In order to make and have more money you need a good, quality education. But what does that mean? Many people are concerned about the rising costs of higher education. Afterall, tuition costs have risen by almost 50% in the past decade alone. College graduates remain in tens of thousands of dollars in debt long after they finally secure that coveted "great" job, that is if they even are successful in landing that job in the first place.
The problem here is that one must understand the difference between education and a credential. An education is an in-depth understanding and gaining of knowledge, concepts, skills and practicuums that will help you to accomplish something whereas a credential is a sort of social sign that you have achieved a certain level of accomplishment. Think about this: Bill Gates dropped out of school where he would have earned a credential and became a business owner where he grew his education. Running your own business and diving into real-life experience is the best education that there is. Does Bill Gates need the credential to prove his value? Absolutely not!
Does this mean that quality education isn't important? Absolutely not! You must have a quality education in order to be taken seriously. This means that you must possess the necessary knowledge, understanding, concepts, skills and practicuums to do the things you want to pursue for financial gain. You just do not have to follow the traditional pool of thought that success means you go to school, get a good job, buy a house, and have a family. That might not be your idea of success and, let's face it, may take way too long to help you out right now.
So what do you do? Your education can come from experience (open your own business, shadow someone doing what you want to do, etc.), reading good books, attending seminars and workshops and many other ways. The bottomline is that you do not have to go broke in pursuit of a credential that few people will even care that you have if you are able to prove that you have the knowledge, skills, and understanding to practice.
Using myself as an example, how many of you have asked me what my qualifications are to run my L.A.D.I.E.S. group on Facebook or this blog? How do you know that the information I am providing can be trusted? The same goes for my coaching practice. I have coached close to two hundred people by now over the last decade. How many times do you think I have been asked for a coaching certification? I have provided consulting services to dozens of businesses and have lectured and trained at dozens of organizations. How many of them have asked me for a college degree? The truth of the matter is that this has NEVER been asked of me. And I just last year graduated with my BS in Technical Management and just became certified as a Christian Life Coach four years ago.
My education came from reading, doing, observing and living. Knowledge is power and the best education is a cheap but quality one that allows you to dive in fast. Afterall, does it make sense to go into debt in the several tens of thousands of dollars for a credential that will only allow you to secure a position that makes maybe a third of that in the first year? Absolutely not!
My advice: think about what you really want to do and then find ways to learn how to do it without the credential. If there is no way to get around the credential due to legal issues, (think doctors or lawyers), then find the cheapest and fastest ways to get the credential so that you can start earning faster and amass wealth instead of debt.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Happy New Year!
So it's a new year and a new me. I've started off this year with a whole lot of changes, many that went into effect last year but I am continuing full-force with them this year.
First, I am back in school full-time pursuing my MBA in E-Commerce. This is a bit of a change because initially I was all gung-ho to get my next accolade in Psychology. I'm also considering adding a CPA track to my MBA pursuits depending on how I can work in the extra accounting courses. As it stands, I should be in good position to finish up by September.
Second, there is a new man in my life. We actually started dating in the summer of 2009 but since we made our 1-year anniversary last August, things are heating up to something serious. Pretty sure I have landed my husband. It is true what they say, once you stop looking, you find love. I definitely wasn't looking and he found me. Yay!!! I am truly blissfully happy.
Third, I made a super serious huge decision to reenter the corporate workforce. I've been self-employed for so long that this transition was very dramatic. Don't worry! I am still working my own businesses as a life coach, mediator and all of the other services that I have been sought after for. My priorities have just changed a little to require that I have more regular, consistent, "guaranteed" income. I was lucky that I found a really great position at a well-known nonprofit agency. I get to use all of my skills, continue learning new ones and help people while doing it! I think for the first time ever, I might actually LOVE my job. The compensation isn't too shabby either.
Fourth, I am on a super savings kick. I am stacking dollars from every income source. If you know me by now, then you are very aware that I am a strong believer in multiple income streams. So yes, I have my full-time gig, my coaching and consulting business and this year I am also preparing individual income tax returns. I needed somewhere to grow all that loot I'm making so that I can set myself up for the long-term and acquire some assets I've been looking forward to (a new car and house are on the agenda). Of course I pay myself first through my job's retirement plan and taking advantage of as many pre-tax deductions as I can via flexible spending accounts and such. But I am also beginning to invest on my own using my Ing Direct Sharebuilder account so I am the proud owner of several shares of stock which are already working to increase my income and net worth. I am also sharing a lot of what I learn about building wealth in my L.A.D.I.E.S. fan page and group on Facebook.
Finally, to be on a traditional New Year's resolution mode, although I'm really not calling it that, I have a goal to lose a LOT of weight. My boyfriend is helping me out by being my partner and competitor in our own Biggest Loser type competition. You can check on my progress by taking a look below or at the new widget in the top left of this blog.
So in a nutshell, 2011 promises to be an interesting journey for me. I hope it proves to be just as fruitful to you as well.
First, I am back in school full-time pursuing my MBA in E-Commerce. This is a bit of a change because initially I was all gung-ho to get my next accolade in Psychology. I'm also considering adding a CPA track to my MBA pursuits depending on how I can work in the extra accounting courses. As it stands, I should be in good position to finish up by September.
Second, there is a new man in my life. We actually started dating in the summer of 2009 but since we made our 1-year anniversary last August, things are heating up to something serious. Pretty sure I have landed my husband. It is true what they say, once you stop looking, you find love. I definitely wasn't looking and he found me. Yay!!! I am truly blissfully happy.
Third, I made a super serious huge decision to reenter the corporate workforce. I've been self-employed for so long that this transition was very dramatic. Don't worry! I am still working my own businesses as a life coach, mediator and all of the other services that I have been sought after for. My priorities have just changed a little to require that I have more regular, consistent, "guaranteed" income. I was lucky that I found a really great position at a well-known nonprofit agency. I get to use all of my skills, continue learning new ones and help people while doing it! I think for the first time ever, I might actually LOVE my job. The compensation isn't too shabby either.
Fourth, I am on a super savings kick. I am stacking dollars from every income source. If you know me by now, then you are very aware that I am a strong believer in multiple income streams. So yes, I have my full-time gig, my coaching and consulting business and this year I am also preparing individual income tax returns. I needed somewhere to grow all that loot I'm making so that I can set myself up for the long-term and acquire some assets I've been looking forward to (a new car and house are on the agenda). Of course I pay myself first through my job's retirement plan and taking advantage of as many pre-tax deductions as I can via flexible spending accounts and such. But I am also beginning to invest on my own using my Ing Direct Sharebuilder account so I am the proud owner of several shares of stock which are already working to increase my income and net worth. I am also sharing a lot of what I learn about building wealth in my L.A.D.I.E.S. fan page and group on Facebook.
Finally, to be on a traditional New Year's resolution mode, although I'm really not calling it that, I have a goal to lose a LOT of weight. My boyfriend is helping me out by being my partner and competitor in our own Biggest Loser type competition. You can check on my progress by taking a look below or at the new widget in the top left of this blog.
Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Weight Loss Tools
So in a nutshell, 2011 promises to be an interesting journey for me. I hope it proves to be just as fruitful to you as well.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
More About Writing
As some of you very well may know, I had just gotten my action plan together to monetize my writing when I got blindsided. eHow seemed like it was going to be my bread and butter, my meat and potatoes, my foie gras. I was really starting to earn a nice passive residual income from my articles and had high hopes of writing many more. Unfortunately, suddenly the eHow site started having all of these major glitches and issues that prevented publishing and then some genius over at the parent company decided to stop accepting articles direct from eHow and to move everyone over to the Demand Studios site. What a load of bologna!
First off, any old average Joe was able to write for eHow. Although there were a few crappy articles, for the most part eager writers offered some really helpful how-to information and advice on how to do just about anything. I didn't mind the typos or grammatical errors if the information was useful. On top of that, the articles were literally SEO keyword goldmines which made the whole site a Google favorite.
Writing for Demand Studios is a much different animal in that they have a lengthy approval process and want you to be a serious, professional writer. The earnings are also kind of sucky. I have yet to complete my first article because I'm in limbo with getting my author's bio to the proper format according to their stupid, strenuous guidelines. I don't even think I have a live link to my profile page yet. Seriously? I didn't sign up for this.
My suggestions: HubPages and Associated Content are the way to go. Both still have their guidelines but you still have a good chance to earn something nice for quality, well-written articles. If you find out about any other great article-submission sites (I know about Squidoo and Bukisa - still testing those out), please let me know.
Back to the drawing board I go. :)
First off, any old average Joe was able to write for eHow. Although there were a few crappy articles, for the most part eager writers offered some really helpful how-to information and advice on how to do just about anything. I didn't mind the typos or grammatical errors if the information was useful. On top of that, the articles were literally SEO keyword goldmines which made the whole site a Google favorite.
Writing for Demand Studios is a much different animal in that they have a lengthy approval process and want you to be a serious, professional writer. The earnings are also kind of sucky. I have yet to complete my first article because I'm in limbo with getting my author's bio to the proper format according to their stupid, strenuous guidelines. I don't even think I have a live link to my profile page yet. Seriously? I didn't sign up for this.
My suggestions: HubPages and Associated Content are the way to go. Both still have their guidelines but you still have a good chance to earn something nice for quality, well-written articles. If you find out about any other great article-submission sites (I know about Squidoo and Bukisa - still testing those out), please let me know.
Back to the drawing board I go. :)
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Dissecting Bad Relationships
Lately I've been talking to friends who have came right out and told me that they are jealous of my current relationship which is going so fantastic. They are ranting and raving about how their relationships are so bad and they are just generally unhappy with the situation. One woman is dating a married man and the other is involved with an unmotivated, jobless, perpetual cheater. Now I know it seems like we all know what's wrong with these pictures without needing to know the whole story, but I implore you to look deeper into why these women stay in such obviously unhealthy relationships. Furthermore, I want you to look at your own relationships and decide why it is that you stay in those as well.
It has taken me a long time to find happiness in a relationship and I have realized it is because I needed that time to first find happiness within myself, by myself. You can not fully commit to a relationship if you haven't first fully committed to yourself. When you enter a relationship broken, you do so with baggage and expectations of the other person making you whole. It is unfair to place sole responsibility for your happiness on another person's shoulders. What you are essentially doing is draining the life and energy from your partner rather than inputting your positivity along with theirs to build you both up. Now just imagine the chaos that ensues when both people come to the table broken. You both become codependent parasites leaching off each other's happiness until there is nothing left and you fall into the cesspool of negativity and loneliness you have buth dug for yourselves.
Relationships are merely reflections of our own self-image. If you think your partner isn't good enough, then you probably don't think that you're good enough either. If you believe that your deserve better then you will demand better. It is as simple as that. So if you find yourself in an unhappy, dead-end and/or abusive relationship, it is up to you to examine why you are really there. End it and let it die. Go ahead and grieve for it but in your grieving, learn from it and grow. Remember, opposites do not attract, only complements do so if you find yourself repeating a pattern of bad relationships, it is time for some thorough self-exploration. Your happiness is really in your hands.
It has taken me a long time to find happiness in a relationship and I have realized it is because I needed that time to first find happiness within myself, by myself. You can not fully commit to a relationship if you haven't first fully committed to yourself. When you enter a relationship broken, you do so with baggage and expectations of the other person making you whole. It is unfair to place sole responsibility for your happiness on another person's shoulders. What you are essentially doing is draining the life and energy from your partner rather than inputting your positivity along with theirs to build you both up. Now just imagine the chaos that ensues when both people come to the table broken. You both become codependent parasites leaching off each other's happiness until there is nothing left and you fall into the cesspool of negativity and loneliness you have buth dug for yourselves.
Relationships are merely reflections of our own self-image. If you think your partner isn't good enough, then you probably don't think that you're good enough either. If you believe that your deserve better then you will demand better. It is as simple as that. So if you find yourself in an unhappy, dead-end and/or abusive relationship, it is up to you to examine why you are really there. End it and let it die. Go ahead and grieve for it but in your grieving, learn from it and grow. Remember, opposites do not attract, only complements do so if you find yourself repeating a pattern of bad relationships, it is time for some thorough self-exploration. Your happiness is really in your hands.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Vision Quest - What's Your's?
With vision comes direction. Open your eyes to see whose path you're really on. Today is the perfect day to take the wheel and steer right.
Too often we spend our days living in "supposed to do" and "need to do". What do you "want to do"? Maybe it's due time to take the bull by the horns and get started on your own hopes and dreams. Too much time living by the expectations of others can leave much desired. The key to finding happiness is to follow your heart and desires. Get in tune with you.
The funny thing about getting in touch with your own wants and desires is that many of us have gone so long without putting ourselves first that we often don't know where to begin. How do we do it? How do we give ourselves permission to step away from the many directions friends, family, careers, roles, etc.; are pulling us in order to focus on the central element in the equation...me?
Time to get quiet and listen to your soul. Sounds silly but you might be surprised by the complete clarity of thought one can achieve just by getting quiet. So find some quiet, "me" time today. It doesn't have to be too long. Just a few minutes is more than enough for a purposeful pause.
Let all the stress and burdens slip away while you let your mind and body ease into relaxation. A clear and calm mind is the best platform for problem-solving and decision-making. It may take a few attempts before you can fully take advantage of your purposeful pauses but keep at it. You will eventually develop a clear vision and the perfect peace you need to follow it into fruition.
Still need some help? Schedule a free introductory life coaching session and I will be happy to partner with you to find the direction you need.
Too often we spend our days living in "supposed to do" and "need to do". What do you "want to do"? Maybe it's due time to take the bull by the horns and get started on your own hopes and dreams. Too much time living by the expectations of others can leave much desired. The key to finding happiness is to follow your heart and desires. Get in tune with you.
The funny thing about getting in touch with your own wants and desires is that many of us have gone so long without putting ourselves first that we often don't know where to begin. How do we do it? How do we give ourselves permission to step away from the many directions friends, family, careers, roles, etc.; are pulling us in order to focus on the central element in the equation...me?
Time to get quiet and listen to your soul. Sounds silly but you might be surprised by the complete clarity of thought one can achieve just by getting quiet. So find some quiet, "me" time today. It doesn't have to be too long. Just a few minutes is more than enough for a purposeful pause.
Let all the stress and burdens slip away while you let your mind and body ease into relaxation. A clear and calm mind is the best platform for problem-solving and decision-making. It may take a few attempts before you can fully take advantage of your purposeful pauses but keep at it. You will eventually develop a clear vision and the perfect peace you need to follow it into fruition.
Still need some help? Schedule a free introductory life coaching session and I will be happy to partner with you to find the direction you need.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Bukisa?
Well I totally thought I had finally gotten on the ball with my writing over at eHow. I mean, afterall, I was definitely seeing a return on my few minutes of investment per article. I figured if I started writing one article per day at the very least then it wouldn't be long before I had a nice residual income from the site but wouldn't you know it! That darned eHow has some sort of site glitch (they're calling it a bug) that is preventing articles from being published correctly. This means my last few articles are just sitting in some strange article limbo hidden away from the eager eyes of my readers. UGH!!!
That leads me to Bukisa. Now this is another article site that pays out a revenue share from advertising to its member writers. I joined Bukisa almost a year ago but hadn't revisited the site until today. I decided to publish the papers I had written for my Graduate courses as articles. So this blog post is dedicated to my new relationship with Bukisa. I will let you know if I start seeing the revenue that was being generated over at eHow but I do so hope that eHow gets their act together. I like receiving a passive income.
http://www.bukisa.com/people/coachniquenya
That leads me to Bukisa. Now this is another article site that pays out a revenue share from advertising to its member writers. I joined Bukisa almost a year ago but hadn't revisited the site until today. I decided to publish the papers I had written for my Graduate courses as articles. So this blog post is dedicated to my new relationship with Bukisa. I will let you know if I start seeing the revenue that was being generated over at eHow but I do so hope that eHow gets their act together. I like receiving a passive income.
http://www.bukisa.com/people/coachniquenya
Friday, March 12, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
FREE Online Resume Workshop for Career Changers
I'm hosting a free online resume workshop for career changers. I delivered a live customized version of this course at a local school with great results. See the positive feedback from the students on Yelp.
About the e-course:
About the e-course:
This 90-minute workshop targets jobseekers who are in a career transition and/or have little or no work experience within their chosen industry. The course highlights key transferable skills and assists with the development of a functional resume. Cover letters and interview techniques are also briefly discussed. Attendees will walk away knowing that they possess the tools needed to land a dream job within their new targeted career fields.
When:
Friday, March 12, 2010
1:oo PM - 2:30 PM
Monday, March 1, 2010
Latest Articles Posted on eHow
This eHow thing is great and I am still just trudging away with publishing a little article here and a little article there. This is most ridiculous of me to say the least. I sincerely could knock out two articles a day if not more but yet again procrastination and distractions are rearing their ugly heads. I'm not giving up though and have been diligently working to get my home office in order so that I can have the space to breathe easy and write more frequently. Afterall, eHow is making me some serious cash and is an excellent vehicle to generate additional passive income online.
In any case, here are the latest articles that are already generating a little bit of buzz on the net. Please visit the articles and leave a rating and comment on them. I love constructive feedback. You can also share the articles to your own social networks as you see fit.
In any case, here are the latest articles that are already generating a little bit of buzz on the net. Please visit the articles and leave a rating and comment on them. I love constructive feedback. You can also share the articles to your own social networks as you see fit.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Change Your Mind, Change Your Path
Fulfilling your dreams often takes inner work. It is impossible for you to be the same person broke as you would be financially stable. Think about it. Look at where you are now and where you would like to be. Will you reach your goals if you continue to practice the same bad habits and negative behaviors that have landed you in your current situation? Probably not. Examine your dreams and decide what needs to be changed, improved and/or stopped completely. Change your mind, change your heart, change your path. Growth is a process. Are you willing to commit?
"The greatest reward in becoming a millionaire is not the amount of money that you earn. It is the kind of person that you have to become to become a millionaire in the first place." - Jim Rohn
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