“The lucky renew their energy through activity in which they’re engaged.” — Max Gunther

Years ago, just a boy, I read a quote that influenced one of author's readers more than that author, whose name I have forgotten, might ever have imagined.

"People never ask a man [or woman] who is a failure, "What is secret of your failure?"

"Well, my secret is, now that you ask...."

How strong, I wonder, is your commitment to what you say, in your heart of hearts, you really want? Is there anything you can start doing today to power up your dream?

18th and 19th Century German poet, scientist, and author of Faust, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, “Until one is committed, there is hesitation, chance to draw back, always making for ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative, there is one elemental truth, ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred.”

Goethe assured his readers that, with commitment, “A whole stream of events issues from decision, working in our favor; all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance that no man could have dreamed would come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.”

Isn’t it possible that day you ask for a mountain to be moved from your life…and you wouldn’t be surprised if it did move…is day it will move?

The great Joseph Campbell, shortly before his death, told a nationwide audience that watched his PBS series of conversations with Bill Moyers to, “follow your bliss.”

By bliss, Campbell meant your highest enthusiasm. “I have found that you have only to take one step toward gods and they will take ten steps toward you,” he wrote.

What happens when you want to follow your bliss but are unable to give up your present job?

When to invest in Stock Market!

Is really not as important as to how you invest in stock market. And how you invest in stock market should take into consideration what goals you are setting for that stock market investment. For example, are you investing for capital appreciation or for income through dividend paying stocks? Or is investment in stock market for combination of both capital appreciation and dividend income? Are you investing through a Mutual fund(s) or selecting your own individual stocks? Do you invest with a lump-sum dollar amount or dollar-cost average into your stock or Mutual fund positions (buying same stock or Mutual fund at different prices over years)? Is your investment dollar spread too thin and are all of those dollars working for your ROI (return on investment)? Do you pay commission fees to purchase a stock? Do you pay load fees in your Mutual fund(s)? How much does your Mutual fund(s) charge you for management, operating and marketing fees (they are called ‘hidden fees’)? (One Mutual fund, just recently, was fined 450 million for ‘hidden fees’ practices.) ‘How’ you invest in stock market is more important than ‘when’ you invest in stock market and ‘how’ you invest will determine your ROI.

When you invest in stock market is after you devise a how-to plan that takes into consideration all of factors above. Quite frankly, every cent of your investor dollar should benefit you and your family and no one else.

There is an enormous amount of investor dollars supporting some whopper salaries on Wall Street. Just recently (the summer of 2003), Richard Grasso, once former head (CEO) of New York stock exchange was forced to resign, after his salary for past 2 years were made public. His salary - 12 million a year for past 2 years, a check for 48 million, which his advisor suggested he return (which he did) and a pay-package of 139.5 million dollars (which he hasn’t returned, as of this writing-mid-2004). Now, that is just one man’s salary on Wall Street and it is certainly good work if you can get it! Where did all this money for his salary come from? If money didn’t come from investor’s dollars, why were Pension fund managers so outraged by Grasso’s salary that they threatened to pull billions of Pension fund dollars from New York stock exchange? I really don’t know where money came from to pay his salary. What I do know is one place where money for his salary didn’t come from and that is from Stockopoly investor. Not one cent!

It is my opinion that all stock purchases should be made without commission charges (which is possible). The investment in all stocks should be a long-term investment, and that every stock purchased should have a history of raising their dividend every year. And all dividends should be reinvested back into company’s shares (also commission free), until retirement. Every cent you invest should work for your ROI. By purchasing those companies that have a long-term history of raising their dividend each year (for example, Comerica – 34 years, Proctor and Gamble – 47 years, BB&T – 31 years, GE – 28 years, Atmos Energy - 16 years (they also provide a 3% discount on all shares purchased through dividend reinvestments), ‘HOW’ you invest becomes automatic- you dollar-cost average into your holdings through dividends provided by companies every quarter.