As you read this, I will be stepping off the plane in Kathmandu, Napal, where I will prepare to climb Mt. Everest. Truly, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I would appreciate your kind thoughts, wishes, and prayers for a successful ascent.

I have stepped out of my normal daily routine and taken on something that is much greater than me or my ability to achieve without personal sacrifice and the support and help of my family and friends—to which I am forever grateful.

Climbing Mt. Everest along with the other tallest peaks in the world has been a life-long goal. Last year, my quest to achieve this dream came to an abrupt end as all access to the basecamps and the mountain were closed due to Covid-19. This year the mountain is open, and this is probably the best year to climb it since our world is not completely back to “normal.”

“Traffic” on Mt. Everest, hopefully, will not be as thick with people as in the past. We’ll soon know, but let me ask you: “What are you doing that takes you just beyond your comfort zone?” I’m climbing not just for myself, though every experience in life has a personal element to it. I’m climbing to raise awareness and money for my area’s cancer mobile screening units.

So, while standing on the top of the world will be one of my most memorable achievements, it won’t be the greatest. What will be the greatest in my play book of life, is knowing that I have done something to contribute to the lives of others.

This is what my vision is for Perfect Day—turning the imperfect into perfect moments where people give of themselves to others and also find beneficial ways to contribute to their communities.

The way you understand Perfect Day is to step out and experience life from a new perspective.

Years ago, I heard an old adage that rings true today. It’s called, “Don’t cut the backend of the turkey off?!” What am I talking about? It’s a little bit fun and a lot of old low-country humor.

The story goes like this: One Thanksgiving a young woman was having her family over for dinner for the first time. Her mom was there really early to help her daughter prepare the turkey.

When it came time to pop the bird in the oven, the young woman pulled out her sharpest knife and began to cut the backend of the turkey off.

To her amazement, her mother shouted, “Stop! What are you doing?”

The young woman answered, “I’m just doing what you used to do. I’m cutting off the backend of the turkey!”

Her mother sighed. “Honey, the reason I did that was because when you were young, we didn’t have money to buy a large enough pan to cook our turkey in, so I had to ‘size it down.’”

We laugh at stories like this, but they contain a serious element of truth. Many times, without thinking, we default to “cutting off the end of the turkey” just because we have seen it done over and over again.

Why? I can quickly think of three reasons:

• Fear of failure — Any new challenge requires risk and risk could end in failure. But if you don’t take risks in life, are you prepared for what comes next—settling for less?

• Apathy — New challenges require work. We have just been through a year of various drawbacks and restrictions; and for some, it’s not over. But are you really ready to settle and do nothing? Or are you charged to go to a place that is better? Get out and experience the wonderful life you have been given to enjoy.

• Lack of motivation — This falls out of apathy. We sit down and just “cut the backend of the turkey off” rather than go to the store and buy a pan that fits the size of our dreams and hopes. I advise my Perfect Day along with my Alphavest clients to be balanced, realistic, but to dream big. If you don’t dream, especially now, you will die a little each day inside.

You don’t have to climb a “Mt. Everest”; you just need to climb whatever mountain is facing you inside.

For most of us the greatest challenge in implementing any strategy is taking the first step. When I began to climb mountains, I did not begin with the tallest peak. I began where I knew I needed to be to grow and expand and strengthen my core.

Perfect Days are all about balance. If you do the four things listed below before 11 am, then you will be well on your way to recharging your life.

Work on Your Core: This is the area that defines who you are. It includes your closest relationships. Rule number one: learn to be an encourager. Encourage, love, and instill hope! Offer hope to someone today, and you offer the ability to try life again—even if it’s for the first or the 14th time.

Experience life: Turn the TV off and spend time with those you love. Travel, hike, talk, share a meal, meet a new friend. Reach out and believe in goodness. We have the opportunity to see beyond this moment because we have one another and because we have been given so much! You may say, “I don’t have much financially.” Richness does not mean having large bank accounts. It means your life contains a wealth that is far beyond anything money can buy.

Contribution: Discover your “YOU-Ness” — the thing that you can give away to others. If you asked your top three clients or top three friends what makes you, “YOU,” what would they say?

Whatever THIS is, it is also how you give back. It’s your gift to the world. Offer your YOU-Ness to others. Anyone can give money, but few people are willing to give themselves to a cause that makes a difference in this world. Find your “You-ness” and do it every day.

Finance: “Performance measured is performance improved.” Start viewing your annual spending as your life report card. And think about budgeting what you spend and where your money goes. This actually will free you to do so much more in life.

My desire for you is to see you become a Liberated Investor. While I’m away, I want to give you the opportunity to download the third edition of my book The Liberated Investor for free.

In it, you will learn principles to help you control your investments, so you can reach your end goals — retirement, being financially secure, and leaving a legacy for your loved ones.

You can move from scarcity to freedom!

Also, take this opportunity to download Perfect Day for free. In this book, I discuss the steps needed to restructure your time, money, and resources so that your life is more effective.

​​​​​​​You will learn how to reclaim your calendar, increase your wealth, and start creating more Perfect Days!