Pebble Grain Team

101 things to do with a Pound Coin!!

Many people who follow me in property know that I am promoting Rick Otton’s strategies for buying property using no bank financing and none of my own money (except a pound)! I recently bought a house for £1 in London and I thinking back to the mental obstacle that I first had to overcome to do this.

So I set up myself a funny challenge where I have written a list for the current economic crisis, of what you CAN actually do with £1 just to illustrate what is possible if you have an open mind! If you really can’t wait just go straight to number 101… or look at www.1poundhouse.co.uk

I had great fun writing this list and asking people around me for their input. Enjoy It !

1. Save it (sorry, you currently get very little interest for this).
2. Become a very small partner in a very small business.
3. Give it to someone who needs it, that’s just about everyone in the phone book right now.
4. Buy a few bites of someone’s pizza slice.
5. Throw them into the sea instead of pebbles to make an expensive trip to the beach.
6. Cash it in for 100 pennies and drop them everywhere (it’s good luck for people).
7. Alternately, use those 100 pennies for 100 wishes in a fountain.
8. Bet someone heads or tails in the street for it.
9. Use it to win a crappy stuffed toy from a grabbing machine.
10. Give it to the homeless guy in the city centre.
11. Double it every day. You’ll be a millionaire in just 20 days.
12. Be spoilt for choice at the £1 shop.
13. Make a bet to trade the lives of a stockbroker and conman.
14. Swap it for two shiny 50 pence pieces.
15. Get fake attention from a stripper for roughly 5 seconds.
16. Buy a scratch card and turn your £1 into a piece of garbage.
17. Buy two copies of the evening standard and wish you had just read the free metro.
18. Get a bargain from Oxfam and help a charity at the same time.
19. Wedge it in the door to keep it open.
20. Request a song from the busker in your local town centre.
21. Buy and read a classic novel from a used bookstore. Then sell it for £1.
22. Develop 2 digital photos and create a mini album of memories.
23. Put it down as extra payment on your mortgage; pay off your house 0.00000000000000000001 years earlier (best guess).
24. Use it as a very ineffective paper weight.
25. Use it instead of confetti at a wedding (carefully).
26. Photocopy it and have several pin-ups of the queen.
27. Download a legal song from iTunes.
28. Stock up on a week’s supply of Ramen noodles.
29. Get one third of a loaf of decent 7-grain bread.
30. Buy a full day’s food for a poor family in Africa.
31. Get the silence of a child if you buy a big lollypop.
32. Buy one share of an ailing company.
33. Buy one-thirtieth of one share in Microsoft.
34. Put it on the end of a fishing line and play win or lose.
35. Bribe an office worker for a tip about what to do with £1
36. Have a special chess piece
37. Stand it on its edge for as long as you can.
38. Exchange it for the new £1 coin and hunt for a vending machine that accepts it.
39. Roll it down the hill then try to find it.
40. Give it to someone who has one and you have doubled their savings instantly.
41. Buy a lottery ticket and try to beat the odds of 14m to 1.
42. Make a fortune by betting on a winning horse with odds of 50,000 – 1.
43. Purchase a £1 million bill from a magic store and cash it at Tesco’s
44. Buy a reduced price calendar in September
45. Have a 15 minute jog on the running machine if you don’t have monthly gym membership.
46. Park your car for 10 minutes in central London.
47. Bet someone £1 you can dance worse than M.C.Hammer. Lose bet
48. Drinks all round at your place – Tea that is.
49. Get half of your shirt dry-cleaned.
50. Buy a sheet of paper and a pencil. Write an award-winning short story.
51. Bury it. Dig it up 200 years from now and hey presto, it’s an antique.
52. Get a haircut. Which hair is up to you.
53. Treat yourself again at the 99p shop
54. Get a supply of food for your pet worm.
55. Spend one hour at the penny arcade.
56. Get your palm read at the carnival (for £1 your fortune may be bleak).
57. Buy a key ring, open up a gift shop at the airport and sell it for £10.
58. Visit the fair and throw some balls to win the losers prize.
59. Buy a bunch of jaw breakers and shove them all in your mouth.
60. Exchange it on Craigslist for something cool, like a jigsaw with 5 missing pieces.
61. Knit yourself a one-fingered glove.
62. Put it in your left hand breast pocket in case a hit man has the wrong person.
63. Buy a tub of imitation play dough and regress to childhood.
64. Make lemonade out of lemons; four for a pound at most supermarkets.
65. Write, direct, produce and star in your own seriously low-budget movie.
66. Team up with 100,000 other folks with £1 and have an enormous party.
67. Or, team up with a billion other folks with £1 and feed the hungry.
68. Travel 100 yards on the tube in central London
69. Fill your tires with air and vacuum the car’s interior.
70. Buy two large rubber bands and make your own designer thong.
71. Buy a pay-per-view episode of a show you could have seen for free last week.
72. Rent a car for 7 minutes.
73. Place it in a fire to show that you don’t burn money.
74. Stick it on an envelope instead of a stamp – may not get delivered
75. Buy something that will last forever a low energy light bulb
76. Travel back to 1785 and pop it in a savings account.
77. Paint it red and stick it in the games box.
78. Give it to a pensioner and ask them what could they buy for it in the 50’s – be patient.
79. Buy some Tic-Tacs for the chain-smoker at work.
80. Use it under the table leg if the table wobbles.
81. Give it to a complete stranger, winking as you do it and watch their reaction.
82. Stick it in the freezer to use as an expensive ice cube.
83. Stick it in the pension fund and watch the value fall away.
84. Glue it to the underside of a glass table and watch the hilarious results.
85. Swap the it back for one of your old teeth from the tooth fairy
86. Ask a complete moron to swap it for a £50 bill (if this works, let me know).
87. Tape it to your forehead. When people ask why, say you are the chosen one.
88. Give it to Gordon Brown and see him fund a no hope election battle.
89. See how many flushes it takes to get it down the toilet
90. Give it to the CEO of a major oil company, along with the shirt off your back.
91. Drop it at your accountant’s office to test his/her honesty.
92. Get something cool in your local Discovery Channel Store’s closing down sale.
93. Go into the Starbucks and ask them for a small taste of an espresso
94. Buy half a box of popcorn at the cinema.
95. Purchase enough paint to completely redecorate one wall of the dog kennel.
96. Give it to your grandma to say thank you for all the times she gave you a £1.
97. Save it until the day after Valentine’s Day and buy a large box of chocolate.
98. Get front-row tickets to the New Kids on the Block comeback tour.
99. Take it to a scientist to prove that money does not actually talk
100. Buy shares in newly bankrupted UK bank.

101. Buy a House using Rick Otton’s new strategies for buying property in the current market. To find out how go to www.1poundhouse.co.uk

 

About the Author

Rick Otton, the world’s # 1 authority on ‘no money down’ property investing who’s bought and sold almost two properties every month for the last 22 years, invites you to check out his little Known “Buy A House For A Pound” proven and tested UK System www.1poundhouse.co.uk

Jump Start Your Day (Like an Athlete)

Can you imagine a high-performing athlete showing up for a competition, thinking, "I'll just see how it goes?" It would be ludicrous! We all know that athletes need to properly prepare for a competition. They make sure they get enough sleep, eat well, check their equipment, and repeatedly envision a successful competition. In fact, most coaches would argue that an athlete's attention to preparation could easily make or break their competition.

So why should preparation for work be any different? We spend about one-third of our working years at work. Don't you think that is too much time to leave to chance? Every day, either consciously or unconsciously, we choose how we come to work. We might think that the quality of our day is determined by outside circumstances: how people drive on their morning commutes, the line-up at Tim Hortons, or how heavy our workload is. In fact, what determines the quality of our day, more than anything else, are our intention and choices.

When you jump-start your day, you consciously pre-empt the day with a clear intention of the success you look forward to creating. You choose to see the big picture, instead of short-term frustrations. You choose to stay focused on your goals and to continually make the decisions that allow you to complete tasks. You plan to create the best possible success for yourself and for others, despite whatever crisis others find themselves in. In short, you don't leave your day to chance. In the words of Abraham Lincoln, ". . . your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing."

TRUE CONFESSIONS

For many years, my morning routine between waking and leaving for work was admittedly a disaster. Every morning, I wanted to pack in as much work, exercise, and time with my family as I could, but it wasn't working. My unrealistic expectations left me frustrated, and my family resigned to my chaotic rushing.

About eight years ago, I decided to take a close look at what wasn't working, and I found someone to blame (guess who?). I realized that, while I aspired to enjoy productive mornings, where I was free to focus on my activity of choice, I was delusional. Instead of enjoying both my time and family time, I wasn't enjoying either. I was typically absent from breakfast and was instead either frantically trying to finish some work, or halfway through a workout.

It was a recipe for disaster, and I was the chef.

My first change was to go to bed earlier (I am usually comatose after about 10pm anyways). Then I experimented with my routine, and settled on rising at 5am, staying off the email, and being more realistic about my goals. I also became fanatical about planning the first two hours of the morning the night before. This last change was easy—all it took was a couple of minutes to scribble down my plans for the morning. On a typical morning, it might read:

• Finish client proposal
• Blog
• 6:15 go for paddle
• 7:15 walk Riley (dog)
• Kate (daughter) needs ride to school

I now have almost two hours every morning to read, write, work on Boulders, and exercise guaranteed that I won't be interrupted. This time has become sacred space, and is incredibly important to my sense of achievement and peace.

Let's look at three other strategies for jump-starting your day:

ENVISION SUCCESS

Just like athletes, we can create more success by envisioning the best possible outcomes for ourselves. If you have a heavy workload or tough meeting planned for the day, spend a minute to see it going well. Your prediction for success will lift your mood and help create a positive attitude.

This isn't 1990s positive thinking; your brain is actually hard- wired to spot more of what you want. Let me explain.

Prehistorically, we were constantly on the lookout for our survival needs: food, a mate, safety, and shelter (of course, not always in that order). Through natural selection, we evolved to have a kind of built-in radar for what we want, be it that certain model of Toyota, the new iPhone, or a sunny vacation destination.

Even though we're not running around the Savanna half-naked, fighting for survival, our highly attuned internal radar is busy at work. Once you create the focus on what you want, you will become more aware of examples of it around you.

For example, you could be zooming along the highway, thinking about work, when you suddenly spot the model of car you like. Out of hundreds of cars, and in only a split second, you managed to pick out the one car four lanes away. You even noticed the tinted windows or paint color that you like. That's a pretty powerful focus.

This classic self-fulfilling prophecy (I tend to get more of what I am looking for) can be put to work for positive results as well. Here's one example of how I use it:

Moments before I step on stage to give a speech, I create a powerful mental focus on how I want to feel in front of the audience. I know I want to feel calm, but excited, resourceful, and ready to share. I create the image in my mind, and allow my body to respond emotionally.
Within seconds of stepping on stage, I start to notice examples of feeling pretty good, and of even having fun. I see someone in the audience having a good time listening to my crazy story about flying to the South Pole. I notice my body feels relaxed and loose. I realize that I've just delivered one of my lessons, and wasn't using my notes (always good a sign).

As I notice these clues, I remind myself that everything is working: I'm relaxed, the audience is engaged, the timing is good—it's working. I think to myself: ‘I can be giving a speech and having a heck of a good time!' Perfect! Now I'm in the state I need to be in to perform at my best. No longer am I fixated on A/V set-up and timing details; I'm in the moment, doing my thing, and getting rewarded for it.

Envisioning success is also a great exercise for your morning commute. Take just a moment to envision the sales meeting going well, and getting the ‘Yes' you are looking for. See the list on your Day Plan shrinking as you cross Pebbles off your list. Envision yourself enjoying an afternoon walk and feeling successful and happy with your accomplishments. It only takes a few minutes, but the impact can last all day, and can make the difference between having just another day at work, and feeling powerful, successful, and in control.

PREPARE FOR THE GAMES

Are you taking care of the basics? Do you get enough sleep, exercise regularly, and eat a good breakfast? All the mental machinations in the world can't overcome the drag of an engine that's running on empty. It's pretty simple: if you neglect your body, you will pay the price in terms of concentration, energy, emotions, and health. The trick is to establish a routine that will fuel your engine. My rule is that if it's convenient, affordable, and enjoyable, I'll probably stick with it. Here are some of the basics.

Stay hydrated. Coffee and tea don't hydrate you; in fact they are diuretics that draw water out of your cells. You maybe noticed that drinking more tea will leave you with a dry mouth. Pounding back the mugs of java or sipping your favorite leaf brew makes for sluggish circulation - your heart has to work harder, and your body starts to redirect blood away from areas not vital for survival (like the brain). A simple solution is to start the day with a large glass of water. That will get you off to a great start. Then, you need to match every cup of coffee or tea with a glass of water.

Exercise at least thirty minutes per day. Okay, let's get real about exercise. First fact: most people are never going to commit to a regular exercise routine. Second fact: people will commit to something they enjoy. No wonder TV wins over exercise, and so does reading, eating, Internet and a host of other distractions.

It may not be a scientifically accurate research study, but every time I ask an audience if they would like to be in better physical shape virtually all hands go up. This leads to the third fact: almost everyone wants to be in better physical shape.

So the desire is there, but not the will. The mismatch is that exercise sounds like work, not something to be enjoyed. The solution should be obvious: make exercise something you enjoy. First, commit to a goal. What's it going to be: look better in the mirror, run that ten-kilometre race, complete the cycling tour or just feel better in the morning? Next start a new routine that you actually look forward to enjoying. Combine listening to an audio book or
podcast with your walk or while on the stationary bike. Join a riding club, sports team or hiking group. Or stretch your self (literally) with yoga, Tai Chi or Karate. There are hundreds of options that provide alternative ways to exercise in unique ways.

Once you have the ‘why' clearly defined, you just need to stick with your plan. Three steps: pick the goal, commit, start and don't stop. It's like an Olympic athlete once said, "There's only two times you need to exercise to be prepared for the Olympics: when you want to and when you don't."

WALK A DOG - IT'S GOOD FOR YOU

After over twenty years of training for marathons and pretty consistent long workouts, Riley made me cut back on my workouts. Riley is our new dog and dogs (as I quickly learned) need a lot of exercise. So my runs and long bike rides have turned into morning and night walks – every day. And here's the surprise: sixty to ninety minutes of brisk walking (we run together on weekends) is a lot of exercise. And, even though, it wasn't the regular, more intensive workouts I was used to it was more consistent and it was a lot of hours with a leash. So I did some research.

It turns out those thirty minutes of brisk walking, just five days a week is a fantastic fitness program! In a longitudinal study of 72,000 female nurses this amount of exercise is associated with a thirty to 40% lower risk of heart disease, reduced risk of breast cancer and type 2 Diabetes.(1)

A similar study related this level of exercise to a twenty to 30% lower risk of gallstone surgery in women and half the risk of strokes in men.(2)(3) And the list goes on for general health benefits, like: lower risk of hip fracture, arthritis, colon cancer, mood swings, impotence, depression and osteoporosis. Not bad results for the equivalent time as watching the evening news.(4)

Eat for long energy. In the morning skip the pop tarts and go for complex carbohydrates (whole grain bread, cereal) with protein (yogurt, cottage cheese or skim milk) and fruit. Stay off the high-sugar-content sweets, cereals or pastries. There is a reason why ‘sugar' is first on the list of ingredients for most of these goodies and it's not because they are good for your health.

Your objective is to fuel up for the next four to five hours, so think long-term. The quick hit of pastry or muffin with coffee might work short-term, but you'll be hitting an energy low soon after.

Sleep to recharge. The jury is out on how much sleep we need, but the verdict is that too little is obviously not good, but nor is too much either. If you aren't getting the sleep you need you need to get it right and you probably need a professional's advice. When you get this one right, it is a catalyst for all aspects of your health.

Pack a snack. Here's quick re-frame my wife gave me years ago: muffins, that staple of mid-morning snacks, are nothing more than cake wrapped in paper. Yuck, that re-frame has stuck with me for years, and has kept my paws off many a treat. Let's face it: most snacks we eat during the day aren't designed to give us slow-burn energy. Healthier alternatives, like fruit, nuts and raw vegetables have to be more convenient than the vending machine. Every day (even when travelling) bring an interesting variety of healthy goodies and experiment to find what makes you feel best when you need to be at your best.

AVOID THE RUSH

Do you find yourself rushing to get to meetings on time, rushing to finish that phone call before your next appointment and then, topping it all off, rushing to get home on time? Constant rushing can cost you in terms of mistakes made, appointments missed, elevated stress and setting a poor example for anyone watching. Maybe it's time to look at what is simply habit and can be changed. Here are four solutions that will help you slow your jets and still get it all done.

Don't start rushed. Allow enough time to get to work early, get settled in and review your plans for the week and for the day. Pilots don't jump in the seat just before takeoff and neither should you.

Start the day prepared. At the end of every day, prepare your plan for the next day and update your Action Plan. Just taking ten minutes for this ritual can mean less worry on the drive home, being more organized in the morning and being more decisive all through the day.

Allow enough time. You know that a thirty-minute meeting will actually take forty-five minutes by the time you get ready for it, attend, and return to your desk, so block the time needed. Underestimating time needed for meetings, appointments and Pebbles just sets you up for more rushing and stress.

Plan to get back on track. I find that in the late morning and mid-afternoon I need ten minutes to revisit my plan, take a break and refocus. It's not a big investment of time, but it makes a world of difference to what happens next.

KEEP THE FOCUS

By now you should know I'm a big advocate for minimizing distractions and starting at full speed. A critical first step is to protect the first ninety minutes of the day. If you are like most people, this is the most productive time in your day. Stay off the email, focus on your Day Plan and keep interruptions short. This is the time to move Boulders forward, have difficult conversations, make decisions and cross Pebbles off your list.

 

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1 Based on the twenty year Nurses' Health Study of 72,000 female nurses.
2 A Harvard study of more than 60,000 women ages 40 to 65.
3 According to a Harvard study of more than 11,000 men.
4 Be sure to check with your doctor on the level of exercise that's best for you.

 

Copyright © 2010 Marathon Communications Inc All rights reserved.

About the Author

Hugh D. Culver is a passionate advocate of the enduring power of vision, personal choice and constant improvement. He has worked with over 450 organizations to inspire change, growth and success in the workplace. Learn more about Hugh's keynote presentations, workshops and resources at www.HughCulver.com or by calling 1.800.313.0799.

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