Okay, the final secret. Drum roll please….

Secret #9 – Giving…

Whether you want to call it tithing (I don’t) or something else there is magic in giving a fixed percentage of your income WILLINGLY to charities, religious organizations or just individuals in need.

I donate 5% (roughly 10% of profits) of all our companies gross income to several charities I support. Last year we gave away over $120,000 and this year I hope to get to $200,000 or more.

A lot of people talk about how they want to donate some huge sum of money to a charity or their church but then never get around to it because they feel like they don’t have enough right now or it’s not the right time. Frankly, I think it’s because it is not a systematic, regimented giving plan. If you would have told me a few years ago – I’d regularly be giving $10k, $15k, $20k+ checks each month to charities – I would have thought you were crazy because I could use that extra money myself for something. But when it becomes just a way you operate it’s much easier to start writing those checks with big zeros behind them. My dad thinks I’m nuts when I told him how much I donate but I’m more that pleased with my decision.

Where I Found This

One of the first times I heard about this was from the late Foster Hibbard, who worked with Napoleon Hill. Foster talked about setting up a “giving account” and a “wealth account”. The set-up was simple. You would take a fixed percentage of all money that comes in to you (i.e. 5%, 10%, etc) and put that amount into both accounts each time you received it. I only do monthly – but this follows the “pay yourself first” philosophy of getting rich also. So each month 5% gets paid off the top no matter what to myself (for investments and buying assets not toys) and 5% gets paid to a charity of my choice. (Dan Kennedy worked with Foster Hibbard and has a great distillation of this and his own wealth building philosophy in his book “No BS Wealth Attraction for Entrepreneurs”)

Fact is, I could see significant jumps in my own income once I started this 5% charitable giving. Some of the wealthiest and most successful people of all-time had discovered this secret. It’s been said that Rockefeller walked around everyday with a roll of dimes and gave them away. Carnegie was one of the biggest philanthropists building public libraries. Many people talk about the ‘filth rich’ or how ‘greedy’ rich people are – I’ve found just the opposite. Most of the truly wealthy and successful individuals are some of the biggest & most generous contributors around.

One perfect example I know personally is Frank McKinney. The Wall Street Journal refers to him as “The Daredevil Developer and Real Estate Rock Czar”. Frank builds these mega, multi-million dollar mansion in Florida on speculation (meaning no buyer before he builds it). And the guy plays just as hard for charity. He founded the Caring House Project Foundation to build self-sustaining housing and communities for the desperately housing. In fact, I’m one of the co-hosts for an upcoming event going on in November that should be absolutely incredible called “Frank McKinney’s Palm Beach Experience”. It’s worth checking out and all monies raised goes direct to the charity.

I firmly believe you cannot out-give the Universe.

If that statement is true than anything you give out comes back to you in kind multiple times. Meaning from a pragmatic standpoint you could look at this ally as a return on “charitable investment”. But that’s not it. There’s an incredible feeling from knowing one check you wrote sustained an entire village of enterpreneurial upstarts – like when I donate to Village Enterprise Fund. Or when you get a handwritten note from one of the charities you support talking about how surprised they were to get a $15,000 check out of the blue and what kind of help that means to their program.

Personally, I do due diligence on the charity I’m going to support for that particular month and then I write the check without expectation of what is going to happen with the money. At some point very soon I want to be able to even create my own foundation and donate more than just money – but for now this is my contribution.

A little behind the scenes disclosure – one of my goals with InternetLifestyle.com is to ask members to agree to give away 5% of their revenues that are a result of what they use from the site. My goal is $100,000,000.00 in donations per year from our members to charities of their choice. That’s only 2000 people each making a $1M/year.

I want to hear your thoughts on this and maybe try a little experiment…

For the next 3 months give away 5% of your gross income to a charity, religious organization or persons in need. Do NOT do it out of guilt. Do it with a light-heart and without expectation of what is coming back to you. Or if that’s too big of a step – try this and report back here. Just take out five $20 bills and look for someone to give them to who is in need with no expectation of return. Post your results and let us know what happened.
 

Secret #7:  Continual Learning

I cannot stress this enough, I spend $30,000, $40,000, $50,000 on my own education every single year.  I don’t think that I’m so smart that I have all the answers.  I am humble enough to understand that there are lots of other people out there that have tons of answers.  And I spend money because I know that keeps me motivated to do what they tell me to do.

If I go spend $10,000 for a seminar (which I have) I am going to pay a whole lot more attention to what’s going on and actually follow what they’re telling me instead of the seminar where it’s only $195.

Same thing if I buy a package for $5,000, I’m going to pay attention to it. 

Continual learning is the key.  Remember, your brain is like a bucket with a hole in it.  So you put all of this stuff in it, and slowly it just kind of seeps out.  You’ve got to keep replenishing and putting more stuff in there.

Remember, it doesn’t matter what happens to you.  Nobody can take away your knowledge, all the stuff that you get.  Look, if somebody came, took away my entire business and if they just left me with my customer list, the knowledge in my head and the people I know, I’d be right back on my feet within a month, two months, three months, tops.

My friend Frank Kern is a perfect example of this. His business was wiped out by the government and he’s right back on his feet because of what he knows. He bounced right back to a great six-figure income all within a couple months of starting over. And now he’s into 7-figures living in the beach in LaJolla.

Knowledge is so important and continual learning.  Like I said, if you just study something for one hour a day, for three years, you’d become an expert.  If it’s one hour a day for five years, you’d become a world expert.

Personally, I’m always reading, listening to tapes or watching videos. I love to turn ‘down time’ into learning time. I can’t remember who I heard it from, I think Brian Tracy, but they said turn your car into a “university on wheels”. I took that to heart and anytime I’m in the car I always have a CD or tape in teaching me something. I suggest you do the same.

This specialized knowledge you keep feeding yourself is going to help you get to any level you want.

 Secret #8:  Gratitude 

This is one of those woo-woo, kind of fluffy metaphysical things – but it works. 

Every time I check my e-mail and I have orders come in, I actually silently say, “Thank you” for each of those orders that come in. It sounds strange but having gratitude keeps you connected to the source of what’s bringing you what you want.  And the more you’re thankful, the more you’re going to get that.

Think about your own life. If you are grateful for something don’t you get more of it? On the other hand if you neglect it or you simply start assuming it should come to you – doesn’t that seem to turn off the “spout”?

Being grateful is one of the most powerful forces you employ for your own benefit. Take a minute or two right now just to sit and think about absolutely everything in your life for which you should be thankful for. C’mon do it! I mean it.

• Do you have a roof over your head?
• Clean sheets?
• A warm house?
• How about your health?
• Do you a family that loves you?
• Have you made your first dollar (or million) online?
• A dog or cat that loves you?
• Money in your retirement account? Etc.

Keep thinking and I know there is a whole slew of things you should be thankful for right now.

If you’ve done this exercise you can’t help but feel incredibly happy and joyful. You can only focus on one thing and most people tend to focus on what they don’t have. That only gives more of what you don’t have and what you don’t want. But by being grateful for the things you already have in your life you’ll get even more. 

Alright we’ll finish up with secret #9 in the next post…

Secret #5:  Build on Your Successes

Each success is going to create another success for you.  I suggest you start small at first.  You don’t have to build a million-dollar or $10-million or $100-million business.  You can dream big and have a plan for getting there. 

My friend John Reese says, “Make your first dollar online.”  If you make just one dollar online, you’re already ahead of a lot of people that are trying to make anything, that are scattered around and doing all kinds of stuff.

So you make your first dollar online, and that builds and builds and builds. 

Start with a project that you can manage to get going quickly and easily. Remember, there can always be a version 2 or an updated edition. It’s better to put something out there and see the response then it is to be absolutely perfect. Fact is, you will never have a perfect product or service. I don’t and I don’t know anyone else who thinks they do. But my little ‘imperfect’ products are still raking in a whole lot of dough because I got out there and started. My first success with Instant Sales Letters really boosted my confidence and helped me formulate my next projects. And each one has helped me build bigger and bigger.

I want to introduce you to something called the “Leapfrog Theory”…

You should get a book written in the 80’s called Winning Through Intimidation by Robert Ringer. [Side note: I had a chance to have dinner with Robert about a year ago and it was great hearing how he made a huge splash in the marketplace with a book that misconstrued.]  It’s definitely one of my favorite books (though I haven’t read the new edition called “To Be or Not to Be Intimidated”.  Inside he talks about the leapfrog theory, which says we don’t have to wait for somebody to come anoint us an expert. 

There’s no person that’s going to come up and say, “Joe Blow, you have been proclaimed the expert on self-help.  Now you are the true expert.  Go out there and make money.”  That’s not going to happen.

Each of you has to be your own expert. 

You have to have the confidence, which comes from the knowledge (full circle back to secret #1), from starting and doing.  And as long as you have that knowledge, the leapfrog theory says you leap over all the other people that are hanging out here in the middle, the mediocre majority and the people trying to climb up.  You jump all the way up to the top and you proclaim yourself the expert.

Who’s going to challenge you?  If somebody challenges you, you know you have the confidence and the knowledge, because you’ve studied.
 
If you don’t have that knowledge, you’ll easily get knocked back down to the ‘mediocre majority’.  So use this leapfrog theory and just jump over everyone else, and don’t worry about somebody coming up to proclaim you an expert.  It’s not going to happen. 

Remember, success creates success, and that builds more confidence for you. 

Secret #6:  Decision 

This is such a big point. 

A lot of people have so many problems with decision even the simplest ones like “Where do you want to go to dinner?” 

That’s because they don’t like it because it cuts off other options.  But frankly that’s exactly what you want.  You want to cut off other options.

It’s just like Hernando Cortes during the Spanish Conquest. Cortes was determined to conquer the Aztecs of Mexico and he realized that some of his men wanted to return to Cuba because they didn’t think they could walk through 200 miles of jungle and swamps, climb mountains, avoid thousands of hostile Indians and attack the Aztec fortress city which was surrounded by water. To keep his men from deserting, Cortes carried out a desperate and bold scheme. He removed the sails, rigging, compasses, and all other valuables from
all but one ship and burned the others.

You probably don’t need to be that bold but if you cut off your options, you’re much more motivated.  You make that decision and make decisions quickly.  That’s a sign of successful people. 

There’s a magic of attraction when you make your decision.  However, when you’re hemming and hawing, you don’t experience this magic.  I don’t want to get into too much woo-woo or metaphysical or spiritual stuff. 

But there’s this magic of attraction.  I can’t even explain it.  When you set your mind up that you’re going to do this, all of a sudden, at the next dinner party you’re attending you meet somebody that can help you get to where you want to go.  Is that luck or is that something else? 

I don’t think this is a result of luck.

It’s like once the decision is made your mind is tuned into the solution and all kinds of ‘freaky’ coincidences and occurrences happen.

And that brings me to another important point about decisions – fail quickly. Don’t be afraid of failure.  A lot of people are so afraid of I’m going to screw up, I’m going to make a mistake that are forever frozen.  Who the hell cares?  Screw up quickly!  I screw up all the time.  And you want to fail quickly. 

That’s the great part about the Internet.  You want to go out there and find out if your dumb idea is going to work right away. You can do it in days instead of months. Sometimes hours and if it doesn’t work, you move on.  You say, “Next!”

Look, I know a lot of people who are working on their products for the last two, three, four years.  Get the damned thing out!  If it’s crap, it’s crap.  At least you’ll figure it out.  And you can sell crap.  You really can – you just make it better as you go along.
 
Instant Sales Letters, my first product was not where it is now.  We’ve added a ton of stuff to it and made it better.  But I just wanted to see if the thing was going to sell.

It wasn’t complete and utter rubbish, as my British friends say, but it was enough that it made the point.  It found out if there was a marketplace for it.  So find out. 

Some people like to go around at dinner parties and so on and say, “I’m writing a book.  I’ve been writing a book for five years.  I’m an author.” 

Uh huh. I can show you 6 different ways to have your book done in days. It’s a cop-out and complete B.S. Bottom line – make the decision to get the product out there.  See what happens and fail quickly.

Look for the next secrets coming shortly…

I figured let’s get more of these secrets out sooner – so I’m going to be posting 2/day…

Secret #3:  Do one proactive thing a day

You don’t need to do 100 things a day.  Just get that one proactive thing a day.  So each little brick builds a big wall for you.  Trust me it’s easy to be overwhelmed with hundreds of tasks.  You’re like, “Oh, I need to do ezine ads, create my autoresponders, do joint ventures, set up Pay-per-click campaigns, my affiliate program, write sales copy and I need to do all this other stuff.”

 Ahhhhhhhhhhh!

But just relax and do one task a day.

Your action will create more and more and more action for you. You simply need to make a commitment to do one proactive thing a day no matter what. Even if you’re dead tired and worked a 14-hour day job – come home and mail one letter or send out one joint venture proposal. I’m telling you – just these little tiny proactive things will have an immense impact.

Most everyone has heard of the ’80/20 rule’ or the Pareto Principle. It says that 20% of your actions produce 80% of your results, and the other way around.  80% of your work only creates 20% of your results.

So go back and look where your successes came from, and I know that they’re from a tiny little group of actions.  So if you just get that one proactive thing a day (from the 20% group) that is going to propel you further, that’s going to bring you to where you want to be.

Make it a point to focus on those “20% activities”. In Stephen Covey’s famous work “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” he calls these activities “important but not urgent”. One of my original Apprentices, Peter Woodhead, from the UK is a perfect example of simply doing one proactive thing a day. A lot of Apprentices bolted out of the gate during our one year program but Peter was an Internet newbie and he also had a full time job so he was a bit slower getting started. However, he took my advice and simply managed to do one proactive thing every single day. No matter how big or how small. It could be writing one autoresponder message or it might have been writing 50 headlines. No matter the day – Peter was moving ahead. And not surprisingly his project was completed before many of the other Apprentices were finished.

Secret #4:  Unless You Deliver Exceptional Value – You Will Not Get Rich 

This is something critical that I look at in my planner every single day, when I wake up.  This is one of my cores values. 

It says “I get rich by enriching others 10 times to 100 times what they pay me in return”.

So any product, any service, or absolutely anything I offer, must deliver 10 times to 100 times in value. 

When you deliver that much value, when you over-deliver, the marketplace compensates you.  There’s no other way around it.  This is an unyielding natural law.  This goes along with a famous quote motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar frequently uses and that is “You can get anything you want if you help enough people get what they want.”

There’s no other way that it could possibly occur.  If you deliver shoddy crap, you’re not going to get rich for very long and the marketplace is going to find out about you, and you’ll be out of business. The marketplace is always self-correcting.
 
So the only real strategy to enduring and lasting wealth is to over-deliver as much as you can, and provide as much value.

Think about it. If a customer purchases a product or service from you and they paid $100 but it makes them $1000 – do you think they’ll buy something else from you? Of course. Plus, when you are selling dollars for dimes – it makes it a whole lot easier to sell your product. Too many people only want to do ‘just enough’ or just get-by. That’s the wrong attitude.

Okay look out for #5 and #6 coming up next…
 

Okay let’s continue where we left off yesterday (and look to the bottom for the winners of the cool InternetLifestyle.com hat – 12 of them!)

Secret #2:  Set your plan 

I’m going to show you my initial plan I used to build my first Internet success – InstantSalesLetters.com.

I use the Franklin Covey planner system and I highly recommend it. Notice from the list there was my long-range goal and then there was my intermediate goals. Which then get translated into your daily task lists.So where are you going? 

Be specific.  Write it down.  Don’t be afraid to write it down.

How are you going to get there? 

Get those intermediate goals set up first.  Because if you get the little building blocks going, it’s a lot easier to get to where you want to go. 

And you’ve got to be specific.  You can’t just say, “I want to make a whole lot more money online.”  What is that, like $5 more?  Nobody knows what that is.  And you think, “Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know exactly what that means.”  But you don’t know what it means.  You’ve got to write it down and be specific.

And when you write down your goals, always write down “or more.”  So if you say, “I want to make $100,000.00” I always say, “I want to make $100,000.00 or more by so-and-so date, or sooner,” This gives yourself that opportunity to remove limitations.
 
Dream a little.  Have fun.  You get to set the rules. I try to create as much fun as I can with whatever I do with promotions that are a bit over the top. For example, at my 30th Bday Bash we had cake, sang happy birthday and even had a ‘gag gift’ contest where a dog won. Or my Underground Online Seminar event that’s all spy related theme. Our customers appreciate having fun and not just learning.

What’s the use of doing all this, unless you’re going to have fun with it?

Now the next part of your plan is that you need accountability. 

I have a personal trainer I work out with.  Before, the kids I would work out early in the mornings, three times a week.  I used to stay up until like 3:00, 4:00 in the morning sometimes, working on a new idea.  And I can tell you, if I’m not paying my trainer, I’m not getting up at 8:30 in the morning to go hit the gym.  But I have this trainer to be accountable to.  So now, I can’t let this guy down.

It’s important to have somebody else that you’re accountable to.  Try to find a friend or someone who you’d be really embarrassed if you didn’t do what you say you are going to do. Embarrassment can go a long way to helping you achieve what you want. 

[Side note: I'm strongly considering having some sort of "Super 6 Week Challenge" for business and personal goals and anyone can join in and together we'll have accountability. That might be part of InternetLifestyle.com - let me know what you think.]

Okay next post I’ll cover secret #3…Do One Proactive Thing a Day

***

Now the first winners of the InternetLifestyle.com hats - I couldn’t just pick a few of you so there are 12 winners! Please open up a ticket at www.surefiremarketing.com/support and tell them you won the hat and give them your address. Look forward to seeing you sport the new lid – send over a pic

Here are the winners:

Brian Diez

Frank Lee

Andrew Wee

Doug Lamb

Shane from Canada

Pam from Australia

Mari Smith

David Rachford

Bonnie Cehovet

Mike Geary

Tom Brownsword

Mike Hill
 

I thought I’d add a series of posts about what I consider to be some of the most important aspects of my success online…

Many of you know my story…

In only a few short months I’ve achieved the ultimate Internet “fantasy” of making a lot of money from a simple (almost primitive) web site that runs itself virtually on complete autopilot. Starting from scratch I banked over $51,351.94 my first 6 ½ months online, just working part-time out of the corner of my living room.

Now today at age 33, I’ve gone on to earn over 7-figures each year. 

How did I go from a standing start to banking mega profits?

To do that, what I think you really need are these inner secrets to mega internet success.  This has nothing to do with search engines, pay-per-clicks.  It doesn’t have anything to do with any of the tactical stuff.  It’s all a lot of stuff that goes on in your head.  So let’s start…
 

Secret #1: Cheerful Expectancy 

One of my biggest mentors is Earl Nightingale. He passed away several years ago but you need to get everything he recorded at Nightingale.com.  He has a program called “Lead The Field” and “The Strangest Secret”.  Just listen to that thing over and over again.  He talks about cheerful expectancy. 

There’s a big difference between having expectancy versus hoping or wishing something is going to occur.  When you have that cheerful expectancy, you know it’s going to occur.  And that doesn’t just come from being “Pollyannaish” or having rose-colored glasses.  It comes from having knowledge.  And you get that knowledge from studying in your field whatever it is. It could be Internet marketing or it could be neurology. That means reading, studying and buying everything and absolutely immersing yourself in it.

I learned from Earl Nightingale that if you want to be an expert, you spend an hour a day reading on whatever subject that you’re interested in, that you want to be an expert on.

So I said, “Well, what would happen if I read for three hours a day?” 

I just started learning as much as I possibly could, and that knowledge gives you the confidence to know that you have that positive expectancy.

My friend Jim Edwards has a great illustration of the difference between simply ‘hoping’ and ‘expecting’. You can try this exercise yourself. Close your eyes and try to HOPE you’ll make a million dollars this year (or whatever number might get you excited). Just sit there and hope and hope and hope.

Now if you pay attention you’ll notice you’ll probably a little bit slumped over and if had to stake your life on it – there’s no way you’d bet you really would make that mil this year. Now try the same exercise but this time EXPECT to earn a million dollars. I mean really expect it.

Now look at the way you are sitting, breathing and feeling. I’d wager it’s a little different. Your expectations determine your results.

Next post…secret #2 (Setting your plan)

And I’ll announce the winners of the very coveted Internet Lifesytle caps

Wow! 39 responses already – very cool! But I’d like to see more.

So to give you guys a little “bribe” for contributing – here’s what I’m going to do. We just got a shipment of limited edition (limited to the number I bought) of Internet Lifestyle hats. These are not el-cheapo caps but really nice embroidered ones.

They look great on any guy, gal or furry creature…

I’m going to give away 3 caps to the commenter who posts the best, most exciting version of their own Internet Lifestyle (achieved or yet to be achieved). The previous posters are in the running too.

Have a great weekend! I’m excited because I just got the new Harry Potter book delivered from Amazon. (I think that’s pretty funny about them adding warnings for Muggles on the front.)

Yes, I’m a Harry Potter fan! I’ve read every single one and can’t wait to see what happens with Harry and “He-who-must-not-be-named” (otherwise known as Jim Edwards). Okay off to Hogwarts – catch you guys soon!

-Yanik

There’s been a lot of changes going on in my life lately…new house, new baby….and I guess a new site right here…

About 6 months ago, I purchased this domain (InternetLifestyle.com) because I thought it really captured everything I’m about. So I’m looking forward to seeing how this site evolves (and hopefully you’ll have a say in it). I really want to be beyond any type of “box” product.

It seems like just yesterday (really it was 2000) I started working out of my 1-bedroom apartment with a glimmer of an idea for my first website. (Yeah, I know this sounds like an informercial already – but I promise I will not show you how to place tiny classified ads.)

And now today, I have dozens of successful websites bringing in automatic cash flow for me regardless if I work or not. Of course, some months are better than others depending on if I’m actively running a promotion or not – but my original site InstantSalesLetters.com is still going strong after 7 ½ years making 6-figures per year.

Not bad, right?

Considering the fact I’ve basically not changed the site in years – I’d say pretty darn good. (Now, of course that’s another post when I show you how stupid and lazy I’ve been by not testing enough on this site and how I’m changing it.) And I still have no clue how to put up my own website.

Personally, the Internet Lifestyle means being able to do pretty much whatever you want, almost anytime you want and let the Internet pay for it!

Actually, most of my friends still wonder how I’m driving around in a brand new Aston Martin and how my wife, Missy, and I can take off for so many trips. A few years ago, we spent 2 months living on the beach in Manhattan Beach, California where we rented a house and just brought our laptops. I picked Manhattan Beach because I’m big into beach volleyball (even though I’m 5’8” – but I can jump!)

And that’s just another aspect of the Internet Lifestyle to me – do your work from anywhere you can get an Internet connection and follow your passions. I loved being able to look out at the Pacific Ocean each day and play volleyball almost every other day there. Last year we headed back again for a few weeks but this time with our son, Zak.

Personally, my own Internet Lifestyle means experiencing life to the fullest and living adventures! I get my thrills from any kind of extreme activity like Running with the Bulls, bungee jumping, sky diving, Baja racing, exotic car road rallies, falling out of attics, Zero G flights, an upcoming trip into space and more. I’ve posted a lot of these on my InternetRoadTrip.com blog.

I know for some people these kind of outlandish adventures aren’t for them – but if there is something you’re passionate about and excited for you can do it thanks to the income generated online. Or some people don’t need to make a fortune online – they’re happy with a little website on the side making a few extra bucks and maybe paying for a car payment or 2.

Truth is, never before have we lived in such a time filled with immense opportunity to do your own thing…quickly and easily. The Internet has truly been a revolution for anyone that wants to either “Moonlight Online” or got at it full-time and make a solid 6 or 7-figure+ income.

I love it when I hear from others living the “Internet Lifestyle” and would love to hear your comments.

If you’re already succeeding online what’s the best aspect of the Internet Lifestyle for you? Or what would the ultimate Internet Lifestyle look like for you?

Here are a couple things off the top of my head what the Internet Lifestyle means to me:

• Being able to take my son to his “My Gym” class on a Thursday and be the only Dad there.
• Having people from all over the world respect and appreciate your contributions.
• Meeting exciting and switched-on Entrepreneurs who enjoy having fun and good times to “mastermind” in whatever city we decide on. (Hmm…Amsterdam and Vegas were interesting!)
• Never having to set my alarm clock. (Or more recently being naturally awoken to the soothing sounds of a newborn crying.
• Drinking a beer (or 2) for lunch.
• Having money come in on autopilot while I was sleeping.
• Doing the work once and getting paid over and over again.
• Being able to fund nearly any kind of adventure by putting out another quality product or offering.
• Wearing shorts and t-shirts all day.
• Never having to worry about shaving.
• Forgetting what “Rush Hour” is and being surprised when you hit a standstill on the beltway in the afternoon.
• Never answering to a boss.
• Being able to turn off the laptop and take Zak to the Splash park
• Having your Accountant perplexed and surprised when you see him each year at what you do and how much it brings in.
• Being able to watch every little milestone in your son’s (and now daughter’s) life. Everything from his first real smile, first step and first word.
• Working with who I want…when I want.
• Deciding to splurge on a bottle of Colgin IX Syrah at a steakhouse with your buddies.
• Never waiting in lines because your concierge has put you on the VIP list.
• Not living for the weekends.
• Not having to look at the right-hand side of a menu when deciding what to order.
• Contributing to the causes and charities that are important to me.

Now to be honest, it’s not all good leading the Internet Lifestyle and working out of the house.

Missy will forget I have a “real” job and interrupt me to ask about what kind of rug we should get for the kitchen. Or Zak will knock on my office door during a conference call asking for “DaDa”. Or having the fridge be a few feet away to grab the last slice of pizza anytime I want.

But I wouldn’t want it any other way. Let’s hear your thoughts – post a comment.

What is your Internet Lifestyle?

What do you love about your own Internet Lifestyle? Or if you haven’t got there yet – how would you like it look like? See if you can list 10 things…

As David Bowie sings “Ch…Ch…Changes”

That’s definitely what we’re going through here. Not sure this is really a “Road Trip” entry but moving and a new child are an adventure so I figured I’d throw it up here. About 2 weeks ago Missy and I moved to a new neighborhood that she had been ‘stalking’ for almost 2 years. Finally, a good listing came up but the timing wasn’t perfect for our move because Missy was also scheduled to deliver via scheduled C-section on July 6th. And that’s exactly what happened — so in the span of 2 weeks we have a new house and a new baby. Yikes!

Like I said before, Missy was supposed to have her C-section at 9:30 AM but Zoe was just too eager to make her appearance. Missy and I headed to the hospital at 3 o’clock because she was having terrible contractions and out came Zoe at 5:35, AM. She’s a little firecracker topping the scales at 5 lb, 15.5 oz (nearly 6 lb).

Zak met his little sister for the first time on Saturday and he started barking at her, “Arf…Arf!” I guess he thought she was some sort of tiny doggie. I’m not so sure Zak’s going to be excited to know the baby is coming to live with us 24/7.

The little dude isn’t old enough yet to understand his world is about to get rocked and he won’t be the only game in town anymore. Here’s Zak enjoying his summer at the Splashpark, blissfully unaware of what’s coming up:

And Zak again….

Hmmm…what do I see here? Blatant “product placement” for InternetLifestyle.com that’s coming soon.

And here’s a snapshot of the new place:

Missy was like a general contractor making sure we got a ton of work done to the place and remodeled before we moved in. New floors, new carpets, new appliances, painting, bathrooms remodeled…the list keeps going. My addition is having a 750-1000 bottle cellar built into the basement.

And I’m happy to report I am no longer relegated to the freezing basement. I have my own office now which I’ve painted an “interesting” color. It’s called Shadow and my painter joked it was “Barney-like”. Ha!

I like it and I have a new Mark T. Smith painting that will look perfect on the wall. (If he sounds familar you might remember his Absolut Vodka ads.)

So I guess when my friends ask “What’s new?” – I’ll have a whole lot to tell them.