TWO DECISION MAKING TOOLS

(borrowed from Google images)

I would like to share with you, two of the tools I use for making quick decisions. I call them THAT LITTLE VOICE and RISK VS REWARD.

In a nutshell, THAT LITTLE VOICE is the voice in the back of your head that says, "Whoa, wait a minute! This is a bad idea!" or something similar. That's the voice of reason, intuition, common sense, and a lifetime of experience. It's best to listen to THAT LITTLE VOICE at least 90% of the time.

RISK VS REWARD goes something like this: You need to make a decision quickly so you weigh the risks (what could go wrong) against the reward (what do you have to gain).

Here are two real life examples that happened to me:

EXAMPLE #1
A few days before Christmas, two little girls came to my door carrying an ice chest. They asked if I would like to buy some tamales. I had a decision to make. THAT LITTLE VOICE said, "Whoa, wait a minute! You know nothing about these girls or the conditions under which the tamales were made. You could get food poisoning very easily if the food was not prepared and stored properly."

So I did a quick RISK VS REWARD analysis. 
RISK-
I could get very sick.
REWARD-
I love tamales.

The REWARD was not worth the potential RISK. So I had to go along with THAT LITTLE VOICE. I politely said, "No thank you." It was the smart move. I will never know if the tamales were good or bad, but I tend to trust my intuition.

EXAMPLE #2
I bought a new digital camera before going on vacation in Florida a few years ago. While I was there, I spent a lot of time with a woman I met online. We went to the beach and took turns taking pictures of each other with my new camera. A young man approached us and offered to take a picture of both of us together. I had a decision to make. THAT LITTLE VOICE said, "Whoa, wait a minute! You don't know this guy! You just bought that camera! I've heard stories of this exact con, where the "nice young man" runs away with the tourist's camera."

So I did a quick RISK VS REWARD analysis. 
RISK-
I could lose my camera.
REWARD-
It would be nice to have some pictures of both of us together.

Again, the REWARD was not worth the RISK. I listened to THAT LITTLE VOICE and politely turned him down. I will never know if he was a thief, but I think I made the right decision.

Your comments are always welcome.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.



Check out Duane's Youtube Channel

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

(borrowed from Google images)

May 2016 be your best year ever!

Peace, out.

Check out Duane's Youtube channel.

MY CHRISTMAS WISH FOR YOU

Merry Christmas to all my wonderful readers. 

I enjoy writing, sharing, teaching, and motivating. I hope you have found some useful nuggets on these pages this year. I will be back after Christmas. I have many more great posts in mind for you.

My Christmas wish for you-
May you and your loved ones stay happy and healthy. 
May you live joyfully and purposely. 
May you find brilliant solutions to all life's challenges.
May you enjoy and appreciate the abundance around you.
May you boldly move forward with the wisdom of a lifetime.
May you know you are loved and appreciated.
P E A C E  TO  Y O U  A L W A Y S

Duane

KEEP MAKING MISTAKES

Oh, you made a mistake? Good! What did you learn?

When I started this blog in 2010, I wanted to help people. I believed I had significant life experience that others could learn from. 

Have you ever read something and it seemed so simple but so profound? Maybe it was exactly what you needed to hear at that particular point in your life. Well, that's what I wanted to give to you, my dear readers. 

Have I accomplished my goal? Absolutely! I have shared many concepts with you in the past five years. And in sharing, I reminded myself what a fabulous journey my life has been. Not perfect, but fun, interesting, exciting, happy, sad, angry, and on and on. What a rush!

Bottom line: Most of my life lessons came from mistakes I made. A few came from mistakes other people made, but I was able to learn from them. 
Keep making mistakes and ALWAYS look for the lesson.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.



Check out Duane's Youtube Channel.

SQUARE PEGS

(borrowed from Google images)

For years, I was a square peg and didn’t even know it. I worked at jobs that made me unhappy but I had no idea why. I’ve also been in relationships that left me feeling confused and out of place.

Maybe you feel the same way about some area of your life. Here are some examples that you may be able to relate to: 

SQUARE PEG EXAMPLE #1> I worked in an accounting office for 15 years. It was a good job, it paid well, and I got respect when I told people I was an accountant. I was good at my job because I like numbers and I’m very detail oriented. But I hated being stuck behind a desk. It just wasn’t me. When I finally got the courage to leave that job, I felt like I broke out of prison. I wished I had done it a lot sooner.

SQUARE PEG EXAMPLE #2> I worked at a government lab for 7 years. It paid well, the benefits were beyond generous, and again, I got immediate respect when I told people where I worked. There were a lot of good points to this job and I was very good at it. But I hated it. It just wasn’t me, but it paid so well I would have stayed there forever. They eventually closed the lab and everybody had to go find work elsewhere. A lot of my co-workers were (and still are) upset at losing such a great job, but for me it was a huge blessing.

ROUND PEG EXAMPLE> I currently work as a janitor. I love this job. I look forward to going to work. This job fits my personality. I have freedom and I have zero stress. I'm a neat and clean person so cleaning is just something I do, I don't even have to think about it. I don't see that "look of respect or admiration" when I tell people what I do for a living, but who cares? LOL That's not important to me any more.

I used work related examples but this could apply to any area of your life- Work, relationships, the city you live in, etc. If something in your life just doesn’t feel right, maybe you are trying to force something that just doesn't fit you. It may be time to make a change. 

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.



Check out Duane’s Youtube channel.

DUANE'S DRIVING RULES

(image borrowed from google images)

I like structure and I like to keep it simple. I believe that even very complicated tasks, such as driving can be broken down into a few very simple rules. Here are the rules I apply every time I get behind the wheel of a car.

RULE #1
Never hit a pedestrian.

RULE #2
Never hit anything else.

RULE #3
Always obey the law.

RULE #4
Be aware that anybody could do any (stupid) thing at any time--be ready!

RULE #5
Get from point A to point B as efficiently as possible.


These rules have served me well for decades. I'd be happy to hear your feedback.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.


Check out Duane's Youtube Channel

21 LIFE LESSONS

(borrowed image from Sobernation.com)

I make these lists from time to time, both to share with others and also to remind myself of some valuable lessons I've learned on my journey. Feel free to save, copy, paste, share, whatever. Take what you like and toss what doesn't suit you. Enjoy.

-Be kind to children, animals, and everybody else.
-Drink lots of water.
-Eat fruits and veggies every day.
-Don’t take financial advice from people with no money.
-Stop buying things you don’t need.
-Save 10% of your take-home pay and never spend it.
-Find a job you love and do it as well as you can.
-Relationship advice: Find someone who is good to you and spend every day making each other happy.
-Cash makes an excellent gift.
-Read at least 3 books per year.
-Don’t judge people because you don’t know what they are going through.
-Help others when you can, the world needs more of that.
-Money is important but it’s not the most important thing.
-You don’t need a $50,000 truck or a huge house.
-Don’t take life so seriously.
-Laugh, play, and be thankful every day.
-Don’t take things that don’t belong to you.
-Don’t stay at a job you hate.
-Never leave home without a knife and a small flashlight.
-Be generous with your time, or your money, or both.
-If you think you have problems, volunteer at a homeless shelter. It will be an eye-opener.

I'm thankful to all my readers for your time and attention. You are my inspiration.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.



Check out Duane's Youtube Channel.

A BIT OF A RANT

PROBLEM:
Has anybody else noticed this? We are driving cars we can’t afford to jobs we don’t like to pay for houses that sit empty all day. We have become slaves and most people don’t even realize it. It’s not right! We work hard for our money, only to give it away freely to banks and corporations and the government. 

If you’re not happy with the way your life is going, this may be the key. The solution is simple! Get out of debt, live below your means, and stop working so hard just to make the payments every month. 

SOLUTION:
There is another way. Look up Minimalism, Simple Life, Tiny Houses. You might be amazed. You might be inspired.

Looking for a road map to lead you out of the debt trap? Look up Dave Ramsey. Yes, he sells products but you don’t need to buy any of that. What he shares for FREE on his website and on Youtube will lead you out of debt forever. No need to thank me. Just get yourself free. You can do it!

End of rant.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE HUMAN RACE?

(borrowed from Bing Images)

I recently watched a movie that took place in the 1980’s. It was fascinating to watch because there were no cell phones, no tablets, no computers! People weren't distracted, staring at a screen.

I found myself thinking, these are people without any electronic distractions in their lives. This is how life used to be. I barely remember when nobody had a cell phone. When people were around other people, they actually talked to each other!  And when somebody was all alone, sitting at a bus stop, or whatever, they were thinking! What a novel idea! 

I know some of you are thinking, big deal! But to me, it was an Ah-Ha moment! Its not my place to say if life is better or worse now, but it's definitely something to think about.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.

GRATITUDE

Gratitude is another key to happiness. Maybe you have heard or read that the truly happy people are those who appreciate what they already have. I believe this is true. How could it not be? 

I must admit, there were many times in my past when I didn't really appreciate what I had. That is changing. I am learning to appreciate and be grateful for everything around me. And guess what? It doesn't cost anything to appreciate what you already have. 

But there is more to it than that. I also believe that one of the most profound secrets of the universe is that we attract to ourselves what we think about. So keep your thoughts positive. Being grateful for what you already have will bring about more good fortune and more gratitude into your life. Woah! How cool is that? :)

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.

YOU ARE ENOUGH

(borrowed from Google Images)

OK, so I've been listening to Zen Buddhist monks on Youtube. I love their simple, practical philosophy. They seem to have wisdom not normally found in other religions. I find myself being pulled in an unexpected direction. For many years I have made delayed gratification part of my life. I have felt the need to stretch and learn and grow in order to "realize my full potential". And in fact, I have shown tremendous growth over the past 20+ years. 

But lately I've started to suspect I've been on the wrong path. Perhaps, but maybe not. Maybe it was necessary for me to study and learn and grow as I did so that I am now ready for the next phase. 

Zen Buddhism teaches us that "all is exactly as it should be". There are no mistakes and there are no wrong paths. We are each on our own path and each step, each decision is necessary to bring us to exactly the point where we are now. 

OK, so now what? Setting and achieving goals was so much a part of my life for so long. Now I understand that I am enough already. I do enough already. I have enough already. In fact, I have more than enough. I could give away half of everything I own and I will still have way more than I need. What a freeing thought! This fits so perfectly with my love of minimalism. It's funny how things seem to fall into place when we don't try so hard.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.

Check out Duane's Youtube channel.

ARE YOU HAPPY IN YOUR JOB?

(self-portrait)

I've had 10 jobs in the past 30 years-
Accountant
Pizza Cook
Dollar Store Manager
Convenience Store Clerk
Pet Store Lead Cashier
Laboratory Technician
Maintenance Man
Google Search Engine Evaluator
Scrap Metal Recycler
Janitor

In a previous blog post, I stated that "all jobs suck". I still believe that. All jobs have areas that don't make everybody happy. That's why they have to pay you to be there. 

With that being said, I want to talk about my current job vs. previous jobs. I am currently a janitor. I work for a small company. I work part time evenings. The money is not great but it's enough. And let me tell you something, I love this job! This job sucks far less than any job I've ever had. 

I have more freedom than I've ever had at any job. I can go to work when I choose (as long as it's after 5pm). I have keys that let me into the buildings I clean. My boss trusts and respects me. No micro-managing, no nit-picking. I call him if there is a problem (like a flood) or if I need cleaning supplies. That's it!

The point of this post is to let you know there are many, many job options available to you. If you're not happy at your current job, you are not stuck there. Find a different one. There is no harm in trying something new. You might be surprised at the results. 

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.



Check out Duane's Youtube channel

THE HAPPY DOG

(borrowed from Google images)

Time for another story-

This is a story about two dogs, but it's much more than that. Check it out.

There are two dogs. At separate times, each walks into the same room. 

One comes out wagging his tail while the other comes out growling.

A woman watching this goes into the room to see what could possibly make one dog so happy and the other so mad.

To her surprise, she finds a room filled with mirrors.

The happy dog found a thousand happy dogs looking back at him while the angry dog saw only angry dogs growling back at him.

Moral of the story: What you see in the world around you is a reflection of who you are.


Thanks for reading.  Now go take on the day.

Peace, out.



Check out Duane's Youtube Channel.

A TALE OF TWO WOLVES

borrowed pic from Google images

Story time-

ONE EVENING, AN ELDERLY CHEROKEE BRAVE TOLD HIS GRANDSON ABOUT A BATTLE THAT GOES ON INSIDE PEOPLE.

HE SAID "MY SON, THERE IS A BATTLE INSIDE ALL OF US. IT IS A BATTLE BETWEEN TWO WOLVES.

ONE IS EVIL. IT IS ANGER, ENVY, JEALOUSY, GREED, ARROGANCE, GUILT, RESENTMENT, LIES, AND EGO.

THE OTHER IS GOOD. IT IS PEACE, LOVE, HAPPINESS, HOPE, KINDNESS, GENEROSITY, TRUTH, AND COMPASSION."

THE GRANDSON THOUGH ABOUT THIS FOR AWHILE THEN ASKED HIS GRANDFATHER, "WHICH WOLF WINS?"

THE OLD CHEROKEE REPLIED, "THE ONE YOU FEED."

End of story.

Now go take on the day.

Peace, out.

Check out Duane's Youtube Channel

RISK A LITTLE TO WIN A LOT

I borrowed this pic from the Internet ;)

It might shock you to know that I play Keno when I go to the casinos. Most people know Keno has very poor odds. And it can be very boring sitting there, watching the ping pong balls bounce around as the Keno person draws the winning numbers one by one. But I know a secret. This is stress-free gambling. I will either WIN BIG, or lose very little.

THE GAME OF KENO
The game of Keno is similar to state lotteries. They draw the winning numbers from a hopper filled with numbered ping pong balls. The balls are numbered 1 through 80. Air is forced into the hopper which causes the balls to bounce around wildly, making the drawing completely random. In each game, they draw 20 numbers. 

Your task is to predict which numbers will be drawn in the next game. The top Keno prize in my local casino is $50,000. To win the top prize, you have to pick 8 numbers and hit all 8 of them. That doesn’t happen very often. You can also win smaller amounts for hitting 5, 6, or 7 out of 8 numbers. Can you imagine placing a $1 bet and winning $50,000? I can! That’s why I play this crazy game! LOL

There is a waiting period between games to give people time to turn in winning tickets and buy new tickets for the next game. Tickets are only $1. There are about 12 drawings per hour. So if you play every game and never hit any wins, you will lose $12 per hour. Not bad, considering you can easily lose $12 PER MINUTE in a slot machine. 

KENO ADVANTAGES
Keno has several advantages over other casino games. 
1.) Very small risk for a huge possible payoff. 
2.) The Keno lounge has very comfortable seats. 
3.) The drink girl will come around and bring you free drinks. 
4.) You can get up and move around freely.
5.) You don’t have to play every single game. 
6.) You can text or play games on your phone while you are sitting there. 

HOW I PLAY
When I enter the casino, I walk around, do some people watching, use the restroom, get a free cup of coffee from the self-serve drink station, and then find a seat in the Keno lounge. I watch two complete games without making a bet. Instead, I record the numbers that come up (20 numbers each game). Then I am ready to play. I pick my 8 numbers from the winning numbers of the two games I just recorded. My theory: These numbers are hitting now, so I will GO WITH THE FLOW. 

I pay for 5 consecutive games. If you only play 1 game, you must collect any winnings before the start of the next game. That’s less than 5 minutes! No exceptions! But where I play, and in most casinos I’ve been to, you have 24 hours to claim your prize if you pay for 2 or more consecutive games. When you play this way, you can get up and walk around as much as you like since you have 24 hours to claim your prizes. Just take your ticket back to the Keno desk before you go home and they will scan it and pay you if you have won. 

I will sit in the Keno lounge and watch the 5 drawings I’m playing. After that, I will get up and go for a walk. If I'm there with other people, I will find them and see how they are doing. If I’m spending a few hours in the casino, I will repeat this routine; play 5 games, then go for a walk, etc.

MY RESULTS
I haven’t won any big prizes yet. However, I lose less than anybody I know. In a normal 4 hour casino visit, I will lose $20 or less. But I have the prospect of winning $50,000! What a rush! 

SUMMARY
You won’t kick Keno’s butt very often. Honestly, most days you will lose, but it will be very little, much less than the average gambler. And one day, when everything lines up perfectly and all your numbers come up, you’ll be a BIG WINNER!

REMEMBER: RISK A LITTLE TO WIN A LOT

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.



Check out 
Duane’s YouTube Channel

GOOGLE FIRED ME

I did the Google Rating gig I talked about in my last post for 9 months. Each month my work was evaluated for accuracy. Some of my reviews were good, some were bad. In the end, they let me go. I don’t blame them, I’m sure there are people who are much better at that sort of thing than I am. 

I feel kinda sad and I feel like their guidelines are a little too strict, but it’s their business and they have the right to run it their way. I am grateful for the experience.

No worries, I will find something more suited to my skills and personality. I’m already looking forward to my next adventure.

Have a blessed day!

Peace, out.



Check out Duane’s Youtube Channel

GOOGLE SEARCH ENGINE EVALUATOR JOB

I didn’t want to get your hopes up by sharing this until I was absolutely certain it’s legit and a real money maker. Now I’m sure. This book was written from experience, not just theory. The author of this book actually makes money as a Google Rater. And so do I.

I’m not going to go into all the details of this business, partly because of the non-disclosure agreement I signed, and partly because everything you need to know is in this $2.99 ebook from Amazon Kindle. 

You may enjoy this kind of work--
If you are out of work
If you hate your job
If you are tired of driving to work in traffic
If you are tired of wearing a uniform or a tie
If you are tired of micro-managing control freak bosses
If you are ready to be your own boss
If you love the Internet
If you are good with computers
If you are good at time management
If you are self-directed and self-motivated
If you want to earn more than minimum wage

What you need--
A good computer
A fast Internet connection
High quality anti-virus software
A quiet place at home where you can work for a few hours a day
A high tolerance for boredom
Some college--Could be business or tech school, any degree, or even “in progress”

I can’t tell you how much I make but I can tell you it’s enough to pay all my monthly expenses. I can also tell you it’s more than I was making at my last full-time job. It’s also a lot easier. Plus, working from home is a dream-come-true for me! 

Here is what you can expect--
1.25.2014 I bought the book
1.25.2014 I read the book
1.25.2014 I filled out the online application
1.28.2014 I took and passed the online exam
2.03.2014 I started working
3.21.2014 I received my first paycheck
4.16.2014 I received my second paycheck

If you’re interested, buy the book. It’s cheaper than a cappuccino and it can change your life forever. 

Here’s the link: Make Money from Home as a Google Rater

In case you’re wondering, I get nothing from recommending this book. I’m merely sharing something I found that I think could benefit you, my readers.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.


Check out Duane’s Youtube channel

=============================================

Follow-up note on Google Rater job--Don't quit your day job yet! 

You will start out at 1-2 hours per day. Each month your work will be evaluated for accuracy (yes, there are strict guidelines you must follow). If your evaluations are good, you will be given more hours. If your evaluations are sub-par, they will tell you what you did wrong and how to do the job better. At that point, you may be placed on probation till your next review. If this happens, re-read the guidelines and make sure you understand them. You may ask questions via email. The people you work for are very nice and very helpful. They want you to succeed because everybody makes money as a result of the work you do.

If you decide to do this, drop me a note and let me know how it's going.

Peace, out.

ACT LIKE YOU'RE BLESSED

(this is my 12 year old cat, Joey)

Act like you’re blessed, talk like you’re blessed, and think like you’re blessed. Put actions behind your faith, and one day you’ll see it become a reality.

-Joel Osteen Ministries 

I found this quote on Facebook this morning. This is the best life advice I've read lately. It could be a powerful, life-changing mantra for anybody who wants to see positive change around them. Try this: Write this quote on a piece of paper, carry it with you, read it every day. Watch what happens.
   

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.

Check out Duane's Youtube Channel

WHAT WOULD 10 YEAR OLD DUANE THINK?

(royalty free image from clipartoday.com)

A Facebook friend recently posted a drawing he did. It was of a little boy looking at a man watching TV. What really caught my attention was the caption he added: “What would 10 year old me think if he saw me now?”

That really got me thinking. What was I doing when I was 10 years old? What did I enjoy doing the most? What were my hopes and dreams? How did I want my life to turn out? And the big question: What would 10 year old me think if he saw me now? 

Honestly, I think he would be impressed. I’m not saying my life is perfect and exactly how I hoped it would turn out. But on the plus side, I have a comfortable home, a reliable car, and no debt. I’m not currently working but I don’t feel guilty about it because I worked hard for many years. I know I will find a job when I’m ready to go back to work. 

Also on the plus side, I’ve had a lot of different jobs, done some traveling, and tried a lot of different things. It’s not as if I’ve been stuck in a rut, doing the same thing forever. 

I’m a positive, happy person. Mean and negative people are deleted from my life as quickly as possible. I used to want to save them all, but I learned that if people don’t ask for help, it’s usually because they don’t want to change. Some people are literally happy being miserable. I don’t get it, but it’s true. Since adopting a “live and let live” philosophy, I feel a huge burden has been lifted off me. Who put that burden there in the first place? I did. 

Something else I finally let go of is the need to make everything around me perfect. I used to drive myself crazy trying to make everything exactly how I wanted it to be. I usually came up short of perfection, which added stress to my life. I finally asked myself, “Who says it has to be perfect?” Only me. Not anymore.

So, back to “What would 10 year old me think if he saw me now?” When I was 10 years old, I loved to ride my bike and play outside. I still ride my bike often. I keep it inside the house. I do regular maintenance on it and keep it tuned up and ready to go anytime I want to ride it. I still play outside, but it looks a little different than it did when I was 10. Now it looks like going for walks, mowing and watering the lawn, and gardening. 

Is my life exactly what 10 year old Duane expected? No. Am I happy? Yes. Would 10 year old Duane be proud? Absolutely.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.


Check out Duane’s Youtube channel 

JUST FOR FUN

I've seen this done on Facebook so I wanted to try it. Just go to Cartoonize.net, upload any photo you want, choose the effects you want, and TA-DA! You become a cartoon character! LOL  I put rock star hair on Cartoon Duane. What do ya think? :) You can share your cartoon self on Facebook, or email it to people, or whatever you want. And the best part--It's all FREE! 

Have fun!

Peace, out.

Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

BEING A HANDYMAN WAS FUN FOR AWHILE

I know, I know, in my last couple posts I said I enjoyed my job. So what happened? 

Here's the thing: I very much enjoyed the hands-on work. I enjoyed the carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and painting. It was a lot of fun. The problem was, it was a very stressful job. It didn't have to be, but it was. After 7 months, I decided the paycheck was no longer worth the stress. 

So what's the next step? 

In my November 18 blog post, I mentioned 3 Alternate Sources of Income (ASI). 
Here they are (plus a new one):

ASI #1-- SCRAP METAL RECYCLING. You would be surprised how easily you can make money by collecting and selling scrap metal that you can get for free! I use a Dodge minivan and I earn $50-$100 per load.. If you are interested in starting a scrap metal recycling business, all you need is a truck or van and some free information. You can learn everything you need to know right here on your computer, via Google and Youtube.  

ASI #2-- YOUTUBE VIDEOS and THIS BLOG. I'm not setting the world on fire with my commission checks but they are becoming more frequent, which is a very good sign. It's taken 6 years to get to this point, but I'm doing something I enjoy, I'm my own boss, and I'm getting paid. Gotta love the Internet!

ASI #3-- BUILDING CUSTOM ELECTRIC BIKES. This is the idea I haven't put into action yet but I'm close. Worldwide, electric bikes are growing in popularity. The electric motors and lithium batteries are becoming cheaper and more reliable. I think this will be a nice little business. Nobody in my area is doing this. I will start off slowly--build a bike, sell it, repeat. We'll see where it goes from there.
                        
                                  (E-Moto 24 Volt Electric Commuter Bike)

ASI #4-- VIDEO KNIFE REVIEWS FOR MANUFACTURERS. I'm currently negotiating with a large knife manufacturer to make review videos for them for cash. They enjoyed the first one I did and they paid me promptly. Hopefully we will have a deal some time next week.

If you have any money making ideas, I'd love to hear about them. 

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.

Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel