Fortune Builders Insiders Workshop

            

            This weekend I attended a Fortune Builders event that was hosted by Cole A. Hatter. I am a Real Estate investor enthusiast and I learned so much in this 3-day seminar because Cole is truly an interesting speaker. He focused on financial education as the foundation of any business and I wish I learned that back when I was in high school and saved myself years of struggle. I was one of the youngest attendees and I guess it is better to learn late than never.

            The doors opened at 9 am at the Embassy Suites in Tampa on Friday morning and a gentleman named Dan walked across the stage and welcomed 250 local residents who are eager to learn about the business, and then he introduced Cole and we all clapped and cheered for him as he made his way to the center of the convention hall.

            Within the first few minutes of Cole’s introduction, I felt like I was in the right place. I am usually gullible and I have fallen for many events that upsell products and services but I still take risks every once in a while if I feel the knowledge is worth the time and money. When Cole speaks he sets the right tone through his posture, his body language and mostly through his confidence. 

He created a friendly and comedic presence with his voice and his pace. He certainly worked the stage creating real life examples of what my future could hold. The man knows what he’s talking about and through his tone I could immediately tell that Cole Hatter is a very successful investor, or at least in the same financial freedom position I aspire to be.

            From my previous experience listening to such lectures and attending such seminars, I knew when I signed up that they will upsell a service and it is an unbelievably identical pattern that all businesses follow when they want to sell us a product, which in this case costs way beyond my means. Good thing, because with Cole’s enthusiasm, I would’ve definitely signed up. Nobel Laureate economist, John Harsanyi said that, “apart from economic payoffs, social status seems to be the most important incentive and motivating force of social behavior.” Cole looks like he either achieved a high social status or he believes he did.

            Though I could not afford their resourceful product and I have a long ladder to climb, Cole’s energy inspired me to come back the next day and the following day. A total of 27 hours of education condensed in 3 days reflects Cole Hatter’s credibility as a speaker because the man’s energy level remained constant throughout the entire seminar, while I was struggling to sit straight in my chair. I found out on Day 2 that I could not possibly qualify to continue the valuable education I wanted, and this happens frequently; however, as tempting as it was to leave and enjoy the rest of my weekend, Cole inspired me to grow my imagination and believe in myself. He taught me how to shift my mindset to think like an entrepreneur and I challenged myself to remain positive. His attitude was an eye-opener to emphasize the importance of bringing something to life. I never knew the importance of energy until I saw the outcomes of it: My mind was blown.

            I look forward to put in action all the valuable information I learned, and execute my ideas to grow my business the same way Cole built his. He paved the starting point and directed me to a retirement plan I needed to see. 

My Quest for Courage...

In the 1979 production of Manhattan, Isaac Davis, played by Woody Allen said:

“Talent is luck. The important thing in life is courage.” 

Those few words recently changed my perspective on Life, in general.

First of all, why courage? Why not confidence, or Education, or even Health?

And if you think about it, what is courage anyway? How do you define it? Is it taking risks? Or is it facing your fears? And do I really need to jump out of an airplane to prove I’m brave? No thank you, I like the view better from the surface.

But I can’t seem to get rid of the echoes in my head! Am I crazy? Or have I lost my mind? Or is it the absence of courage in my life that is causing all this stress?

I demand an answer, and I won’t leave until I earn it.

Will I be a working actor? Hopefully.

Will I be better at writing? Perhaps.

Will I pursue production instead? It’s possible.

It’s certainly hard to decide when you truly love it ALL. And even though I can’t determine my life in the future, I can direct it. And if ‘courage’ is the most important thing in life, I want to unlock its true meaning.

Is it quitting a secure job I’ve had for 8 years? Or is it leaving a happy home behind to ‘follow my dreams?’

It takes guts to do that. But I’m not the first one here, nor am I the last.

I believe that the biggest atrocity of all is to indoctrinate our children into a system that does not value their creative expression, nor encourage their unique abilities.

And as heartbreaking as it was to leave my mother, our eyes made their peace in difficulties, with anguished lips and salted cheeks, understanding that success is a staircase, not a doorway.

So I faced minor obstacles, and I accepted major criticism, but when I was ready for the next chapter, I seized the moment.

Moreover, I was driven to move to Los Angeles, California.  

Is that courage?

I cried when I arrived. I got scared. Overwhelmed.

It seemed like I traded a perfectly furnished bedroom with a king-sized bed, to an inflatable mattress. Minus the ‘inflate’. It’s more like a plastic carpet. Certainly, I can’t deny how blessed I am to still have a roof above my head.

Nonetheless, this city is far beyond magical. Happiness is around the corner; success is down the street. So I continue to push past the fear of not succeeding in life, because doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.

I’m not your typical 23-year old girl. I’m the girl the guys call ‘dude.’ It hurts, I know. But I can’t help choosing a basketball court over a mall. I like to have fun, and a little competition never hurt anyone. Besides, whenever I do feel spontaneous and adventurous, my bank account reminds me to calm the hell down.

Life is too short to be serious all the time; therefore, I live mine professionally. I might as well mention that I am a workaholic. I got my first job right before my 15^th birthday, and shortly after; I had several part-time jobs. I finally put it all aside, and I realized that I am ready to start ‘working,’ and I thrive to do so with desire, and some humor. 

And just because opportunity hasn’t knocked at my door yet, it didn’t stop me from building a door. I played around with my camera and I made an amateur portfolio I called ‘TheNancyZone,’ where I’ve been teaching myself the crafts of productions. With social media taking over, I upload my files on Youtube and Instagram:

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNancyZone

https://www.instagram.com/thenancyzone/

(Please feel free to view them).

           

Obviously, I wouldn’t be writing about it if I weren’t passionate about this industry. I say ‘industry’ because it takes crews of equal importance to create the art to entertain, and I would be honored to belong in any of its fields.

I’ve been staring at this blank page for over a year now: not because I can’t find the right words to say; It’s the fact that actions speak louder than words. I thought I made a huge mistake a few years ago when I agreed to major in Business and psychology. Sometime, I feel like I gave in because I lacked the courage to follow my dreams, but I will use my knowledge to make a difference in the world.

And since I am responsible for my choices, it is never too late to start over.

I don’t stress the ‘could haves.’ If it should have, it would have. Now that I am older, I see things differently, and it makes me appreciate the setbacks I’ve faced. I learned that I can rise above them and that’s how we’re meant to live our lives. When life knocks us down, it’s never too late to get back up. I might not have all the degrees to prove it, but I have a passion for this art.

And courage, is following my dreams, but also realizing that my dreams won’t work, unless I do! It’s allowing my dreams to be bigger than my fears, my actions louder than my words, and my faith stronger than my feelings. Risks make life worth living.

            And fortunately, I have great work ethics! 

Thank you for reading,

  

Nancy Habib

Presidential Entertainment: A Brief History

In my opinion, the current political arena is portraying an intensely controversial debate. The stunning content of the arguments delivers provocative views that may seem to misrepresent free speech. Don’t get me wrong, I respect honest people and those who are not afraid to express their beliefs; however, I admire those who are able to articulate their thoughts in a humanely fashion. An important feature of a democratic society permits each person the right to hold his or her own opinions and express them freely without legal interference.

            Notions of equality and citizens entitled to natural rights including political rights were different in the 18^th century. Nevertheless, I will begin with the foundations of U.S. government, which rest on solid political principles and carefully designed documents such as the Constitution. The introduction to the Declaration of independence states the purpose of government in terms of social contract theory, that people create government in order to secure their rights. The Bill of Rights is the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. It includes individual rights the government must respect. Moreover, it guarantees the freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom of the press.

           

            The Declaration of Independence reflects the social contract principle since the colonists at the time believed that King George III failed in his duty to protect the people and their natural rights. The idea of natural rights comes from the philosopher John Locke, and it says that when government is no longer doing its job of protecting natural rights, people have the right to change the government or get rid of it and start a new one.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

– John Locke

            These are rights individuals are born with, that no government can take away. People have interpreted those words to determine rights that give people protection of their personal selves, their material goods, and the ability to determine their future without interference. Everyone’s right to life is protected by law. We must bear in mind other human rights. It is our individual duty to behave conscientiously in respect of other people’s rights in order to prevent misconduct. To convey an opinion ethically, one must proportionately restrict his or her freedom of expression. Article 10 protects political debates and includes the freedom to hold opinions as well as to receive and impart information.

            In addition, Benjamin Franklin explained the idea of popular sovereignty when he enlightened the idea that people are the source of authority and power in government. Government only exists because the people have willed it or given their consent to certain leaders to rule. Popular sovereignty is the principle that the people themselves, rather than the government, have final authority. A direct democracy upholds this principle because the citizens themselves vote to make decisions. A republic can also reflect this principle because the people give power to those they elect as representatives.

            A government is legitimate only if the people agree with its existence, meaning the government has their consent to rule. Social contract takes this a step further to say that this consent places government under an obligation to fulfill its purpose by protecting the people and their rights. If it does not, the people could withdraw their consent, abolish the government, and form a new one.

            The principles of social contract, popular sovereignty, and natural rights are closely related, and they are evident throughout the Declaration of Independence. Political debates are one of the most anticipated events in a presidential race. They are ‘game changers’ and can attract votes faster and guarantee victory. We have come a long way since the 18^th century, and in today’s world, it is more important than ever to be open minded and at the same time to identify controversial bullies. A controversial bully is the type of person that does not want to discuss a topic, but rather they know they are right and they feel the need to educate you.

            In our normal lives we encounter people with different views that we seriously disagree with, who tempt us to try to change their minds. I believe that the first step is for us to be tolerant to people’s views and seek to understand different visions before trying to change other’s opinions. It takes a lot of patience no matter how wrong the other person is, but it allows us to actually think and contemplate in order to state reasonable arguments. It is imperative to avoid arrogance and stubbornness and most importantly, we have to use respect. Human beings must reciprocate their kindness on respecting and tolerating each other’s opinions before imposing their views.

Maternity Leave is Coming

Women do take maternity leave and is often times unpaid. Moreover, it is through a patchwork system where they use up their vacation time and their sick days. This is not how it should work; mothers should not have to stitch together time to recover from childbirth. There are women who want to get back to work as soon as they can and that is obviously fine, but for many women, the current situation forces them to return well before they want to. What if the pregnancy does not go according to plan and the baby is born prematurely? Then, women are forced to make some truly heart-breaking choices due to financial reasons. As a woman and a taxpayer myself, it is insulting to know that there is no real plan that allows mothers to recover.

The United States have a bad reputation when it comes to taking care of expectant mothers. When it comes to maternity leave, the U.S is one of the worst countries in the developed world: 12 weeks of unpaid leave ties for the shortest time off. According to the United Nations, the United States and Papua New Guinea are the only countries in the world that do not provide any paid time off for new mothers. In the U.S., federal law grants workers just 12 weeks of unpaid leave and the main disadvantage is that this policy is restricted: the expectant mother would have to work for a company with fifty or more employees, she’d have to have been there for over a year, she’d have to be a full-time salaried employee, as in, if she is a freelancer or a contractor, it does not apply to her, which means that 40% of workers are not covered under the federal law.

This unpaid leave system in the United States was proposed back in 1993. I do not see advantages to this U.S. policy and it seems that any legislation that specifically seeks to support women often faces vocal opposition. The government’s current economic status does not allow federal contribution, and I agree. It is the employer who needs to value the employees enough to apply a different policy. Paid leave is perceived as burdensome when in reality, simple changes can be made to the U.S. policy: Partially paid leave can be funded through a small payroll tax as an insurance plan that would cost employers little to nothing. The few companies that have implemented this idea saw no negative effects and their businesses made it work. As a matter of fact, paid parental leave can be beneficial for the parents, the children, society and the companies.

Pre-employment Drug Testing

Recreational drugs are chemical substances that alter the mind and affect the body, and are taken for enjoyment and leisure purposes. While some states are legalizing certain recreational drugs, reducing government costs and raising tax revenues, it is sure to increase substance abuse. There is the notion that use of marijuana can lead people to experiment with harder drugs, and as a business owner, that’s a risk I would not want to take.

There are benefits to drug testing that I take into consideration when I agree with the importance of pre-employment drug testing. Though it brings a wave of debate, the most popular argument against drug testing states time-consumption and costs. It costs about $75 per applicant and the time it takes to put policies in place and conduct extra training is a small price to pay when I compare it with the time it takes Human Resources to bring corrective action against an employee as a result of the types of offenses that become more common when employees are using drugs.

Understandably, it depends on the size of the organization and the type of effort demanded by its employees, nonetheless I do believe that drug testing reduces absenteeism, accidents, workers compensation claims, loss of productivity and employee turnover. Lost time is more costly as it is the scarcest resource and if I take time and spend money to recruit, train and hire new employees, the cost of the drug test is completely justified. Moreover, legislation across all of the U.S protects companies that choose to drug test, as long as drug testing plans are laid out in advance to employees.  

Ironically, the legalization of marijuana might actually hurt most those who depend on it for their current livelihood and support its consumption. Additionally, making people pass a drug test before receiving welfare and government assistance justifies pre-employment drug testing.