The Naked Millionaire E-Book

David Taylor

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 367

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2010

Beschreibung

This is a book about becoming a millionaire. Not through investment, although you may invest the money that you make. Not through savings, although you will be able to have some of those. And not through betting on the 4.10 at your local race track. This is a 'how to' book like no other, with seven possible paths, all leading to the same outcome.

This is your book, not mine. If you do the things in this book you will become a millionaire - it's that simple.

So what do you want to do? Be an authentic millionaire? Design a global brand? Start and grow your business? Avoid pitfalls? See what others don't? Become a professional speaker? Write a bestseller? Your book, your choice.

This is a work of fact - if, and only if, you do something with it. Otherwise, it's a work of fiction.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Praise

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

Epigraph

PROLOGUE

Introduction

Your book - your choice

I - YOUR SELF - BE AN AUTHENTIC MILLIONAIRE

Chapter 1 - HOW TO SIMPLY BE YOURSELF (IT’S ALL YOU NEED TO BE)

WHY NAKED?

THE FORMULA FOR GUARANTEED SUCCESS

THE KILLER QUESTION

CHOOSE YOUR BELIEFS WITH CARE

YOUR THREE KEY ACTIONS

Chapter 2 - GET READY FOR THE (BUMPY) RIDE AHEAD

OWNERSHIP

DOING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE

CONFIDENCE

YOUR THREE KEY ACTIONS

Chapter 3 - HOW TO FORM KEY RELATIONSHIPS (PEOPLE AND MONEY)

MONEY

PEOPLE

OUR AGREEMENT

RESOLVING DISPUTES

YOUR THREE KEY ACTIONS

II - YOUR BRAND - DESIGN A GLOBAL BRAND

Chapter 4 - HOW TO FIND YOUR BIG IDEA

WHAT DRIVES YOU?

YOUR THREE KEY ACTIONS

Chapter 5 - HOW TO BECOME AN OBVIOUS EXPERT (IN A WORLD FULL OF THEM)

HOW TO BECOME AN OBVIOUS EXPERT

FOUR FACTORS SHARED BY ALL OBVIOUS EXPERTS

MAKING IT HAPPEN FOR YOU

YOUR THREE KEY ACTIONS

Chapter 6 - HOW TO MASTER CYBERSPACE (LIKE A TEN-YEAR-OLD)

WHAT ARE SOCIAL MEDIA AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT TO YOU?

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

GET A WEBSITE

GET ON TWITTER

GET ON FACEBOOK

USE YOUTUBE

YOUR OVERALL AIM IS TO BUILD TRUST

YOUR THREE KEY ACTIONS

III - YOUR BUSINESS - START AND GROW YOUR BUSINESS

Chapter 7 - HOW TO DO THE ESSENTIALS (AND NOT BE A BUSY FOOL)

TRADE AS WHAT?

CHOOSING A NAME

ACCOUNTING

FINDING THE RIGHT BANK

INSURANCE

TAXATION

I’LL RAISE YOU! HOW TO GET FINANCE

SHOW ME THE MONEY

YOUR BUSINESS PLAN AND HOW TO PRESENT IT

KEEPING UP WITH TECHNOLOGY

MARKETING AND PUBLICITY

SALES

EMPLOYING STAFF

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

PLUS THREE

YOUR THREE KEY ACTIONS

Chapter 8 - HOW TO UNLOCK THE ‘HOLY GRAIL’ OF FAST BUSINESS GROWTH

GET BACK TO BUSINESS

WHAT TO DO?

KNOWING WHERE YOU WANT TO GO

KNOWING WHERE YOU ARE NOW

KNOWING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO, TO GET TO WHERE YOU WANT TO GO

DO IT!

YOUR THREE KEY ACTIONS

Chapter 9 - HOW TO KNOW WHAT TO SELL (SELL IT, DELIVER IT AND GET PAID)

SELL WHAT OTHERS WANT TO BUY

DELIVER

GET PAID

YOUR THREE KEY ACTIONS

IV - YOUR WARNING! AVOID THE PITFALLS THAT I DIDN’T

Chapter 10 - HOW TO MAKE THE BIG DECISION (DON’T GIVE UP YOUR DAY JOB, JUST YET)

REDUNDANCY

RESIGNING YOUR POSITION

YOUR THREE KEY ACTIONS

Chapter 11 - HOW TO WELCOME DETRACTORS (YOU REALLY NEED THEM)

YOUR THREE KEY ACTIONS

Chapter 12 - NEVER BE FOUND OUT (BY ‘REALITY’)

THE SYMPTOMS

RETURN TO YOURSELF

YOUR THREE KEY ACTIONS

V - YOUR SECRETS - SEE WHAT OTHERS DON’T

Chapter 13 - HOW TO APPLY THE LESSONS FROM THE SECRET

HOW’S YOUR MEMORY?

YOUR THREE KEY ACTIONS

Chapter 14 - HOW TO HELP OTHERS (AND CHANGE THE WORLD FOR GOOD)

RECIPROCITY

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

YOUR THREE KEY ACTIONS

Chapter 15 - HOW TO SEE WHAT IS HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT

YOUR THREE KEY ACTIONS

VI - YOUR SPEAKING - PRESENT AS A PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER

Chapter 16 - HOW TO PREPARE (NOT FOR THE TIMID)

STAGE ZERO - OVERCOMING THE FEAR

MOVING TO LEVEL 1 - BEING GOOD

YOUR THREE KEY ACTIONS

Chapter 17 - HOW TO MOVE FROM GOOD TO GREAT TO OUTSTANDING

GETTING YOUR FIRST PAID EVENT

FROM ‘GOOD’ TO ‘OUTSTANDING’

AGENTS

YOUR THREE KEY ACTIONS

Chapter 18 - HOW TO TAKE YOUR PLACE AS A WORLD-CLASS SPEAKER

BE IN DEMAND ACROSS THE WORLD

TAKE INTERACTION TO A TOTALLY NEW LEVEL

BE OBSESSIVE IN YOUR PREPARATIONS

TREAT EVERYONE WITH RESPECT, COURTESY AND WARMTH

LESSONS FROM MARK ANTONY AND OTHERS

YOUR THREE KEY ACTIONS

VII - YOUR BOOK - WRITE A BESTSELLER

Chapter 19 - HOW TO BEGIN WRITING A BOOK (AND FINISH IT!)

WHY WRITING A BOOK IS SO IMPORTANT

PLANNING WHAT TO WRITE ABOUT

HOW TO WRITE IT

THE IMPORTANT AND BORING BITS

YOUR THREE KEY ACTIONS

Chapter 20 - HOW TO HAVE IT PUBLISHED (WHILE STAYING SANE)

FIVE KEY FACTORS IN GETTING YOUR BOOK PUBLISHED

ROUTES TO MARKET

YOUR NON-FICTION BOOK SUBMISSION

SECURING AN AGENT OR APPROACHING A PUBLISHER DIRECTLY

YOUR THREE KEY ACTIONS

Chapter 21 - HOW TO TURN IT INTO A BESTSELLER (IN REALITY AND PERCEPTION)

WHAT IS A ‘BESTSELLER’?

TOP TEN FACTORS IN CREATING A BESTSELLER

YOUR THREE KEY ACTIONS

THE NAKED TEN

Appendix 1 - CASE STUDY: THE NAKED OFFICE

Appendix 2 - ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, RESOURCES AND SUSTAINABILITY

INDEX

PRAISE FOR DAVID TAYLOR’STHE NAKED LEADER

‘The One-Minute Manager for a new generation’

Nigel Risner, co-author, Chicken Soup For The British Soul

‘At last - the antidote to all those wasted “quality” initiatives, there is another way…’

Robin Bloor, Bloor Research Group

‘If you are into leadership, then you must be into The Naked Leader. David captures the new spirit of leadership and delivers in a truly inspirational manner’

Rene Carayol, co-author of Corporate Voodoo

‘The Naked Leader brings fun, adventure and inspiration back into business and personal success’

Adrian Gilpin, Chairman, The Institute of Human Development

‘The Naked Leader uses the most advanced techniques available to transform people’s ideas about life, without once resorting to jargon, mystery or academic double-speak.’

Joe Crosbie, Head of Marketing, The Children’s Society

‘The Naked Leader engages everyone, turning dreams into reality.’

Wendy Thorley, IT Director, RSPCA

‘The Naked Leader is guaranteed to change the way you think and feel about yourself as a leader’

Gareth Brown, Managing Director, Qube Limited

‘This book makes success within everyone’s grasp’

Daily Mirror

‘At last - a self-help book that is actually helpful’

Computing

‘This book delivers again, and again…’

Computer Weekly

‘The Naked Leader does exactly what it says on the tin’

Business Plus

‘The business book bestseller executives are taking on holiday’

Financial Times

This edition first published 2010

© 2010 David Taylor

Registered office

Capstone Publishing Ltd. (A Wiley Company), The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, United Kingdom

For details of our global editorial offices, for customer services and for information about how to apply for permission to reuse the copyright material in this book please see our website at www.wiley.com.

The right of the author to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books.

Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book are trade names, service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publisher is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold on the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services. If professional advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data is available

ISBN 9781907312434

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Set in 11/13 pt Baskerville by Sparks - www.sparkspublishing.com

This one’s for my mum and dad

‘Money isn’t everything … but it ranks right up there with oxygen.’

Rita Davenport

(DIS)CLAIMER

This is a work of fact - if and only if you do something with it.

Otherwise, it is a work of fiction.

Legend has it that many years ago, a very special child was born. Unique in natural strengths, talent and personality, this child, from the very moment of birth, knew that it was going to love this thing called ‘life’.

The young Child watched and took in the wonders of everything and everyone around it, and so became an Explorer, gaining a reputation for being full of spontaneity and happiness. Soon the Explorer was told that discovery in itself was not enough, and was sent off to school. Hungry for new knowledge, the Explorer became a Student, who gained a reputation for being very learned. However, some of the fun seemed to disappear, somewhere.

Next, the Student was advised that while information was important, it was nothing without real experience. So the Student became a Practitioner, eager to work hard and grow in understanding, and gained a reputation for being worldly wise. However, some of the wonder seemed to fade away, somehow.

And after many years, the Child who had become an Explorer, who became a Student, and then a Practitioner, stopped one day and noticed some things.

That the life it was now living was not so full of everyday joy. That the organization in which it worked was not such a happy place. And that the world in which it lived had so much worry, so much hardship and so much fear. Perhaps there was something about this thing called ‘life’ that the Practitioner had not yet fully understood.

So the Practitioner set out to understand, and thus became an Adventurer.

All Adventurers need an adventure. To find one, they must apply the formula for guaranteed success: know where you want to go; know where you are now; know what you have to do to get to where you want to go; and do it.

The Adventurer had an idea where it wanted to go - something to do with purpose, happiness and being at peace. It knew where it was, and knew generally what to do, to make its dream, unclear though it was, move closer. The Adventurer had to make things happen, rather than simply let things happen.

This was exciting. However, just as it was about to take its first action, the Adventurer froze in fear, trapped by thoughts and fearful imaginings. It wanted more, but without losing what it already had. More freedom, but not at the expense of safety; more money, but not to the extent of greediness; and, it wanted to be true to itself, yet also connect with others.

And so our Adventurer waited for a sign, a trigger, for something…

And as it waited, a realization dawned. What it once was, it still was. Once a Child, always a Child; once an Explorer, always an Explorer, keen to explore again; once a Student, always a Student, still ready to learn; once a Practitioner, always a Practitioner, still taking in life’s rich experiences.

And, from its very first breath, right up to this exact moment, the Adventurer was, still is, and always will be, you.

PROLOGUE

You have just had a life-changing moment - a sudden dream of what could be. A massive, exciting, personal few seconds of your life - a ‘wow’ moment.

You can’t wait to share it with someone - you have to or you will simply explode with joy. You want them to share your special feelings too. You run up to them, maybe even grabbing hold of them in your excitement:

‘Guess what, I’ve just had this amazing idea - I think it will make me rich…’

You blurt out your idea, your invention, your dream … you can’t get the words out fast enough. And when you have finished, you look at the person in front of you, waiting for the ‘well done’, the shared joy, the gushing approval.

Hang on - something is wrong. They are not dancing around, or hugging you, or even smiling. They are standing very still, looking at you, as if you are slightly crazy. This in itself reduces your ‘amazing idea’ to just an ‘idea’.

Their next words will show no respect whatsoever: ‘With all due respect…’

Then they put on their boxing gloves, and start to box your dream into submission. After a few hits your ‘idea’ has been reduced to a silly notion. Each word hits its target: ‘You? Keep your feet on the ground… If that was such a good idea don’t you think someone else would have done it by now?’ Or ‘That’s already been done before … ridiculous, impossible, forget it.’

All because they care about you; perhaps, if it is a parent or partner, because they love you. So much so that they do not want to see you upset and disappointed by going for a dream and then failing. They couldn’t handle that.

By now you are on the ropes. Your few weak jabs in reply have no impact. They are coming at you as fast as your dream is becoming the stuff of distant memory. Now they line up the old one-two knockout combination. This person - friend, parent, carer of your soul and sanity - asks you:

One: ‘How? How are you going to make this dream come true?’

You don’t know - you only had the idea a few minutes before. You stumble backwards, and whisper rather weakly: ‘I don’t know.’

Two: ‘Well, if you don’t know how, doesn’t that give you a clue?’

And you have had enough - and rather than wait to be hit again, you simply lie down, take the count … and as for your dream, what was that again?

The countdown

10 THIS BOOK WILL 9 SHOW YOU EXACTLY 8 HOW TO 7 MAKE MONEY 6 LOTS OF IT 5 WHILE BEING HAPPY 4 BY SIMPLY BEING YOURSELF 3 VERY FAST 2 NOW GET UP AND START PUNCHING BACK 1 STARTING WITH YOU AND ME MAKING A DEAL

The Deal: to ensure you get up, every time you are knocked over…

I promise to share with you powerful and specific ways to achieve what you want to achieve, to be happy and fulfilled, while making lots of money and helping others along the way.

And in return:

You promise to take action.

And that action may be what I suggest; or, if you disagree with what I suggest, you will do something else - but you will do something.

Whether it is something I suggested, or the complete opposite, that’s fine. I do not mind whether you believe in me. I want to know if you believe in you.

INTRODUCTION - HOW TO READ THIS BOOK

‘If everything seems under control, you’re just not going fast enough.’

Mario Andretti, Italian-born American race driver

This is a book about becoming a millionaire - not through investment, although you may invest the money that you make; not through savings, although you will be able to have some of those; and not through betting on the 4.10 pm horse at your local racetrack.

This book is about how to make a million, by being an entrepreneur, and/or by turning yourself or your company into a global brand, and/or by starting and running a successful business.

A fast way to achieve that success is to find someone who has already achieved what you want to achieve, and aim to be like them.

It’s a good place to start, but it’s not very authentic, and it’s not as easy as it sounds - you may know the lyrics to ‘Candle in the Wind’, but that doesn’t make you Elton John.

A faster way to achieve that success is to find someone who has already achieved what you want to achieve, and copy them.

It’s a great place to start. Some call it modelling. But it does have one significant downfall: everyone makes mistakes, gets things wrong and takes longer to achieve something than they could. If you decide to copy them, you will probably also copy their mistakes. If you decided to model Martha Stewart, your muffins would rise, you would know what to do with pumpkin seeds - and you might also serve five months in prison.

The fastest way to achieve that success is to find someone who has already achieved what you want to achieve, and copy them, but avoiding the same mistakes that they made along the way - or at the very least knowing what they are going to be, so you are well positioned to overcome them, jump over them or go around them.

I am just an ordinary guy, who has had the great fortune to work with, observe and learn from, scores of companies, hundreds of entrepreneurs and thousands of leaders from across all walks of life, from all around the world.

This book is written with some insight, sure, but it comes much more from an unending stream of hindsight. After all, I have made my own mistakes:

• I have embarrassed my own daughter in a talk at her school so badly that she didn’t talk to me for several weeks, and pleaded with me never to go back again. When I did, she threatened not to attend. Thankfully she did, though, and I put it right.

• I am one of a very, very small circle of authors who had a book deal ‘in the bag’ with one of the top publishers in the world - signed and sealed, and all I had to do was deliver. I delivered something - how shall I put it? Not very good! By that stage my head was so big I couldn’t get through doors and I learned a huge lesson, which I will share with you.

• And, the one which I am most embarrassed about: I was chairman of a football club - my beloved local team, Woking - in the season we were relegated, largely because I led the recruitment team that chose the wrong manager. You may wonder what this story is doing in a book on being a successful entrepreneur. For me, it certainly fast-tracked my ability to handle failure and get back up again - I have learned so much and continue to be involved, to help make it right. Also, it was a hobby that got out of control and threatened our business, and my health. Most of all, it helped me learn how to deal with detractors, something you will have to master too. I will help you do that, even when you may agree with them!

This is probably the most scary, personal ‘How To’ book that I have written. However, contrary to what many authors will tell you, books are not written for the authors themselves, they are written for their readers.

Like the other ‘Naked’ books, this is your book, not mine.

The Naked Millionaire is organized so as to give you choices on how you read it, and in which order you make happen what you read.

• Journey Zero - Fast-track it and read only the most essential parts. And don’t feel guilty, I won’t be offended!

• Journey One - Front to back - Start at the beginning, keep reading and taking action, until you get to the end, and then stop (reading, that is). The most ‘logical’, structured way to read it.

• Journey Two - The Journey of Hindsight. This is the journey I wish, in hindsight, I had taken. This is my recommended journey, as you will achieve success faster than I did.

• Journey Three - The Journey of Misadventure. This is the journey of lessons learned - the journey I took. To share with you the mistakes I made, so you avoid them.

Plus, of course, you have three more choices of your own:

• Read the book as you wish.

• Read by dipping in and out.

• Or don’t read it at all.

That last one may sound a bit crazy, as you are already reading it! When it comes to business books, we live in a crazy world. Most people go through the following process - see book, buy book, carry book around, place next to bed (where you hope the contents of the book somehow transfer by osmosis) and at some stage file alongside all the other (still-to-be-read) books on your shelf.

And the main reason for this is: You don’t actually want to read this book - you want to achieve any benefits it has to offer you - and you want to make them happen, very fast.

In fact, in many ways, reading a book is a complete nuisance, holding you up from achieving what you want to achieve. Sorry to keep you.

Read it as you wish; after all, you will have the choice at the end of each action, to jump across to a different journey.

Just, please, one simple plea directly from the book, itself: Please, please, however you read me - do something.

The single difference between people who achieve success, by their own definition, and in all walks of life, and those who don’t, is that successful people take action - they actually do something.

It doesn’t matter how you read this book, it only matters what you choose to do. Not me, not another reader, but you.

This is where we come to the true classification of this book. Most bookshops will locate it under ‘Business’ or ‘Entrepreneurship’ or ‘Leadership’. Actually, this book is ultimately none of those things. It is really a ‘whodunnit?’.

You know that dream you had a few years ago? The one that, for whatever reason, you did not pursue, only for someone else to make it happen. Whodunnit? Theydunnit!

You know that dream you have right now? To be free, to be yourself, to help others in the world with the skills that you have - the things that will combine to make you very wealthy?

What are you, personally, going to do about it?

Someone will - someone reading this will take action.

Will it be you?

So that in years to come the world will know - Youdunnit!

And as you do, make sure you record your achievements, your challenges, your moments of ‘Wow!’, so that you can share them with others; so that you can help others; so you can write the story of your life, and what you did, perhaps to pass on through the generations of your family.

‘“Thou shalt not” is soon forgotten, but “once upon a time” will last forever.’

Philip Pullman

This idea that you can achieve so much may make you feel uncomfortable. You may think that such thoughts are arrogant, or big-headed.

In that case, may I ask that we go forward from here on a level playing field?

I want you to consider the possibility that you don’t have the skills, strengths and talent that you need to achieve your dream. That is a very real possibility - after all, there are plenty of people who will tell you that.

Just as long as you also consider the possibility that you do have the skills, strengths and talent…

‘Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can.’ John Wooden, college basketball coach, who won 10 championships in 12 years

Your book - your choice

The book is structured into seven sections:

I Your Self: Be an Authentic Millionaire

II Your Brand: Design a Global Brand

III Your Business: Start and Grow Your Business

IV Your Warning! Avoid the Pitfalls that I Didn’t

V Your Secrets: See What Others Don’t

VI Your Speaking: Present as a Professional Speaker

VII Your Book: Write a Bestseller

Within each section are three chapters, giving twenty-one chapters in total.

If you choose one of the ‘moving about’ journeys (Two - Hindsight or Three - Misadventure) you will cover all chapters in different orders. At the end of each chapter is a signpost to the next chapter on your chosen journey.

The book ends (at the back!) with a case study on the company ‘onebestway’ as featured and turned around in the Virgin One TV programme The Naked Office. Finally, there is a list of resources to help keep your success sustainable.

Each journey starts on page 3 with Chapter 1, Simply Be Yourself (It’s all you need to be). The only place you can ever begin is with yourself. Many millionaires say that all that happened was they started in the right place, at the right time.

Well, the right place is wherever you are, right now, and the right time is now.

I

YOUR SELF - BE AN AUTHENTIC MILLIONAIRE

1

HOW TO SIMPLY BE YOURSELF (IT’S ALL YOU NEED TO BE)

‘In the 21stCentury, the real leaders will be the people with a unique personality, skill or product. And uniqueness never drops out of committees; it arises from deep within a person, from your essential self.’

Martha Beck -Finding your own North Star

SUMMARY

Be clear on what you want to achieve, take ownership for everything that you do and say, and also for the talents that you already have, especially those you were born with. Make a true decision on what you are going to do, and then do it. As you do, help others, always over-deliver to customers and be persistently persistent. Then, and only then, will you find that perfect balance between happiness, wealth creation, and making a difference to yourself, others and the world.

The Naked Leader is you, not me, and the message is blindingly obvious.

It is entirely built on common sense, the stuff you already know, deep down. And, deep down, you already know that your future is your choice, and no-one else’s: as an individual, as a team or as an organization.

If you believe that, you are making a choice. If you do not believe that, you are also making a choice. After all, there are people out there in exactly the same, or worse, circumstances than you, who have gone on to achieve what you want to achieve, and more.

The single difference between people who achieve success and those who don’t is action.

What you actually do - how you act, and react - is everything. It doesn’t matter what you know, it doesn’t really matter what you say; your results always come down to one thing and one thing alone: what you do. What you, your people and your organization actually do, each and every day. Everything else is just noise.

If you want success (by your own definition) in any area of your life, know what you want to achieve. Know your desired outcome, take ownership, make a true decision, and then do something. And ask yourself the ultimate question of success:

Does what I am doing take me/us closer to achieving my/our desired outcome, or not?

If it does, do more of the same; if it does not, do something else - and keep going until you achieve what you want, or choose to give up.

And, to remove any fear, simply remember that one day you will close your eyes and you will die. So, get with the programme. Live life to the full, while you can, or don’t - your choice.

WHY NAKED?

On the day you were born, naked, you had everything you needed, to be anything you want. On the day that you die, naked, you will look back on whether you achieved everything that you could have. If all of this comes down to one thing, it is about fulfilling the promise of your first few seconds, while ensuring no regrets in your last…

Many others will tell you to be more than what you have become. Many people will inspire you to be the very best that you can be. I invite you to be the very best that you already are.

Your truth, integrity and authenticity come from deep within, and your success will come from removing false, limiting beliefs that separate you from the essence of who you truly are, and always have been. It is this separation, from what you feel now to who you truly are, that is the root cause of many anxieties, worries and fears. When you accept that, then you start to move towards your major premise - your underlying belief system. Just reading this, and believing whatever you believe, is sometimes enough to bring you an inner peace and joy that reconnects you with your inner power.

Sustained success does not happen by accident or by chance. It happens as a result of a specific process, an exact formula.

THE FORMULA FOR GUARANTEED SUCCESS

Tell everyone you know, destroy the mystery and hype surrounding business success, and personal leadership, forever.

1. Know where you want to go/be - the what - (dreams and outcomes). Have massive dreams or, at the very least, set a standard for yourself that is higher than anyone else can ever reasonably expect of you. Focus on what you want - not what you don’t want.

2. Know where you are now - the you - (ownership and honesty). Take ownership of everything that you say and do. Never say anything behind your close colleagues’ backs that you would not say to their faces. Always raise issues when they need to be raised.

3. Know what you have to do, to get to where you want to be - the moment - (choices and true decisions). From the moment you are born, until the moment that you die, you will only ever do something to the best of your ability for one reason and one reason alone, and that is because you want to - because you choose to. When you make a decision, make it ‘true’ - i.e. you will actually carry it through. It only takes a single heartbeat to make such a decision.

4. Do it! - the first action - the how - (action and persistence). Take one action. Then ask yourself: Does this action, this behaviour, this thought, take me closer to where I want to go, or closer to who I want to be? In other words, does it serve or help me, our team, or our organization, or does it not?

If ‘Yes’, do more of the same…

If ‘No’, then do something else, and if that doesn’t ‘work’ then…

Please put the next page on a wall where you can see it every day.

Do something else…

And if that doesn’t work, then do something else.

And if that doesn’t work, then do something else.

And if that doesn’t work, then do something else.

And if that doesn’t work, then do something else.

And if that doesn’t work, then do something else.

And if that doesn’t work, then do something else.

And if that doesn’t work, then do something else.

And if that doesn’t work, then do something else.

And if that doesn’t work, then do something else.

And if that doesn’t work, then do something else.

And if that doesn’t work, then do something else.

And if that doesn’t work, then do something else.

And if that doesn’t work, then do something else.

And if that doesn’t work, then do something else.

And if that doesn’t work, then do something else.

And if that doesn’t work, then do something else.

And if that doesn’t work, then do something else.

And if that doesn’t work, then do something else.

And if that doesn’t work, then do something else.

Or give up.

If you ever feel like giving up, remember that you will never know whether, if you had just kept going for a bit longer, then you might have moved forward. Many entrepreneurs believe that it is at the moment of your biggest despair that you come closest to the moment of your biggest breakthrough. If you give up, you will never know, but you will always wonder…

Your reaction

Your reaction to what you have just read will have everything to do with whether or not you are going to complete your adventure, and become a Naked Millionaire.

You may find this message - be the very best that you already are - an inspiring one. Great. Thank you for being inspired. However, please know this: I really don’t care.

Inspiration is simply not a strategy. It’s what you do with that inspiration that really matters.

I don’t want to know how you feel about what I write, or say - I want to know what you personally are going to do.

Or, when you hear this message - be the very best that you already are - it may make you feel rather sceptical, or even cynical. Great. Thank you for being sceptical, or even cynical. However, please know this: I really don’t care.

Being sceptical or cynical is simply not a strategy. It’s what you do with those feelings that really matters.

I don’t want to know how you feel about what I write, or say. I want to know what you personally are going to do.

When you hear this message - be the very best that you already are - it may make you feel very open-minded - in other words, you believe it may be true, or it may not. You are open to both possibilities. Great. Thank you for being so open-minded. However, please know this: I really don’t care.

While being open-minded may sound good, it is simply not a strategy. It’s what you do with your open mind that really matters.

I don’t want to know how you feel about what I write, or say. I want to know what you personally are going to do.

What you feel will determine what you believe - or it will, if you let it. What you believe will determine what you do - or it will, if you let it. Your adventure towards being a Naked Millionaire, towards achieving anything in your life, in your career or in your organization, will come down to one thing and one thing alone: what you do. What you personally do, each and every day, in each and every moment - starting right now.

Whether or not you succeed on your own personal journey will also come down to how much you want to succeed.

THE KILLER QUESTION

If it’s all so simple, why isn’t everyone doing it?

1. ‘Simple’ does not equal ‘easy’. Indeed, ‘simple’ is often dismissed or looked down on, by jargon-speaking academics, expensive consultants and highbrow media.

2. Because ‘common sense’ has become not so common.

3. It can be hard to simply be yourself. At work, or when starting a company, we can feel the need to conform, or seek a compromise view. I am not saying these things are ‘right’ or ‘wrong’, but conformity and compromise won’t help you on this adventure.

4. And the biggest of them all - you went through childhood.

‘We’re born to win, but programmed to fail! We are programmed into the negative from the moment we come into this world. It starts with our upbringing. By the time you reach the age of 18, you’ve heard the word ‘no’ 200,000 times, seen 30,000 acts of violence, and have received more than 12 million messages in the form of advertising telling you how to look, what to eat, and how to feel. No wonder most of us grow up with a negative self-image!’

Desi Williamson - Get Off Your Assets! How to Unleash thePower in You

Think, just for a moment: at home, how often did you hear the word ‘no’ when you were a child? At school, how often you were taught what to think, rather than how to think? How many ‘rules’ did you learn at a young age?

‘Speak when you are spoken to.’ (Great advice for communication.)

‘Children should be seen and not heard.’ (Know your place.)

‘Don’t talk to strangers.’ (Best avoid a career in selling.)

Loving ‘no’ is the only way to meet that ‘yes’ that is just around the corner.

As a Naked Millionaire, you must reverse this teaching. The very best salespeople, entrepreneurs and business people learn to love the word ‘no’. This sets them apart from their competitors - making that next sales call, sending their book off again after many rejections, taking on board all the feedback you will receive without being hurt, or taking it personally…

CHOOSE YOUR BELIEFS WITH CARE

We start to form our beliefs when we are young. We form beliefs from listening to our parents, teachers, friends and family. And these beliefs (such as which football team is best!) can have an extraordinary power and stay with us for the rest of our lives.

How many of the following ‘facts’ or beliefs do you still hold as true?

There are seven colours in a rainbow.

There are as many colours in the rainbow as the eye can see. Rainbows, like sunlight, contain a continuous spectrum that does not neatly divide into red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.

The Great Wall of China is the only man-made object visible from the moon.

The only thing you can see from the moon is a beautiful sphere, mostly white (clouds), some blue (ocean), patches of yellow (deserts), and every once in a while some green vegetation. No man-made object is visible on this scale.

If you don’t know it now, you will never know it.

Often told to students just before they sit an exam - absolute rubbish! Our short-term memories serve us well in recalling what we have just taken in (the same applies for meeting notes, shopping lists and the key points of the talk you are about to make at an event).

You are not enough.

No matter what your age, your knowledge or experience, you all no doubt have been told many times that ‘you are clever’ or ‘you are stupid’ or ‘you are good’ or ‘you are bad’. These comments are always - just someone else’s opinion. The only fact, the only indisputable fact, is that you are. Full stop. As you read that again - ‘you are’, and you think about what that means for you, it may be that you are feeling a little more excited about your journey ahead.

I was once told by a ‘teacher’ at school that I had ‘something missing’. Rosaleen Moriarty-Simmonds changed my belief in this forever. Because she most certainly does have something missing: as a result of her mother being prescribed thalidomide during pregnancy, Rosaleen has no arms or legs (just four fingers, two sprouting from each shoulder and thirteen toes on legs which come to an abrupt end above the knee.) And yet, she knows she has nothing ‘missing’ at all…

Anyone can achieve

Being determined to succeed is crucial. Born in 1960 as one of the generation of thalidomide children, I learned determination very quickly.

I knew the key to my future was a good education, and so, despite being ‘written off’ as an academic failure, I secured good ‘O’ level grades, obtained a diploma in Business Studies and gained an Honours Degree in Psychology.

Life is not always a bed of roses. Successes will be matched by an equal number of disappointments.

Opportunities only present themselves. Never say ‘never’; have fun and work with passion to accomplish achievable goals.

If I can do it with just four fingers and thirteen toes, then anyone can!

Reproduced by permission of Rosaleen Moriarty-Simmonds (www.rms-consultancy.co.uk)

YOUR THREE KEY ACTIONS

• Be clear on the exact outcomes, the results that you want.

• Take personal ownership and accountability for everything that you say and do - there is nothing ‘wrong’ with you.

• Make a true decision - decide to go for what you want and that you will settle for nothing less, then take one action on your journey. If it takes you closer to where you want to go, do more of the same. If not, then do something else, and so on until you succeed. What you do is all.

If you choose to continue on Journey One, Front to Back, keep on reading and I won’t insult your intelligence again!

The Journey of Hindsight continues at IV Your Warning! - 10 How to Make the Big Decision (Don’t give up your day job, just yet) on page 131.

The Journey of Misadventure continues at VII Your Book - 19 How to Begin Writing a Book (and finish it!) on page 231.

2

GET READY FOR THE (BUMPY) RIDE AHEAD

‘Little minds are tamed and subdued by misfortune, but great minds rise above them.’

Washington Irving

SUMMARY

Your journey to being a Naked Millionaire will be a bumpy one. You will face many challenges and it will be tough. Stay true to yourself. Enjoy your journey as you learn more about yourself. Do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, and that involves hard work, focus and discipline.

Are you sitting comfortably?

Good.

Then I won’t begin.

This book is not about being ‘comfortable’ - this book is about being different from other people - different in three main ways:

1. Taking ownership of your future, and of your life - you will not expect someone else to do it for you, and you will not blame other people when things do not go as you would like them to.

2. Doing what needs to be done, when and how it needs to be done. That is likely to involve hard work, often when you least feel like doing it.

3. Being confident - you believe that you have the skills and talent to be a Naked Millionaire. And just as you never need to shout about it, so you will never believe anyone who tells you that your skills and talent are not enough.

Are you up for it? Are you prepared to go on a journey very much less travelled? Are you prepared to be one of the few, and not one of the many?

If you are feeling comfortable, then you may not yet be ready for your adventure, to make your idea a reality, build your business and turn your money into real wealth.

OWNERSHIP

‘If it is to be, it is up to me.’

William H. Johnsen

(Born with his head much smaller than his body and nicknamed Zip the Pinhead, William used his deformity to his advantage by becoming a top freak-show artist.)

To achieve success, William did what successful people do - he took personal ownership, accountability and responsibility for everything he did. That is how he acted, and how he reacted.

And that is the uncomfortable part: everyone would have to agree at some level that they have total and absolute control over how they act, what they say and do.