First off, big thanks to EFX (check him out by the way) for bringing this to my attention. If you’re not in the news loop like I’m usually not, let me quickly bring you up to speed. Donald Sterling, the owner of the NBA team the Los Angeles Clippers, was recently “caught” in a recorded conversation with his girlfriend. He was highly upset that she was posting pictures of herself on Instagram with black men and also, allegedly, bringing black people to the basketball games with her. Sterling didn’t seem to appreciate that very much, although she is mixed – both with Black and Mexican. If you missed the drama, catch it below. Make sure you listen closely. Don’t worry, I’ll wait… Now that the bombs have gone off and the smoke is clearing we can look at this situation from the perspective of the Game and without emotion. So Donald Sterling has been banned from the NBA for life. A lot of you are screaming, “Victory!” But is it really? Let’s chop this Game up. Alright, before I go here you need to understand something: The Game is a structure of power (and I’m not talking about the NBA either). As far as the Game is concerned, Sterling is the “king” of his own kingdom. A kingdom cannot function without people under the “king”, working to support the structure; in this instance, his basketball team which is predominantly made up of “minorities”. It doesn’t matter the race or color, what matters is they are upholding the structure. An owner doesn’t have to respect his employees. Sorry to disappoint you, that’s not a requirement of ownership. Sterling, whose birth name is Donald Tokowitz is a Jew. Why the name change? Because he’s a business man – a very high level Hustler; he understands that he must “move and shake” through certain circles and the last name can be a hindrance in certain areas. The man’s not ignorant. The last name Sterling is Scottish by the way and in Old English it means “little star”. Jews use the “Star of David” as their symbol – see the correlation? Sterling/Tokowitz started out as an attorney and then transitioned over to real estate. Now peep Game. The conversation between Sterling and his girlfriend (which mysteriously leaked out during a good time in his team’s franchise history) is about his personal image, reputation and that of his kingdom. All that equals money, it’s all business. Sterling is worth almost 2 billion dollars. Imagine the social circles and “sub-cultures” he runs in. I’ve told you all this many times (well those that have been rolling with me over the years), “kings” hang with “kings” and any weakness that a “king” shows destroys his image and reputation to other “kings”. Again, this all equates to money. His girlfriend’s actions are a violation of the Game Sterling is in. That Game is of course, big business. Listen closely to the conversation again. While you all see this as a racial issue, (which it is and I'm not denying that) a Hustler sees this as a “king”, trying to hold onto what he’s built. Anything that may hurt the survival of your business is a serious business Game violation. At his level, when the wolves smell weakness, they will attack and come in for the kill. Or they may back off and wait until he is so weak that they can just run him from his "kingdom". And they will do this all while pointing their fingers saying, “How dare you! You’re such a racist, how can we remain associated with you!” But behind closed doors they all think along the same lines. The Game runs deep. Now, while you all heard racism in that recording, us Hustlers heard, “Damn baby, you’re messing with my money! What are my business associates and contacts going to think?” (EFX nailed it – Game recognize Game). At our everyday level, it’s like working years to build up your career and here comes your close friend telling your boss all the negative stuff you said about them behind their back. This would sabotage your career and be a violation of friendship, wouldn’t it? Disloyalty. So as I predicted, Sterling has taken a loss. That’s just part of the Game, I’m sure he saw that coming. Advertisers pulled out left and right. People made statements, even President Obama made a statement. And despite everything that has gone down I just have one question. Has Sterling lost his “throne”? Check this. In case you weren’t paying attention, Sterling is worth nearly 2 billion. Yes that’s billion, with a “B”! He is required to pay a fine to the NBA of 2.5 million. That’s like me giving you a paper-cut. Yeah it stings but it’s going to heal real fast. Let’s keep it real. He’s going to be just fine. A Billion dollars speaks many languages. At that level people don’t care about your personal prejudices. In fact, Sterling can lose half his net worth and he is still doing better than 75% of the wealthiest Americans. But wait, there’s more. Let’s look at the weak display by his team. In typical weak Square fashion (call it plantation or slave mentality, whatever makes you feel comfortable) – the only reaction was a silent protest. A protest is defined as an expression – and expression is defined as: setting something forth in words. “WORDS”! So, according to the English dictionary – there is no such thing as a SILENT protest! Protests require words. Peep game. Many of you would have flipped if the players didn’t have any reaction whatsoever – they had to do something to pacify YOU. Their protest did nothing to change anything. I ask this question again. Has Sterling lost his “throne”? You’re not going to hear very much, if anything, from the Clipper players. Why? Because they won’t violate the Game they’re in. They know their position. They aren’t going to do anything major – you can quote me on that. The truth though, whether you want to hear it or not – financially, Sterling is going to be just fine. Why? Because that’s how the Game works. He has all the power, connections and wealth to establish another kingdom elsewhere, if he hasn’t already. And here’s something you Squares don’t think about. Sterling is being forced to sell his franchise team, The Clippers. Do you even know how much an NBA franchise sells for? Do you? Google it! Don’t worry, I’ll wait… So not only is Sterling going to get back his 2.5 million dollars he had to pay as a fine – he’s still going to get back a nice chunk of his investment. That's right, he's going to see a payday! Don’t you all see the Game? Once again, has Sterling lost anything? Anything at all? What, maybe his reputation? At his level you don’t need a reputation when you’re behind closed doors. Like I said, a billion dollars speaks many languages. So where is the fallout going? To the girlfriend – not to anyone who really matters. The Game being played is cold, isn’t it? And for you out there that disagree with me. Let me back this up with an article from another NBA owner, Mr. Mark Cuban himself, check it [HERE]. He made that statement and then Mr. Cuban turns around and tweets that he 100% agrees with the decision of Sterling being banned. Huh? Are you confused? Game recognize Game – do you see how these people move now… or no? The Verdict: Sterling has lost nothing significant. Just one of his many investments. He is still king of his “throne”. Just not his NBA "throne". So, where’s the justice in all this? You have to understand the Game. This is justice – but not by your weak definition. Most of you feel satisfied by these pathetic results anyway. In a week or two this will be old news and they will have another "controversy" for you to talk about. And the Game rolls on. What are your feelings and thoughts on the matter? Leave a comment below. Until next time. Want more? Subscribe to the Uncommon Sense Adviser – Free news, early access to future books, discounts and answers to questions too controversial for the blog. Join now by clicking [HERE].
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Reframing is one of those unordinary words. You don’t see it a lot and it’s very rarely said. The concept of it is very important. Reframing is considered an NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) technique. But to be quite honest, I learned this concept from the days of Hustling on the streets. We didn’t call it reframing, we just called it, “Not worrying about bulls@#t!” Some people make reframing synonymous with “positive thinking”. Although it can be similar, reframing is really just a change of perspective on a person, problem, event or situation. This is a powerful tool when it comes to using Uncommon Sense. When you’re taking a picture, the lens will only capture what it “sees”. Everything else that is not in the frame doesn’t exist in that picture. It wasn’t “seen” by it and therefore it wasn’t captured. Now let’s look at how this concept applies to reframing. When you reframe, you are looking at everything but only concentrating on the picture. What you want to “capture”. What are you “capturing”? Whatever is to your long-term benefit. The rest, 9 times out of 10, isn’t that important. Let’s look at a real life example: Many friendships and business “associations” can be torn apart or hit a rough patch when it comes to money. If someone borrows money from you and they fail to give it back, you will most likely take this personal and be upset. This is just disrespectful after all, isn’t it? Here’s the reframe: For whatever amount of money you lent that person, you now know their character. You know they aren’t a person of their word. So, if you continue with this person in your life, you know that they cannot be trusted with money. Life lessoned learned for a sacrifice of a few dollars. The situation could have been worse. That money was actually an investment. Here’s a personal real life example: I used to have a Hustle partner. He went by the name, New York. We ran our mobile routes together and watched each other’s backs. He was a real Player and I dare anyone to tell me he’s wasn’t. Anyway… So these other Hustlers were slickly trying to move into one of our “spots” (sales territory). New York and I didn’t make too much of it, we were extremely well known. Our reputations were “Game Tight”. The majority of the money was coming to us regardless. In essence, they were wasting their time. Now although we let this violation pass, over time it became a disturbance. They attracted wayyy too much attention; the wrong kind of attention. The store owners and managers in the area began to ask them to leave. And in typical Square fashion, they felt it was wrong to ask them to leave and not ask us to leave. So they did. Ahhh… the mind’s of Squares… So we left the “spot” alone for a couple weeks. “What!?” I can hear you saying this to yourself. “You let those other Hustlers run you out of your own spot and mess with your money?” Stay with me – this is how a Hustler thinks. Here’s the reframe: By leaving the "spot" temporarily we showed ultimate respect to those that asked us to leave. And you know what this did when we went back? It made us trustworthy and increased our respect. This of course expanded our Game (maybe I’ll make a post about this concept another day). In fact, when a similar incident happened a few months later, instead of asking all of us to leave, they came to New York and I and asked us to handle the situation. And you know we did. Uncommon Sense rules once again. How does handling a situation benefit you in the long-term? If you can consistently answer that question, you will have mastered the art of reframing. Stop worrying about so much bulls@#t - it's a waste of time and energy. Until next time. Want more? Subscribe to the Uncommon Sense Adviser – Free news, early access to future books, discounts and answers to questions too controversial for the blog. Join now by clicking [HERE]. Another beautiful day here in Atlanta, I am feeling quite fantastic thank you for asking. I’m sitting here looking out the window and you know how your mind drifts? You start thinking about the past - your mistakes, failures, good times, things you wish you could do again and things you wish you never did in the first place? Well, it’s one of those days for me. There was a time in my life when I surrounded myself with women. I’m a man, I like the company of women, shoot me. Moving on… I remember this one particular young lady. She was beautiful; she was almost completely my type. I don’t care who you are, everyone has a type. We don’t always go out of our way to get it, but when we see it, we know it. My first time seeing her, I just observed as I watched her pass-by. You know how some men are, they aren’t going to let an attractive woman walk by without saying something. Let’s just say there were a lot of men saying something. I’m not that kind of man. I’m not shy by any means I’ve just never been a thirsty dude. I think it’s just the Hustler in me; "Money over… ," you know the saying. With that being said, I’ve never met a Hustler who didn’t have a serious mouth-piece and they can use it for anything. Fast forward and to the point – When I finally did approach her I got the slight blow off. Her boyfriend was in jail and she was waiting for him. A faithful woman, I respect things like that so my reply was simply, “If that situation ever changes, you let me know.” And about a week later she did. First date, it was time to put on my cool. So I go to pick her up and here she is in a skin-tight short black skirt, black fishnet stockings, a killer pair of heels, breasts pushed up to her neck and just enough make-up to bring out her eyes and lips. Stunning! In situations like this, you gotta have self-control. You know, play it cool. If there’s one thing I know how to do, it’s play it cool. I’m not a club person but I took her to one. Why not Network and enjoy myself at the same time? That’s called time management in case you didn’t know. Yes I was on a date but hey, I had a business to run. I don’t dance so I told her if she wanted to dance, then go for it. I wasn’t there to stop her from enjoying herself. But you know what? She never hit the dance floor. She spent thirty minutes just dancing in front of me. Now, as a Hustler you have to “peep Game” at this point. She was trying to send me a message and I heard it loud and clear. Fast forward – I’m dropping her back at her apartment and we get into the inevitable conversation about her past. Drama with her family, drama with her mother (who she currently lived with), drama with her ex’s, her prior drug abuse, her prior profession of being an exotic dancer (this one didn’t bother me that much) and how she was struggling financially. Now any self-respecting Hustler takes all this information in, decodes it and comes up with a logical conclusion. If there was going to be a relationship, it was going to be either really good because she was looking to do better in her life. Or really bad because something inside her kept her surrounded in drama. Guess which one? Here's a hint, I don't like unnecessary drama. The moral of the story is this. No matter how good someone looks on the outside, inside they can be the number one cause of their own problems. And this is true with the World in general. No matter how good the outside looks, everything in life has drama in it. It’s like getting a new job. You’re happy to be working that first month, but then the reality starts kicking in and slowly, over time, you grow to hate parts of it or the whole thing. But you know what? How can you not love it? Life is the best teacher if you’re paying attention to the right things. You can never completely avoid drama, but you can take it and change it or just walk away. Life always offers the choice. Until next time… Keep it moving and keep it simple in the process. Want more? Subscribe to the Uncommon Sense Adviser – Free news, early access to future books, discounts and answers to questions too controversial for the blog. Join now by clicking [HERE]. Learn to Unleash the Greatness Within and Master Your Life. The "Little Black Book" is Finally Here! What is the Game and How Do You Learn to Play?
The Game is a system of power centuries old that has kept you in a state of powerlessness. When you understand how the Game works, you can no longer be manipulated by those that use it against you. Have you ever had a dream for your life that you let go? How about goals in your life that you never accomplished? The essence of the Game is self-empowerment – it will give you confidence in yourself and your natural abilities. You will become the Master of your destiny. I had to be careful writing this book because of the very nature of the Game. When used unethically you will have the ability and means to manipulate others. This is not how the Game was designed to be used. People use it against you because they can! The Game was designed to make you take complete control of yourself - making you more effective in every area of your life. So why did I write it? Because the Game is vastly misunderstood and those that claim they have “it”, are in a state of misunderstanding and confusion. It’s time to clear all this mess up. What You’ll Learn:
Even if you don't have a Kindle device, the digital edition can still be read on your iPad, iPhone, Android device and even your PC using the free Kindle app. Paperback edition also available Spring is here! This is personally my favorite time of the year. It’s not too hot; nature feels alive and full of energy. Spring is also an excellent time to start a side hustle. What is a side hustle? It’s anything you do, apart from your 9-to-5 job, to bring in some extra income. Spring marks the beginning of what we call, “The Summer Stretch”. From spring, all the way until its back to school time (here in the states anyway), people are more inclined to spend money. Then at the end of summer, spending slows down and picks up again in October. These spending habits are generally accepted in the business World and Hustlers keep this in mind as well. There are summer blockbusters at the movies for a reason, after all. That’s some free business Game from yours truly. Anyway, moving on… So here is a list of 20 side hustles that are simple to start and can easily bring in a few extra hundred-dollars per month. And if you’re really ambitious, these can even be turned into full-fledged businesses if you want. These are in no particular order – Let’s get to it: (1) Photographer – Weddings, birthdays, special events, family reunions and the list goes on. Yes, you have to have skill, a good camera and lighting for certain shoots, but the rewards are well worth it. (2) Chef – From catering full events to maybe just baking desserts, if you feel you can throw down in the kitchen then get to it! If you work it right you can even deliver to office parks on a regular schedule. Heck, I’ve known Hustlers who only used to sell water, soda, fruit cups, cookies and cake slices. (3) Babysitter – If you’re stuck at home and love kids then why not? Day Cares make a killing. Now there are some legal things you have to keep in mind because you can’t grow too big – but in this day and time, this service is always needed. (4) Bookkeeper – If you’re already an accountant why not help local small businesses on the side? (5) Car Detailer – I’ve seen people hang out at do-it-yourself car washes and offer their services to fully detail cars. Interior, exterior, hand waxing and getting to all the little nooks and crannies. Depending on how good you are, three or four cars a day is all you need. (6) Dog Walker – Love animals? Then this one is easy. It’s all in the scheduling. Only a few hours a day and you’re set. And you’re getting paid while you exercise and enjoy the outdoors. (7) Event Planner/Wedding Planner – I honestly feel that some people are made for this style of work. You have to have vision, organization skills and a ton of patience but the rewards are worth it. (8) Hair Stylists/Barber – Self explanatory. A small group of loyal clients is all you need for consistent extra income. (9) Hauling/Mover – Have a truck? You can haul away unwanted junk or help people move. People are busy and relieving this burden is worth the price for them. And who knows, some of that “junk” may be valuable to someone else. (10) Yard Sale Organizer – Get a group of people together in your neighborhood and have everyone bring all their unwanted items to a huge yard sale. You can sell your own “junk” in the process and charge the “vendors” just a few dollars for your organization skills. Then branch out to other neighborhoods. (11) Interior Decorator – Add beauty and take away the stress of people who want to redecorate their home’s and condo’s. You really need solid people skills and a knack for design but this is easily doable as a side-hustle. (12) Landscaper/Gardener – Interior decorating not your thing? Then why not help beautify the outside? This side-hustle is very simple to expand. Office parks, hotels and apartment complexes need this service as well. (13) Fund-Raiser – If you have an inner passion to help others, you can put yourself in a position to help non-profit organizations raise more funds. Hint: non-profit organizations ALWAYS need more funds. (14) Painter – Outside or inside, spring and summer are the perfect times of year for this service. Provide quality work and word of mouth will expand your Hustle. Get with private real estate investors who flip houses and don’t have time to paint themselves. (15) Personal Trainer/Yoga Instructor – If you work-out often and are very knowledgeable about diet and nutrition then why not take all that knowledge and experience and bring in a little extra income? You only need a handful of clients for consistent revenue. (16) Free-lance Assistant – Here’s an interesting one. As an entrepreneur myself, sometimes we get tired are wore out doing EVERYTHING in our business. It’s nice to have someone come by once or twice a week to do the things that we don’t want to spend much time on. (17) DJ – This used to be an expensive start-up. Now all you need is a laptop, microphone and a killer playlist (and maybe some great speakers). Keep the crowds moving and your clients will be satisfied. (18) Editor – If you’re the consummate book worm then this can be for you. Authors (me included) are generally pretty bad at editing our own work. Why not offer a helping hand? This requires some patience and above standard grammatical skills but there is some good money here. (19) Consultant – Consultation can be a thankless side hustle (I speak from experience). At first they love you and then they feel like they could have done it without you. But if you have skills in an area you can offer those. Business to Business, fashion and technology rule the day here. (20) Musical Instructor – From the classics such as guitar and piano all the way down to showing people how to use their digital music programs – you can easily carve a small niche for yourself. This only requires a few hours a week and can be started with very little money. This is far from a comprehensive list of everything that can be turned into a side hustle. This list should however, be enough to get your wheels spinning about how easy it can be to bring in some extra income. Just remember, side hustles are usually based off of a skill you have. They can also be doing something people don’t have time to do themselves, or don’t want to do. Until next time keep it moving and keep it simple in the process. Want more? Subscribe to the Uncommon Sense Adviser – Free news, early access to future books, discounts and answers to questions too controversial for the blog. Join now by clicking [HERE]. |
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