7 Tips to Getting Your Life Supported!
I’d like to introduce you to one of my favorite presenters, Loral Langmeier, The Millionaire Maker. She is the founder of Live Out Loud, a coaching and seminar company that teaches her Wealth Cycle program. I saw one of Loral's presentations a couple of weeks ago at Chris Howard's Ultimate Business Seminar (more on that later). She's very successful, a breath of fresh air and someone I wanted to  introduce you to.
Loral grew up on a farm in Nebraska (just like me...the farm part that is). At a very young age she decided that she was going to be a millionaire. She started her first business at the age of 17 and at the same time started working with mentors in the finance and wealth industry. Her goal was to be a millionaire by age 35 but she actually achieved her goal when she was 34. Among her mentors are well know personal success guru Bob Proctor and financial educator Robert Kiyosaki. She is the author of the best seller, The Millionaire Maker, and her new book, The Millionaire Maker’s Guide to Wealth Cycle Investing. Now a multi-millionaire, she is a master coach and financial strategist who has helped thousands of individuals take control of their finances and become millionaires. I will be reviewing her products for you in the coming weeks.
One of Loral's biggest coaching tips is to get your life supported. This article will show you why it's so important that we all do this and will give you a few tips on how to do it.
OK, I can hear many of you saying to yourself, "I can't afford to hire people to help me." I used to think the same thing. The fact is, though, you can't afford NOT to have help. Doing it yourself is one of the bigg est, if not THE biggest, mistakes that entrepreneurs make, especially solorpreneurs (people who run businesses by themselves). Here's where the thinking goes awry for many people.
Let's look at all of the things you try do each day that could be supported and, more importantly, keep you from doing the things you SHOULD be doing that will move you and your business and/or financial goals forward: housekeeping, shopping, errands, banking, handling your finances (personal and business), doing your own graphics (I'm guilty of that one), washing your own car, cutting your lawn, laundry, and dusting, my favorite (yuk).
How many of you are still doing many or even all of these chores? How many of you know in your gut that if you didn't have to do many, or all, of these chores, you'd be much farther ahead with your goals? Exactly. Just as I thought.
This has been a huge learn for me, the original "If You Want Something Done Right You Have to Do It Yourself" girl. I have totally altered my thinking and instilled new beliefs about this and oh my, you wouldn't believe the difference.
Look at it this way...what is the value of your time? $20/hour, $50/hour, $200/hour? If you make ANY of those, it makes sense to hire those chores done and get your life supported. If you can hire these things done by a competent 20-something year old (my guy is 37 and amazing) and pay them $12-$15 per hour, and you can make $50/hour or more during that hour, it makes absolutely NO sense to do those things yourself!
And another way you can think about this is that by employing a young person to support your life you are not only giving them valuable experience and providing them with income but you are also setting a great example for your children and those around you. You are showing them how wealthy people do their lives and I sense that's where we'd all like to be. Quite simply, there's some principles that all wealthy people use to get and stay that way and one of those principles is that they all have their lives supported.
OK, OK, you get it. So do you want some tips? Here you go...
1. First and foremost, sit down and figure out how much it would be worth to you to have someone do all those chores that you are doing yourself. Literally write down what you do each week and month, how many hours you spend doing it and then multiply that by how much you value your time, i.e., per hour. Add it up and hold on to your chair because if you're like me, you will be shocked!
2. Figure out what you need. In other words, look over these chores and determine which ones you can start delegating, add up the hours and this is where you start.
3. Next, look over the chores you're going to start with and write down across from them the skills your new personal assistant (doesn't that just sound helpful?) will need in order to carry out the required tasks. If they will be helping you with just household chores you won't need someone as skilled as, let's say, someone who is going to also help you with your real estate accounts or taxes or other chores that need a more specific skill set.
4. Now that you have the chores and the skill set determined, figure out what type of person you want in your life to help support you in doing these things. DO NOT SKIP THIS PART! It is critical. I never put an ad for help out to the world before setting an intention about the 'type' of person I wish to have supporting me. Make this list values driven: honest, open, eager to learn, funny, serious...whatever it is you feel you need.
5. Next, write up a short, but specific, ad stating exactly what you need, what skills are required and what expectations you have of this person. List pay and any special benefits you are willing to provide: use of car, meals, use of internet during off-time, bonuses, etc. Put this ad in Craigslist.org (my personal favorite) or any online 'help-wanted' service you use and is local to you.
NOTE: Be as specific as possible about how you wish for them to contact you. If you tell them to send a resume (which I never do since resumes say little to nothing about a person) and they don't, you now they probably not good with following instructions and detail. If you ask them NOT to send a resume and to call only and they send an email, same story. You want someone who can follow directions and how they respond to your ad will tell you ton about them even before you interview them.
6. Set up a interviews with the people you feel comfortable with. Talk on the phone first before you invite them for the interview. If there is any discomfort in your gut about this person, don't hire them. You will know the right person when he or she walks in the door. NOTE: if you prefer a male to a female or vise versa, my suggestion is to give that up. It is my experience that you never know who the right person will be.
7. Finally, and this is the most important step of all. After you hire your new personal assistant, praise them, appreciate them, build them up, teach them, empower them. It is only through empowering and supporting others that they can empower and support us. And it's only by being supported that we can help change the world.
 Now go ahead. Take the leap. Get your life supported. I did this a while back and I can't tell you what a blessing it has been on so many fronts. I am sitting here writing this in the mid-afternoon (instead of late evening) because I am able to now. Spencer, my assistant, spent the afternoon writing letters, getting real estate tenants squared away, starting new phone service and more. I can now sit back and do what I'm good at and what I enjoy...writing for you!
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Thank you so much for all of your kind, encouraging words about my first issue of Finanical Wisdom with a TWI$T. So many of you emailed me to say thanks and congratulations. I felt so supported, which is what lead to this week's feature article. 
Attention all women!
ct empowerment program for them. For ages 16 to 106. 
Elisabeth Donati (aka Miss E) is CEO of Creative Wealth Intl., LLC, a company devoted to empowering individuals of all ages with the tools and information they need to be responsible for themselves and the world. She is also the creator of Camp Millionaire (formerly The Money Camp) and author of the amazing Financial Parenting Book, The Ultimate Allowance. 
