From Dream 2 Reality

Just an ordinary man choosing to live an extraordinary life.

[longlivecesar-blog]

On Creating a Vision Millionaire Status

I'm on a mission to become a millionaire. Everything I'm exposing myself to is done with the intention of helping me on this journey. Lately, everything I've been researching has led me to believe that I need to work on my vision. For example, yesterday I watched a speech by Arnold Schwartzeneger that he gave a couple years back in Australia. In his speech, Arnold said that the key to becoming successful is having a very clear vision of what it is you want to accomplish. This wasn't the first time I've heard someone who is very successful say such a thing. However, yesterday it really sunk in and made me recognize that I don't have a clear vision of what it is I want.

So here's my attempt at gaining clarity. There are many things that I KNOW. I know that I want to be a millionaire. My goal is to see the day that I have $5 million in cash in my bank account. Once I reach that goal, I will go on to earn a $100 million. I want to have enough money that I will never again have to worry about it, won't be limited by it, and my family will never have to worry about it. I want to have enough money to travel to wherever I want, whenever I want, and with whom I want. I want enough money to care for my grandmother in her state of old age. I want enough money to pay for nieces and nephew to go to school. I want enough money to take my mother and her husband on a cruise. I want enough money to buy my sister a home, and not just any home but a mansion with a pool, huge yard, possibly in California. I want enough money to buy my wife a brand new Jeep Wrangler, to buy myself either a porsche, a lambo, or a ferrari. I want to have enough money that I can do whatever I want.

In addition to money, I want to own property. I want to buy a beach home in Puerto Rico, a big property that will serve as a vacation home. Recently I began thinking that I could turn this home into a hostel or possibly a Bed and Breakfast. I think a hostel would be way cooler. I also want to own property in California. I want a home with a pool, a sauna, at least six bedrooms, a massive land of lot, a crazy in home gym, a basement that serves as a gameroom, an indoor home theater. That's my personal home. From there, I want to have several more properties. That's what I want to do. I want to own lots of properties. I want to turn some of them into hostels. I want to turn others of them into BnBs. I want to own properties in California, New York, Puerto Rico, and maybe Florida too. 

Right now I have a job that allows me to make a lot of money. I earn a decent base salary and I have unlimited commission. The amount I earn is based on the results I give, and the results I give are based on how hard I work and how smart I work. I know that I am going to earn significantly more cash this year than I did the year before. With the newfound cash on hand, I am going to invest this money into my business. 

Part of my vision is to be a millionaire and to have all these cool things. Another part of my vision is to have freedom. I want a family, my own family. I want children, at least three of them. I'd like to have dogs, horses, chickens, goats, maybe a fish pond. I want to be able to enjoy these things with my kids, with my wife, and with my extended family. I want to have lots of friends and I want to throw parties and I want them all there, I want all of us there and I want us to live life to the fullest.

That is what I'm working for. That is my vision. To have money, power, family, freedom. To enjoy my life and to enjoy my family. I mean, I could really put together the most badass hostels on the planet. I could make a chain of them and I can open them anywhere in the world! Think about that! Think about how amazing that would be. Why not? 

Go get it!!

[longlivecesar-blog]

The Adversity of Being Stuck in Ice

Yesterday was a tough day. I had an appointment scheduled with a local business that I had already met with several times. Right before going into each meeting with this medium sized business here in Queens I was damn near certain that I was going to close the deal. And yet each time I left I was bewildered, stunned, astonished that I had not in fact closed shit.

So yesterday again I head out to this meeting, feeling this time more certain than ever that the deal was mine (I'm in sales). It's freezing out this time of year in NYC and on some parts of the side of the street there are big deposits of ice and grime. As luck would have it the only parking spot I could find was an ice deposit. Because I drive an old beat Kia Sportage with bald tires, I knew that I was going to get stuck in this spot. But, I figured, such was the price for closing this deal.

I park and head over to the business. Paul is the business owner who I've met with several times over the past month and a half. He and I set up this meeting so that he and the partners could review the proposals. I call Paul. He answers and says that his kid is sick, he stayed home, and he's sorry he forgot to call. He phones his partners, one of them, Teddy, approaches me, introduces himself, takes a call, begins screaming at the guy at the top of his lungs, cussing him out, then hangs up and we proceed to talk. Long story short, there's no meeting. We say we'll reschedule, but at this point I'm questioning what I'm doing with these guys.

I get back to my car, start her up, and big surprise I'm stuck. Over the next two hour I have to dig myself out of the ice, which gives me plenty of time to reflect on the decision-making process that led me here. I'm wasting my time with these guys, I think. I have focused too much on these guys and should instead invest my time in looking for other interested buyers. 

Luckily, two good Samaritans spend a considerable amount of time and energy to help dig me out of the ice. At one point they even push and instruct me out of the ice pit. I can't thank these guys enough. 

So, today, a new day, I'm still reeling over what transpired yesterday. Truth be told, I haven't been in sales for more than 10 years. A few months ago I was a practicing mental health counselor. I made the career change because I wasn't happy with my work and pay. Now I find myself in a new role and it is incredibly challenging. Yesterday, more than anything, I felt sad. Today I feel lost and I'm even questioning whether I should remain in this position.

When I worked as a counselor, I used to often speak with clients about how most challenges in life are at their essence mental and emotional. This whole challenge of making sales, finding prospects--at the end of the day, the challenge is psychological in nature. It's a tough mountain to climb.

All I know is that I have to keep my eye on the prize. I set out on a mission a few months back, and that is to become a millionaire. More than 10 years ago when I left my sales job I decided that I would earn an education and help people. Over the following 10 years I did precisely that. Now I have a new goal, a new mission in life: to become a millionaire.

I'm not totally sure how I will get there, but I won't stop until I arrive. 

[longlivecesar-blog]

This is the mission statement that I posted on my wall. It is my guiding star, reminding me of what I am working toward. I look at it daily.

[longlivecesar-blog]

It Wasn't Easy

So I've reached an interesting point, a crossroads if you will, in my personal journey to take my life, as Biggie once said, "from negative to positive." Right now I live in a shoe box size apartment in Astoria-Queens. About two months ago I made a huge career transition. After graduating from NYU's counseling program in 2013, I worked for just under a year and a half with a nonprofit agency, providing in home counseling to court involved youth and their families. It was challenging and personally rewarding work that didn't pay well. And so, being in debt, having nothing in my saving account, and wanting way more for myself and my family, I made a change.

It's funny how things work themselves out sometimes. I majored in philosophy as an undergrad and spent a considerable amount of time thinking about the big questions in life, such as Destiny, Fate, and Free-will. What's funny is that in my experience, when I've decided to take life by the horns, the stars (or Fate) seem to align, giving us their favor. Such was the case when I returned to NYC a married man in late October 2014. A week after we returned without having a plan or new job in place, I put in my notice at work. 

The crazy part about how that happened is that at the time I had been re-reading a book titled, "Think and Grow Rich." The day that my wife, dog Ascher, and I returned home from Puerto Rico, which is where we tied the knot, I put a mission statement up on wall that basically stated that I would be millionaire in two years exactly. Less than a week later, the higher ups at work decided to throw a massive heap of work on my shoulders. Frustrated and tired of the hard work that didn't pay well, I simply made up my mind then and there to quit. I literally sent my boss an email and said "F- this job, I'm done, tomorrow I'm officially giving you my notice."

While I like living life on the edge, I'm no dummy. The following day I turned in a six week notice at work so that I could pull in a few paychecks while drawing up a plan on my next steps. Every day I made sure to look at the mission statement on my wall both when I woke up and again before I went to sleep. The following six weeks weren't easy. I'd rise early, send out resumes, go to work, come home and then send out more resumes in the evening. I had actually been doing this for months with little success. However, out of the blue I lined up an interview. Then I attended a Job Fair for sales positions. On the spot I lined up three more interviews. 

When it was all said and done, I landed an amazing position that met all of my needs. Uncapped commission--check. A good base salary--check. Fantastic training and health benefits--check. A car allowance--check. 

Like I said a moment ago, it wasn't easy but then again anything worth having isn't easy to obtain. The challenge now is to make sales and most challenging of all, to find those people who are actually interested in what I sell. I'm keeping my spirit up and my eye on the prize, which is the long term goal I set for myself. In this sense, it's marathon not a sprint and just have to keep in mind that every day I'm getting closer to the finish line. I ran a marathon once and I can tell you from experience: it wasn't easy.