We battle with dragons. We grapple with demons. With emotional and psychological monsters.

Ages ago,it was Theseus embroiled in maze on island of Crete, wrestling with, and slaying dreaded Minotaur. It was David facing Goliath armed with only a slingshot and 5 smooth stones. And it was Hercules rescuing Theseus and Persephone from Hades.

In last century, it was Harry Truman, a sure loser according to every poll, bravely facing up to and defeating powerful Thomas Dewey. It was Mohandas K Gandhi, armed with only a loincloth and a relentless will, freeing Indian subcontinent from British rule. And let's not forget gallant Nelson Mandela who, battling from his bleak jail cell ultimately ended apartheid in South Africa, winning emancipation and equality for millions of his native people.

These days, it’s depravity and moral vacuum in executive offices of corporations and even in White House. It’s real threat of terrorist attacks within United States of America. It’s economic and emotional uncertainty that enshrouds our life experiences.

What about you? What about your aspirations? Are you one of struggling ones, aching and yearning, out in cold, with nose pressed up against store window, gazing wistfully at glowing success only a heartbeat away; what are your demons? What dragons, what Minotaur, what swamps swarming with alligators, what precipices and crevasses wait to swallow up your hopes and dreams?

What else blocks your illusive path to abundance and success? And, most important of all, how are all these monsters to be put to rest forever by you as you advance from struggle and lack to success and abundance.

I've been there, dead broke, flat on my assets,and those only in my unswerving imagination, sustained only by vision. Perhaps this glimpse of my journey, shared in present tense, may yield hope:

1. It starts with implacable will, iron determination, bulldog blood, an inner spirit that’s simply not going to surrender to defeat as long as there’s breath in my body.

If you do use material, please send me an email so I can take a look: mailto:Wayne@YouSaveOnTaxes.com

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

How To Fire A Customer

-- by Wayne M. Davies

Copyright 2003 Wayne M. Davies Inc.

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

It must be Tax Season. How do I know?

I'm swamped with work.

And I just fired a client. Again.

It happens every Tax Season -- I don't like to do it, but it's something that just has to be done every now and then.

Let me explain.

First, let's define our terms. I use word "client" to describe people that pay for my tax services. You may use word "customer" or "patient" or "subscriber".

Ya' know, whoever buys what you sell.

Second, let's get something straight here. When you own your own business, you get to call shots. It's your business, so you get to do things your way.

That's how I see it, anyway.

So I have certain rules that my clients must follow. Policies, procedures -- way things are done around here.

Example: I prepare tax returns in order received. First come, first served. Fair enough? I don't know any other way to do it.

So last week a client comes in and says, "Can you please 'put a rush' on my return. I really have to get it filed right away. My ex-wife and I don't have a written agreement re: who gets to claim our children as dependents. So whoever files first gets to claim them."

"Last year I didn't file first, but I went ahead and claimed kids anyway. So IRS rejected return. My refund was delayed. I'd really like to avoid all that mess this year. I know my ex hasn't filed yet, but she told me she plans to do so within a few days. So I need you to do my return right away -- I really want to stick it to my ex this year!"

Here was my response.

"I'm sorry Mr. Client. Normal turn-around time for a return is 3-4 weeks. When you bring me your return, you just got in line. You don't get to go to front of line at grocery store, do you? And you don't get to go to front of line here, either."