The Blog Of Greg Rollett

Money and I have a strange relationship. I first started working the day I turned 16. I was a stock boy at Target working the late night shift in the back getting carts ready for the overnight crew.

I remember getting my first paycheck like it was yesterday. I went over to Macy and bought the most ridiculous bight ass yellow Tommy Hilfiger bord shorts. Oh, and a Sean John shirt. It was the perfect summer outfit in Florida for a white kid who was on the path to becoming the local 16 year old Diddy.

Later in high school I was waiting tables at a downtown Ft. Lauderdale Mexican restaurant make $150-200 a night. This was more money than I knew what to do with, so I blew it all. Every last penny.

Some on good stuff. Most on not so good stuff. My CD collection was the best in town and it did finance the recording of my first album. It was in a shady studio off Oakland Park Blvd in Ft Lauderdale, but they only charged $40 an hour which was pretty affordable 10 years ago. We recorded our songs in 1 take, no matter if we messed up or not. We didn’t have enough money to retake back then. The album is pretty classic now and every time I go back home someone asks me if I’m still rapping and they drop a line or 2 from the album’s biggest hit - Back in the Day.

Next was college. Day 1. Dad drives me up, throws my stuff in the living room and heads back home. Empty fridge. No car. No job. Not even enrolled in school yet since my loan to Full Sail fell through due to bankruptcy from the same guy that just dropped me off (still love ya pops).

Ok, so long story about the past to say that money never came easy and money had a way of leaving very easy.

When we got into real estate during the bubble we spent when we bought property and not when we sold property. I bought on no interest, no payment credit cards to finance my first real interweb businesses.

Last year I got in check. And it wasn’t due to conventional wisdom. It actually started when researching foreclosures (another story, another day).

I fell into the guru space and blog reading. I bought Ramit’s book, ran through Baker’s stuff, got on the Dave Ramsey bandwagon, listened to some Tony Robbins tapes, got advice from friends, got advice from millionaires, multi-millionaires, seminar speakers, successful Internet Marketers, chronic entrepreneurs, stock brokers, authors and anyone that was more successful with money than me.

And after all that, here’s what I understand:

• Choosing investments is hard.
• Saving money is hard.
• Budgeting is nearly impossible.
• Healthy foods are expensive.
• Action in Internet Marketing and action with your long term finances are a totally different game.
• Banks are liars.
• Money advice is like an asshole, everyone’s got one.

Money and the Future

Last week I wrote a post about what it is that I am looking for in my future. The first 2 pieces are pretty simple to me. Wealth and health.

Being healthy lends itself to having a clear mind. Getting rid of stress allows you to make rational decisions. Nobody makes good decisions when you are pressed for money, short on time or royally pissed off.

Some Fundamental Truths About Money

Now that I have everyone pissed off about money, here are some things I do think you need to look at, think about and take action when it comes to your own money, and more importantly your long term wealth.

Money is just paper, there is no intrinsic value in the actual paper.

The paper you hold in your wallet is worthless. What gives it value is that people all over the world trust the United States (or whatever country’s currency) to back up the value in their money. But, as inflation continues to climb (just look at gas and food prices) your paper money does not go up in value. It takes more of the same money to buy the things that used to take less money.

Make sense?

Stop thinking about money and start thinking value.

If paper money is worthless, what has value? Assets have value. Things that produce cash flow have value. Investments have value. Helping others and making the world kick more ass has value. But those green pieces of paper do not. Instead of saving money (which is not a bad or evil thing), invest your money in things that add more value to the world and in return, if you made good decisions your net wealth will begin to increase even if inflation increases.

Spending money is not evil.

In fact, spending money is good. That’s what stimulates the economy and that is what transfers value from one person to the next. Now don’t go out and spend like it’s going out of style, or dive into new trends (like this ridiculous 3-D movement that I saw at CES. Rather spend where the money is. There is a reason that all my baller real estate buddies buy houses in regular neighborhoods and not the newest and latest development that pops up. The demand is there for families, there is established shopping and a community with ties and roots to the neighborhood. Let someone else take the gamble for uncharted developments.

You don’t need all the answers.

You are going to make mistakes. You may strike out. But more than likely you are going to have enough info to know if using your money on whatever you are using it on is a good thing or a bad thing. And you will do this through your gut.

The trick is to not treat money like a drug. Quick fixes to give your mind some pleasures are not the wins we need. 30 seconds of pleasure is not worth days, weeks, months or years of pain. It’s just not. Just like those extra fries are not worth the extra miles you need to run for a few seconds of mental euphoria.

So there you have it. Health and wealth. Lots more coming on these topics. Like I said in the last post, this is a learning thing for me. And as I learn I want to share everything with you. From the mentors to the books to the people and places.

Today’s Resource

Today I want to point you to a mentor of mine. I learned about him through his Internet Marketing teachings, although I never bought any of them. But then a buddy of mine shared with me a course on Productivity called Wake Up Productive. I loved it. So much psychology, strategy and action to get more shit done on the daly.

His name is Eben Pagan. He may be one of the most brilliant minds in self-help and business building. I am playing a role in his new launch for a course called Self Made Wealth. I do have access to the course and it has stayed in my iPhone (which plays in my car and on my runs) everyday for the past 2 weeks.

http://affiliates.getaltitude.com/z/113/CD1516/

The information on saving, investing and wealth building is incredible. Now Eben is in pre-launch mode for his new course. That means a ton of killer free content followed by a product launch. He has already released 2 videos, that come with full workbooks. I want you to watch the 2nd one today, or as soon as you get a few free seconds. The psychological triggers that screw up our thoughts on money are really going to get embedded into your brains.

So please, go ahead and click this nice affiliate link and watch some free stuff.

http://affiliates.getaltitude.com/z/113/CD1516/

Then leave some love down below on your thoughts on money, maybe even share your story of your own love/hate relationship with it. Looking forward to seeing what you all have to say.

-G