; and we went forth upon the land, and did pitch our tents, and we did call it the promised land.”

    Many estimates put that “space of many days” that Lehi and his family sailed as at least 1-2 years.  That’s 1-2 years on a cramped boat sailing across the ocean.  After many days they finally arrived at the promised land.

    I believe this will be similar to how Christ’s coming will approach us. We will spend many days being tossed about by the winds and waves. We will be required to endure a lot of suffering before we can arrive at the promised land.

    As things get more difficult, I pray that each of us individually considers how strong our faith in Christ truly is.  It’s easy today to casually say, “I believe in Jesus Christ.”  But what about when it’s hard?  What about when your life is in jeopardy because of that belief?  Will you still profess Him who will never turn His back on you?

    Finally, while things are scary in our world, and only getting scarier, it’s important to remember Romans 8:35-39:

    35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

    36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

    37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

    38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

    39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

    Be prepared. Keep hope. Look to Christ.

    https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/second-coming-of-jesus-christ?lang=eng