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Tiger Woods Apologizes…What does it mean?
Posted in Professional Athletes on February 19, 2010
Today was a day of reckoning for Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods apologized for his indiscretions to his wife, his mother, friends, and to his fellow mates on the PGA Tour. He seemed contrite and apologetic and even seemed at one point to hold back tears as he read his 7-8 page prepared statement. Many will agree that Tiger is the greatest golfer on the planet and many like me are waiting for him to get back to what he does extremely well. I am in the minority, in that I believe that Tiger did not need to apologize to me because it was a personal matter. I never purchased products because Tiger Woods endorsed those products. The media and some sports analysts believe that Tiger should apologize to the public because he has accepted public money and he portrayed himself as a family man and a role model. As the often misguided Charles Barkley often says, “athletes are not role models.” I agree whole heartedly. Tiger Woods is not daily part of my life. In my opinion, Tiger suffered from the same disease that all athletes experience at the elite level and that is the spirit of invincibility. I like that he addressed that in his statement, in which he said, “I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn’t have to go far to find them. I was wrong. I was foolish. I don’t get to play by different rules. The same boundaries that apply to everyone apply to me…”
Hopefully Tiger can move on with the rest of his life and repair the relationship with his wife and family. He does not owe it to the public to give updates about his life or his marriage. It was a series of non-public events that occurred and because he is a public figure and the best golfer on the planet, his situation is magnified at the highest resolution.
What does it mean for Tiger Woods? I think Tiger will continue getting therapy and working on his marriage. He has already started working out and practicing on the golf course again. I look forward to seeing an intense focused Tiger in the near future. I think he will win and win big. All of the sponsors that did not back him, will have to pay double for his services. I’m not sure if he has changed his ways and only time will tell.
What does this have to do with discovering your blueprint? In his statement, Tiger mentioned several times how he strayed away from his values and his faith during this time of “temptation.” He conformed to the way that the world does things and did not stay true to his beliefs and values. It is during these times of self-reflection Tiger will get back to his roots.
Save Thousands by Converting to a Roth IRA
Posted in Financial on February 11, 2010
Save Thousands by Converting to a Roth IRA
The Tip:There are many positive reasons to switch your traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. The biggest of which is that it’s possible earn a lot more in the end by saving on taxes. Until 2010, income restrictions prevented many people from converting their traditional IRAs or old employer retirement accounts to Roths. This year, however, those restrictions are permanently eliminated! What’s the Difference? A conversion makes sense only if you can pay the taxes out of pocket without tapping the IRA funds. Otherwise, the reduced investment cancels out your tax savings. Fortunately, this year, the IRS is helping by allowing you to pay taxes on your conversion over two years. So start setting money aside now to cover your tax bill by 2012. How Much Can You Save? Here’s something else to think about. If you expect to have a higher tax rate when you retire (and many people do) the value of a traditional IRA will drop even more. But, higher taxes do notaffect a Roth! On the other hand, if you expect to have a lower tax rate when you retire, it may make more sense to keep your traditional IRA than to pay taxes on a conversion at your current, higher rate. Many More Benefits
Is a Conversion Right for You? This information is courtesy of Dave Ramsey. |
College Drop Out Rates – Who’s to Blame?
Posted in Miscellaneous on February 3, 2010
This is a repost from another blog, but I think it’s pertinent information to discovering your blueprint. Please let me know your thoughts:
For some students, getting accepted to a university is only the first in an uphill battle toward a degree. Persevering long enough to graduate can be just as challenging.
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau revealed in 2000 that one in three Americans drops out of college. This is an increase from the 1960s when one in five discontinued his or her studies.
Some studies indicate that a considerable proportion of college dropouts come from low-income families. The U.S. Department of Education found that 41% of low-income students enrolled in a four-year institution managed to graduate within five years. For higher income students, this jumps to 66%. Of the low income students that did not return, 47% left in good academic standing.
Though research links financial difficulties to dropout rates, there are a number of factors that account for why students decide to leave school. Students tend to drop out because their expectations of college—academically, socially, or both—don’t match up with the reality once they get there. They also suffer from lack of motivation, inadequate preparation, and poor study skills.
The National Center for Education Statistics indicates that dropout rates are particularly high for African American and Hispanic students. Other student populations at greater risk of dropping out include those who are the first in their family to attend college, those who have limited English proficiency, and nontraditional students such as returning adult students.
Few students who drop out eventually finish their education. Those that do return to college usually don’t do it immediately. About 12% of the undergraduate population consists of re-entry students. These students are defined as those over the age of 25.
Many college students—especially dropouts—are burdened with debt accumulated from loans that could have been avoided or minimized by choosing other education and training options. Debt from student loans hurt those who never finish college. Most dropouts are left with big debts and mediocre job prospects.
It is estimated that 40% of college students will leave higher education without getting a degree, with 75% percent of these students leaving within their first two years of college. Freshman class attrition rates are typically greater than any other academic year and are commonly as high as 20-30%. These statistics show a need for colleges to do something about retention rates.
An alarming number of schools have no specific plan or goals in place to improve student retention and degree completion. Colleges tend to put the blame on students, rather than on themselves. College officials, when given lists of both student and institution characteristics that might affect a student’s decision to drop out, identified 13 student characteristics that they felt significantly contribute to student attrition. In contrast, respondents identified only two institution characteristics as having a significant impact on attrition. It is quite troubling that colleges are still inclined to hold students largely responsible for their retention, while dramatically minimizing the institutional role in this problem.
When a student drops out of college, everyone loses—the student, the college, and the greater society. College retention rates are important issues that impact not only colleges, but our country and its future competitiveness in the global economy.
Students’ academic readiness is a key factor in college retention. Students who are well prepared for college coursework are more likely to stay in school. Academic help alone is not enough to keep many students in school. Students also need individual support to feel connected to the campus community. Helping students succeed in the classroom is a very positive step, but if students feel isolated or feel as if they don’t fit in, they won’t stay. It’s important for colleges to offer programs and services that integrate first-year students into the social fabric of the college community, so that they feel a part of campus life from the very start of their college experience.
Some schools are establishing practices that appear to be highly effective in increasing student retention. These include social integration practices,multicultural centers, new academic advising practices, and learning support practices. Student retention is everyone’s business on a college campus and a thoroughly integrated and coordinated approach needs to be taken to assure success.
Many colleges have not yet made retention efforts a high priority. Fewer than half (47%) of all college officials responding to an ACT survey say they have established a goal for improved retention of first-year students, and only a third (33%) say they have established a goal for improved degree completion. In addition, only around half (52%) say they have an individual on staff that is responsible for coordinating retention strategies.
Author is: Gayla Martindale
Read more: College Drop Out Rates – Who’s to Blame? – StateUniversity.com Blog
Heisman Trophy Son, Fugitive NFL Father
Posted in Professional Athletes on January 15, 2010
Mark Ingram is the star sophomore running back of the newly crowned National Champions of the University of Alabama. That’s an amazing feat considering that many collegiate athletes don’t win the Heisman as a Sophomore especially under his personal circumstances. I had a conversation with my cousin one day and we were talking about my company and the work that I do with professional athletes and he said do you know Mark Ingram’s story and I said no. He said, that is former New York Giants wide receiver, Mark Ingram’s son.
As I begin to do some research, I discovered an article in Sports Illustrated that shared his story. Mark Sr. was sentenced to serve 92 months for money laundering and bank fraud. He was due to report to federal prison in Kentucky on December 5th 2008 and he failed to report and a month-long manhunt ensued as his son prepared to play in the Sugar Bowl. Two-hours before the kick-off of his son’s biggest game, Mark Sr. was found in a hotel in Flint, Michigan.
I remember Mark Ingram Sr. as a wide receiver for the New York Giants. I remember the catch that he made in the Super Bowl to extend the drive down the field to win it all. He was a good wide receiver and had a good 10 year career in the NFL, but as I see so often with NFL, NBA, and MLB players, some are good people, but they make bad decisions. Those decisions have affected his family, put a shadow over his son’s college career.
I watched a video titled Mark Ingram: In His Own Words and I could see how Mark Sr. wanted to help other young men understand that they are held accountable for their actions. My perception is that most athletes realize the mistakes they have made when it is too late. The other issue that I have is that these piranas that are out here preying on collegiate and professional athletes enticing them into troublesome situations. We have all heard the stories about many athletes and the trouble they have found themselves in during and after their professional career.
I hope that my firm can make a difference working with athletes to help them make better decisions. I was once told when I was 15 years old that, “the decisions you make from here on out will affect you for the rest of your life.” Looking at this story has made me realize the truth of that statement. I am glad that Mark Sr. & Jr. had a great relationship and I am hoping that his son has learned and will learn from his mistakes.
Guns in the NBA
Posted in Professional Athletes on January 7, 2010
Gilbert Arenas, the Washington Wizards star player was suspended indefinitely today by NBA Commissioner Dave Stern because of three reasons:
- He brought four unloaded guns to his office at the Verizon Center.
- He allegedly pointed the gun at teammate Javaris Crittenton.
- He made light of the situation by mocking the incident to the media and on his twitter account.
Let me briefly recap and try to understand. Gilbert Arenas made a conscious decision to bring guns to his place of employment because he didn’t want them in the house with his daughter. He did not put them in a lock box, he brought them to his job. In addition, he allegedly pulls a gun on a teammate after a heated argument or in his words, plays a joke on his teammate. Someone out there, please help me understand this nonsense. I think the reason that Commissioner Stern suspended Gilbert indefinitely was due to the comments that Gilbert made to the media and on his twitter account. He poked fun at the allegations and appeared to not take them seriously. For example, in a game played in Philadelphia on January 5th, some Wizards players participated in a pre-game gun celebration. I do not believe the Commissioner could stand on the sidelines and allow the legal process to conclude before making the decision to suspend Gilbert Arenas.
Gilbert Arenas is in the second year of a $111 million contract. Due to the suspension, he will lose approximately $147,000 per game that he misses, which will amount to approximately $9 million. That is $9 million that he will never see again because of poor judgement and decision-making. In addition to money, what kind of example is he setting for his family and for his NBA peers? Another issue that I have is that the New Jersey Nets guard, Devin Harris, when asked about the Arenas situation, says that, “I’d say between 60 and 75% (of players own guns).” Are you kidding me? If 60-75% of your league is carrying guns, I think there is a larger issue at hand.
I read the statement by both Commissioner Stern and Gilbert Arenas and I have a problem with the apology by Gilbert Arenas. At the game in Philadelphia, he was just in a pre game gun celebration and then he is apologizing. My issue with athletes saying sorry is that they say it all the time and expect to receive sympathy as a result of their actions. If athletes would just think about the repercussions before they enjoy the moment, then perhaps they will make better life decisions.
If your reading this blog, know that I am out there working to change the mindset of these professional athletes to avoid future situations like the Gilbert Arenas situation. I hope that the word gets out about AG Life Coaching Solutions for professional athletes. It seems like every month there is an athlete that is making poor decisions because of their mindset and attitude. When does it end?
Additional Stories:
Yahoo, NY Post, Huffington Post, and the NY Times.
The Keys To Achieving Your Goals in 2010
Posted in Life Coaching on December 30, 2009
I can remember writing out my goals this time last year and I posted them on my dream board. I believe I worked extremely hard achieving all of my goals, but it is that time again, where I look at my life and establish new goals based on where I am and where I want to be. I thought the below information could be impactful to those that want to make their goals actually happen.
Another year and another set of resolutions. If you’re like most Americans, you’ll probably forget your goals by mid-February. So how do you make your resolutions actually happen this year?
First, keep in mind that goals are dreams; but don’t stop at just dreaming. Turn your dreams into bite-sized pieces that will gradually create a big event in your life. If you’re waiting on an outside variable to change your life, you have a long wait. You have to do something. It’s your responsibility to fix your life, not someone else’s. It’s time to sit down, make some goals, and take control.
Goal setting is how you win. Once you’ve made your resolutions, they will drive you forward. The goals will motivate you to seek activities that will help you succeed. It’s not always fun, but those exercises bring you closer to your goal and make you a winner.
If you want to actually achieve your goals this year, then consider the following:
Be specific. When setting goals, be specific in what you want to achieve. Vagueness will only cause you to feel overwhelmed, and you will just give up.
Make your goals measureable.
In order to know if you achieved the goal, it must be measurable. For example, if you want to lose weight, don’t simply write down “lose weight” as a goal. How much weight do you want to lose? Or don’t just write “spend more time with family.” How much time do you want to spend with your family every night
Are they your goals?
Only you can set your own goals. If your spouse, co-worker or friend sets a goal for you, you’re not going to achieve it. Taking ownership will give you more incentive to meet your goal.
Set a time limit.
Setting a time frame will help you set realistic goals. For example, if you want to save more money, list how much money a month you want to put into your savings account.
Put them in writing.
Putting your goals in writing will make you much more likely to achieve them. Write down your goals and review them often. This will give you motivation to make them a reality.
This is the process to succeed. Successful people reassess their lives and then start living intentionally, in writing, on paper, on purpose. Make your resolutions a reality in 2010.
This was a repost from Dave Ramsey
Do You Have A Store Branded Credit Card?
Posted in Financial on December 8, 2009
I was recently reading a story in the Wall Street Journal about consumers that have credit cards with major retailers (e.g. Gap, Macy’s, Best Buy, etc.). Due to federal regulations, consumers will no longer be able to get instant credit when they are at the cash register. The Federal Reserve is forcing retailers to gather more information about customers including pay stubs and income information before providing them with credit. In this world of instant gratification that would be a huge blow to the retail industry. For years retailers have been able to convince consumers to apply for store credit to receive an additional 10-15% off their first purchase. In many cases, consumers would accept the store credit and retailers would provide an upfront discount in hopes of making money off of the consumer on the backend. If the consumer does not pay off the balance in 30 days, interest will be charged to the customer, thus off-setting the upfront discount. Most store cards have interest rates that start at 21.99%, regardless of your credit score.
I was surprised to learn that in the third quarter of this year all of the sales at Macy’s were rung up on store branded credit cards. With unemployment as high as it is right now and economic uncertainty surrounding the country, how many people do you believe will be able to pay off their balance in 30 days? I suspect not that many, which will make the upfront discount null and void.
Getting back to the new proposed regulations, I think this is a good thing. As Americans we are so dependent on credit, maybe it will force retailers to go back to the basics. I remember when you could have Gap coupons mailed to you to use in-store. The Gap corporation does not offer coupons anymore. You have to use your store card to reap the benefits of the discounts being offered. Retailers make their money off of the interest that customers are paying for their purchases. I think it is good that the government is willing to watch out for the consumers that are spending recklessly. Generally I am in not in favor of government intervention. Overtime I suspect that if these proposals are made law, instant credit will decrease because customers will be less likely to share financial information.
Tiger Woods Admits To “Personal Sins”
Posted in Life & Current Events, Uncategorized on December 2, 2009
Let me the first to admit that no one ever expected to hear about Tiger Woods having an affair, but that is what happens when you put a human being on a pedestal. Woods released a series of statements from his website about the accident and then an apology about his “transgressions.” There was wild speculation about an affair with a woman in New York and then there was a story in the National Enquirer about a cocktail waitress in California that he reportedly had an affair with too. I am not sure why Tiger decided to cheat on his beautiful wife, but I am not sure why most athletes cheat on their wives in general. I think it has to deal with this spirit of invincibility that athletes have. Let’s take a look at the notables that have cheated and I will only name a couple, otherwise we’ll be here all day. Some of the most notable sport stars to get caught cheating are: Alex Rodriquez, Michael Jordan, Shaquile O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson, and there are more lesser known athletes that do it everyday. In addition to sports stars, there are other people that are public figures that most recently dealt with infidelity issues: Gov. Mark Sanford (South Carolina), David Letterman, Former Senator John Edwards, and Josh Duhamel (husband of Black Eye Peas singer Fergie), who reportedly slept with a stripper after only 9 months of marriage. What I’ve come to realize is that they think they will never get caught and that they are invincible. I’ve heard athletes say, “that won’t happen to me because I won’t get caught.”
The Tiger Woods story intrigues me because I like Tiger. I’ve been told that I look like Tiger from time to time and I like the fact that he is an aggressive athlete that wants to be the best at what he does in his respective sport. I think most people in and around the world, even outside of golf know who Tiger Woods is and how famous he is for playing golf. We don’t know all the facts about Tiger’s affair(s), but I do believe that this is a personal matter between him and his wife. He does not owe the public an apology for his “personal transgressions.” At the end of the day we go to the tournaments and turn on those LCD televisions to see him play golf. Think about how many times we have seen his wife, Elin on TV. It’s very rare. I do not condone domestic violence if it did occur, but I think if it had, we would have already heard about it. I do believe that this is a personal family matter.
This is why the athlete population intrigues me so much. It’s not that I am attracted to the celebrity status of these star players in their respective sports, but it is the willingness to hold them accountable for their choices and to help them make better life decisions. The real lesson in all of this is that Tiger is going to have to deal with his choice(s) for the rest of his life. Even the world’s number 1 golfer needs a life coach to keep him accountable in his own life. Everybody needs a co-pilot in their life to help fly their personal 747 of issues. I am sure that TW will make it back to what he does well on the golf course in January and hopefully he will mend the mistakes that he made with his wife.
Do you think TW needs to apologize to the public for his “transgressions?”
Visit the AG Life Coaching Solutions website.
Change Your Blueprint By Giving!
Posted in Life & Current Events on November 29, 2009
Giving is a universal principle that many people follow, not because they are expecting something in return, but because it feels good to make an impact on a family or an individual. When I worked at JP Morgan in the Private Bank, wealthy people would donate religiously to great causes or just to a foundation. I’m sure some of them did it for the tax break, but I am also sure that many of them wanted to offer more hope to children and families that were less fortunate than they were. Recently I have been researching good charities for my family and I to partner with for a cause that we believe in. There are so many charities and so many causes, how can someone choose the best charity that meets their prerequisites? I did a google search for top charities in America and I received a plethora of websites with a ton of information about large and small charities and about every imaginable cause. I was overwhelmed at the number of charities that were available to potential givers like myself. As I watched the Today show on NBC, I saw an opportunity to give to St. Judes Children Hospital in New York for their “Thanks and Giving” program that they promote during the holidays. I thought it would be excellent opportunity to donate and give to a cause to help children as they go through difficult times in their life at such a young age.
Many may ask, how does giving help me? What if I don’t have any money to give? Those are all valid questions, however there is still something that you can do to make an impact. You can donate your time to help organizations during the holidays. Some of the clothing that you no longer use can help homeless people as well as other people. There is a reason that people like Oprah Winfrey and Ellen Degeneres continue to be successful in their careers and I am firm believer it is because they give. Most people are receivers and not givers by nature. When you move to that next level of giving it can change your life forever. One of my Twitter buddies (Holly Robinson Peete) has a foundation that is dedicated to providing education and getting funding for Parkinson’s Disease and Autism. I recommend checking out this foundation to get an idea of the impact that you can make, just by being educating and giving to a great cause.
As I was reading Kiplinger’s, which is one of my favorite personal finance magazines, I came across another interesting piece of information in which giving can have a positive impact on my family and I. When you give a cash donation of $250 or a $500 non cash donation, it is typically a tax deduction with a receipt. What I didn’t know is what is going to change my life forever and it is a wealthy tip that most people don’t talk about. Most people donate with cash, but if you were to donate with appreciated stock to your favorite charity then you would be eligible for a double tax break as long as you owned the stock for a year or longer. How crazy is that? What’s even more crazy is that you don’t have to pay any capital gains tax on the gift and you get to deduct the full market value, not what you originally paid for it. That is insane! Where has then rule been all of my life. I would have been purchasing shares of stock to give as opposed to writing a check. The best thing about this rule is that the charity doesn’t have to pay taxes on it either. This can change your blueprint too, imagine getting a double tax break for making a decision to give.
Most of my clients had private foundations to be able to donate their specific causes, but you don’t need that. You can start out by contacting several different charities and making a payment over the phone. My goal is to save $10,000 and start a donor advised fund, where I can partner with a bank and direct my gifts to charities of my choice.
Make an impact on an organization, a family, or an individual today because it can be life changing. Below are a list of charities that I am following and plan on donating to in the future, please check out their websites:
Boys and Girls Clubs of America
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Black Friday Shoppers Spend $10 Billion
Posted in Financial on November 29, 2009
Okay, when I started this blog, I wanted to create something that would enrich people’s lives and empower them to do something different. My financial mentor always says, “live like no one else, so you can live like no one else.” I normally participate in Black Friday every year or at least the last 6 years. I enjoy going out and standing in line for the sales and the doorbuster deals. This year was different, I did not participate in an effort to be more frugal with my money. It looks like nobody missed me because Americans spent $10.66 billion. That is an insane amount of money in one day. Most retailers are in the red until Black Friday and then they make a resounding resurrgence back to the black. Now maybe I missed something because I thought unemployment was at a record high and homeowners were struggling making payments on their homes.
Perhaps I may be naive about what’s going on in the marketplace, but I don’t think so. I believe that people are using their credit cards again. That report won’t be available until the middle to end of January. The fact of the matter is that Americans are continuing to use credit for the short term and pay for it on the backend. People are not gaining jobs at the same rate that they are being lost, so where is the money coming from? ShopperTrak, a sales and tracking firm, reported that the increase in sales from last year’s Black Friday is only a 0.5% increase over last year. The only area where spending decreased was in the Northeast according to the report. Some shoppers resorted to using the internet to shop and spent an average of $170 per transaction up from $126.00 in 2008. Approximately 5,000 people waited in line to get into the NY flagship Macy’s store to take advantage of sales and discounts at 5 am. Overall, it looks like electronics were the big winner as consumers spent the most amount of money on ipods, LCD televisions, and video console units like the Nintendo Wii.
Let’s hope that as the deals disappear, so do the buyers because if not, things could get a lot worse. The only way to change your future is to learn how to budget and make money work for you, not the other way around.
