In an earlier post I mentioned that i would deliver the rest of my talking points from my address to the Tulane MBA Program for Entrepreneurship ... and here they are:

1. “Lose your ego and laugh all the way to the bank” – I first heard this from Marshall Sylver and at first I didn’t really get it … but once I did it made a lot of sense. What this means to me is that if I find myself saying “What does THAT guy know? I’ve been investing in foreclosures for over 7 years” then I need to step back and lose the ego real quick because THAT guy may have something very powerful to share. If I keep my nose up in the air I will miss the opportunity to learn from someone and that would be a huge waste. So make sure that you keep your ears and mind open to new ideas because they might come from someone who your ego would have passed right up!
2. “It is easier to ask forgiveness than to get permission” – I can attribute this one to Ron LeGrand (that sucker is full of these types of sayings). Plain and simple, this one means don’t be afraid to make decisions. If you make a decision and take action it is a lot easier than to wait on someone to come along and tell you it is ok to take that risk, make that offer or whatever else you aren’t taking action on. Remember, the action man (or woman) gets paid!
3. “If you think education is expensive, just think how much ignorance will cost you” – in other words, never be afraid to invest in your education. It’s a funny thing I have noticed about those people who spend the most on their educations: they are the ones who are making the most money. Now I know there are a few exceptions to that saying (know any seminar junkies?), but the key distinction is applying what you learn … Remember, the action man (or woman) gets paid!
4. never underestimate the power of focus – When I quit trying to manage 3 to 4 projects at once and focused on finishing one before I started another, I saw my results and my INCOME jump almost immediately. If you are like me, you have a whiteboard or notebook full of awesome “To-Dos”. I have at least 15 projects waiting in queue in my office right now. But I have only a couple in my “In Process” section. That way all of my energy and focus will go into FINISHING. Because nobody gets paid until the project gets finished. So if you have more than one or two projects in process right now I would recommend you prioritize them, then focus all of your efforts on completing the project that had the highest priority. Once you FINISH that one, then work your way on down the line. Seems like common sense, but I personally know many top level business owners (and their entire staffs) are running around like chickens with their heads cut off because they have too damn many projects going on at once.