CryptoMania !! Should I “Invest” in Bitcoin?

Now… a lot of people keep asking me;

Should I “Invest” in Bitcoin, or one of the many other cryptocurrencies ?

So as an ex-Investment Banker, Trader and ongoing Investor,… I thought I would offer my “2 cents worth” … for what it’s worth !

Cryptocurrencies are an inherently useless quasi-ponzi scheme.

Now…don’t get me wrong … I have nothing against making money…I love making money online … and I love innovative new technology.

So before I get crucified, by all you Crypto-philes and ‘soothsayers’ out there, I will offer, what I feel is a reasonable and sober analysis of Bitcoin and Cryptos.

But firstly let’s indulge a little in the collective mania.

Cryptocurrency Traders and Crypo-philes continue to push the barrow of all things Crypto,

… to the point where you now can’t get into a taxi without the driver telling you chuffly, how he had put $20,000 into Bitcoin and that it was now worth $60,000!

One particular driver, then went on to say that his friend had borrowed $400,000 on his house… and that he was going to make a fortune with Bitcoin !

Another cabbie said that his friend… also a Cabbie, was now only a part-time taxi driver as he was now a Full-Ttime Crypto Trader !

When taxi drivers start talking about “Investing” in the latest “thing” then you know it’s definitely time to get out

…as the Smart Money has been in and out long ago !

After many years of Market Trading, there is one thing I know for sure,

that if you don’t understand the commodity that you are trading,

if you don’t have a strict and disciplined Trading Plan and if you don’t know where and when to get in and out of the Market,

with tight Stop-losses and an exit strategy in place,

..then you are bound to lose your Shirt …your Shoes .. Your House …all your Money and your Spouse,

…if you still have one, after risking your savings !

Claims that cryptocurrencies will replace established fiat currencies are in our view (ie.the crypto-phobe camp),

…inherently misguided and in the case of Bitcoin,

… a speculative Bubble!

Indeed, the latest price falls following the South Korean governments intervention …

suggest that the bubble is bursting — although with prices still 10 times higher than a year ago, they have a lot further to fall yet !

However, we have seen the bitcoin price plunged by around a quarter in about a day, with other major cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum and Ripple falling by even more.

If you can handle this extreme volatility… and you think you know what you are doing … then good luck to you!

If you can execute a quick Trade … and the Gods and all your ‘stars’ are in alignment, … and you have already cashed-in your initial outlay, then great .. well done!

But please understand you are Not “Investing” !

You are simply Gambling …Speculating,

and riding the crest of the wave called,FOMO ( Fear Of Missing Out )

…which is predicated on another great Market axiom“ The Greater Fool Theory “

ie. there will always be another “chump” (fool) to buy at a higher price than you, when you are ready to Sell !

Of course Trading Floors and Markets have been littered with “such fools” for centuries.

One of the biggest problems with cryptocurrencies, is that they do not have what analysts call an “intrinsic value” —

unlike shares, they do not pay dividends; unlike housing, there is no potential rent; unlike gold, they are not physically useful or even pretty.

Further, the Crypto Market is a totally ‘unregulated Black Hole’ !

Cryptocurrency devotees counter this, by arguing that so-called “fiat currencies” — money issued or backed by central banks — are also intrinsically worthless.

Of course, modern paper currencies don’t have any intrinsic value either.

But unlike dollars, for example, bitcoin is not backed by a credible authority, such as a central bank or government.

Some argue that bitcoin’s value will be in supplanting gold as the world’s preferred safe haven store of wealth.

If that was the case, and given bitcoin’s fixed maximum supply of 21 million, if its price rose to match gold’s market capitalisation, analysts estimate that the cryptocurrency could rise to $US630,000.

However, that would assume that bitcoin was the sole accepted cryptocurrency, whereas its dominance is currently being challenged by more than a thousand rivals.

Most people are buying bitcoin, not because of a belief in its future as a global currency, but because they expect it to rise in value !

Again …the Greater Fool Theory !

It has all the hallmarks of a classic speculative bubble, which at some point will burst.

When it will fully burst, is anyone’s guess and prices could yet rise again, before they fall.

Even if we assume that cryptocurrencies in general have a long-run future, only a few, will make it and no-one knows which ones.

If bitcoin were to be used globally, then — again, as with the gold standard — all countries would effectively end up with fixed exchange rates.

This would severely limit their scope to deal with changes in domestic economic conditions.

It is extremely unlikely that governments will tolerate this…and thus expect to see further government intervention in the crypto-space, as we have recently seen with China and South Korea.

UK-based Lloyds Banking Group, and US banks JP Morgan, Bank of America and Citi, have all announced they will ban their customers from using credit cards to purchase digital currencies.

To quote: 

We do not bank [with] businesses that operate as issuers, dealers or exchanges of digital or cryptocurrency.”

Increasingly exchange authorities advise that, “as most of the virtual currency exchange platforms are generally not regulated, customers may not be protected or have any legal recourse if the platform fails or is hacked,”

Bitcoin and other crypto’s are a formula almost guaranteed to end in tears, but still speculators pile in to the bubble !

Arh Man – You just don’t get it .. Crypto’s are the Future Man !  … I hear the Crypto-philes cursing !!

All I can say is good luck … and make sure you’ve paid for your Shirt before you lose it !

As I said at the beginning:

Cryptocurrencies are an inherently useless quasi-ponzi scheme.

Now to reconfirm my Techno-phile status,

Yes, I believe ‘Blockchain’ technology is an amazing innovation and a very useful technology.

It is already being used by Banks and Stock Exchanges around the world and many business, like IBM are experimenting with it and undoubtedly, it has far reaching applications for the future,

… not just with the ‘settlement of financial transactions’

…but in many areas of business, health and public life.

Once tested and perfected…and in some instances, underwritten by Central Banks and Governments..It will effectively eliminate the “middle man” from transactions …

and make the “settlement” of transactions ..’financial or otherwise’ relatively immediate!

But as far as Cypto’s .. ‘It will all end in Tears”

Now if you are interested in a far safer and more proven method for making money online,

…then I highly recommend you check out my good friend at:

The Sarah Staar Business School,

Sarah will teach you everything you need to know about, how to create and sustain a Six-Figure Online Business.

Check out her Business Page and her,

Licensed Partner Team program.

You won’t lose your Shirt !

Wishing you Mega Success with you online businesses,

Philip J. Lord                                                                                                 

The MegaBook of Affiliate Marketing programs

                                                                                                                                            PS: I hope this Post wasn’t too depressing …I just don’t like to see people ‘lose their shirts’ !

Affiliate Marketing and Mental Toughness

Life as a Solopreneur can be tough sometimes…
you constantly need to refuel the motivation tank to stay on track and keep moving forward towards your goals!

I recently read an article in Success Magazine by Amy Morin with these great tips to help you build your Mental Toughness.

I hope they will give you a bit of a boost and help you to keep the brain juices flowing.

The article points out that …”developing mental strength takes a conscious effort, dedication and daily practice.

Start with these 10 exercises to work out your “mental muscles”.

1.Establish goals.

We all know how important this is …but the trick is to set short-term manageable goals which give you a sense of accomplishment when reached.

2. Set yourself up for success.

Modify your environment…it makes it easier to be prepared and easier to resist destructive temptations.

3. Tolerate discomfort for a greater purpose.

Practice tolerating a little discomfort and remind yourself of the bigger picture.. it will generate more confidence.

4. Reframe your negative thoughts.

Work on your inner dialogue and reframe negative thoughts. You will never completely eliminate them all, but with practice you can tame them and manage them, so that they don’t hold you back.

5. Balance your emotions with logic.

Get you emotions and logic in sync. This is when you will make the most productive decisions.

6. Strive to fulfill your purpose.

Without a clear purpose and mission.. you will get distracted, derailed and lost. Focus on clear daily objectives to ensure that you get to where you want to go.

7. Look for explanations, not excuses.

Don’t beat yourself up. You will never get it right all of the time.
Learn from your mistakes and move on. Stay focused.

8. Do one hard thing every day.

Step out side your comfort zone in some small way everyday.
To grow you have to challenge yourself, but keep it manageable so that you don’t give up and become disheartened.

9. Use the 10-minute rule.

When you are tired and ready to quit for the day and contemplating putting something off that you know you should do…and that you know will help you progress towards your goals… just do 10 minutes.

Chunking difficult or laborious tasks down to small daily bite-sized chunks will progress you far quicker, and make you mentally tougher.

All of which will make you more productive and move you closer to achieving your goals.

10. Prove yourself wrong.

Commit to doing something, that you have told yourself you can’t do…within reason of course. Break the task down into small chunks, as above. This will skyrocket your Mental Toughness and your confidence.

Read the full article here: 10 Ways to Build Your Mental Strength

Philip J. Lord
The MegaBook of Affiliate Marketing programs.

The Gorilla has escaped – Commission Gorilla V2

Heads up affiliates, marketers and small business owners.
Since Commission Gorilla launched Super affiliates are freaking out. 

The big JV partners are running scared!

Why?

Because this clever software system levels the playing field between you and the biggest super affiliates in your niche. 

 
Let me explain…
Super affiliates know the key to getting up to five times more sales is to add value by offering a bonus and a review. Most affiliates don’t do that because it’s too much work. Now Commission Gorilla makes it drag and drop easy to create sexy promo pages faster than ever!You don’t need design skills. You don’t need to hire an expensive designer. You don’t even need your own website!

 

Just use Commission Gorilla, which makes creating bonus pages and delivery pages a breeze!

Check out the super-cool demos here: 

You’ll see all sorts of cool features, including:

* The bonus library, where you can store your bonuses to make it drag and drop easy to create bonus offer pages.

* The clone feature, which lets you clone pages and bonuses with just a click of your mouse. This is a huge time saver which lets you create new bonus pages in minutes!

* Dashboard stats so you can easily track your high-performing pages!

* Drag and drop page creation, which lets you build web pages without knowing a lick of code!

* Plus countdown timers, attention bars and more. 

Making money has never been so easy with these clever and time-saving features! 

This software is going to change the way you do business and the way you make money. 

 
 
Wishing you Mega Success.
Philip J. Lord

AFFILIATE MARKETING AND THE RISE OF THE ROBOTS

Just imagine if you had your own personal Robot at home, which would cook you dinner and clean up your mess !

This would be great ! Right ?

On your way home …on your smart phone app… you could say .. James ..I want coq au vin for dinner at 7pm !

But then what if your Robot was Hacked ?!!

According to Dr Nicholas Patterson …it is very early days for cybersecurity for Robots and potentially a huge problem.

Robotic vacuum cleaners and drones are now becoming very common and more household consumer robotics are much closer than people think.

Professor Toby Walsh, who is a leading AI specialist is warning that we are “sleepwalking” into an AI future in which billions of machines and computers will be able to think.

But then there are both positives and negatives ..

Here is just a few examples of how Walsh believes …the not to distant future, will change how we live, work and operate..

“You are banned from driving”

Humans drive drunk, tired and distracted and cause 95 per cent of accidents.

Street parking and most car parks will disappear, autonomous vehicles will become commonplace — within 15-20 years.

“You see the doctor daily”

“Your personal 24/7 AI doctor will know your gene sequence and vulnerabilities to particular diseases.

It will continually monitor your blood pressure, sugar levels, sleep and exercise. It will process data from your toilet, which will automatically analyse your urine and stools.

Your future version of a smartphone or fitness watch will regularly take selfies to identify melanomas and eye disease. It will record your voice for signs of a cold, dementia or a stroke. 

It will also be a trillion-dollar global business.

“Ghost ships, planes and trains cross the globe”

“The oceans, skies and railroads of the planet will be filled with autonomous ships, planes and trains transporting cargo without any people on board, as driverless car technology spreads to other industries.”

Many other aspects of life as we know it will be affected and will be changed by AI and expert systems.

It is estimated that 70% of exiting jobs will be made redundant and replaced by intelligent machines!

Now whether you are a little worried or excited about some or all aspects of this proposed AI and Robotic Brave New World

…there is one thing for sure

it is happening much quicker than you think and it makes a lot of sense to start planning now and trying to anticipate the changes and how they make effect you and your family.

There has never been a better time to establish yourself online and to take advantage of the many opportunities that currently exist and that will become more and more available in Internet Marketing.

Now, if you want to get started with Affiliate Marketing … or leverage your exiting online business up to the next level..

then it is important that you have the best available tools and resources.

I would highly recommend that …

if you don’t already have your copy of:
The MegaBook of high paying and high converting Affiliate Marketing programs …

..then you can get it here.

LEARN MORE https://pjlwebservices.com/megabook

IMMEDIATE DOWNLOAD https://pjlwebservices.com/themegabook-s-17

Pix by Dr Nicholas Patterson
AI ideas by Professor Toby Walsh via ABC News

The Laptop Lifestyle

We live in amazing times. Just think the Internet didn’t really exist for most people .. ordinary mortals like us.. a little more than 30 years ago ! 

We are now in this wonderful window in our history where, if you have an idea,  …you can quickly upload it,… in many formats to multiple platforms and monetise it on the Web .. to many hundreds of thousands … even millions of people instantly … and create the facility and means for them to Buy your idea in digital form.

Bangkok floating markets

Bangkok floating markets

You can be working from anywhere in the world !
Here I am in Bangkok Thailand – click the pix

When you think about that it is just staggering…!
If you are still struggling trying to grab your slice of the Internet commerce pie.. then I suggest you start with Affiliate Marketing.

Click on this link …which will give you access to a FREE 4 series video course by my good friend and colleague Sarah Staar.

Sarah has been for many years now… the number one female Internet Marketer in the UK.

She has over 30 digital products through her Sarah Staar Online Business School and is someone who is trustworthy and provides solid quality training to help you to quickly start making passive income online.

Have a look .. and download one of her many Free courses.

Wishing you every success with your Online ventures.

Philip JL
Pjlwebservices.com
laptop-1071779_1280

 

 

 

17 Productivity Hacks

17 Productivity New
1. Create Systems, Not Goals
Commit to a process, not a goal. Commit to a process that leads to a goal, and you’re much more likely to achieve that goal. Focus on what you will do, not on what you want to happen.

2. Make Temptations Hard to Reach
Convenience is the mother of distraction, so make it a pain in the butt to satisfy your temptations.

3. Maximize the Most Important Tasks
All of us have things we do that make the biggest difference. What two or three things contribute most to your success? What two or three things generate the most revenue? Then eliminate all the other stuff.

4. Allow Less Time for Key Projects
Limit the amount of time you allow yourself to complete an important task. You’ll be more focused, more motivated, your energy level will be higher, and you’ll actually get more done.

5. Chunk Housekeeping Tasks
Allocate specific time for email and organising tasks. They don’t make you money …and fool you into thinking you are being productive !

6. Start Small and work up to it.
In time, you will feel comfortable to increase the volume. Whenever you want to create a new habit, start small so you will actually start — and stick with it through that tough early time when habits are hard to form.

7. Build in Frequent Breaks
Small, frequent breaks are a great way to refresh and recharge. The key to not burning out is to not let burnout sneak up on you. Scheduling regular short breaks ensures that won’t happen

8. Actively Schedule Free Time
Plan your free time and relaxation. Plan activities. The happier you are, the more motivated and productive you will be over the long term.

9. Meditate Every Morning
Practice some form of Mindfulness meditation. It will make you more focused, improve your concentration and cognition and help you to get much more done every day. (Google and find a 5 minute meditation that you like)

10. Exercise in the Morning
Exercise is energizing. Exercise will make you healthier. Exercise can make you smarter. Plus exercise can improve your mood for up to 12 hours after you work out. Feel better. Be smarter. Be less stressed. Have a more productive day. Find the exercise that works for you.

11. Eat a Healthy Breakfast and Lunch Every Day
Protein and lots of fruit and vegetables or fruits. Your body will thank you. You will have less stress and illness and you will be more productive.

12. Drink More Water
Drink a glass of warm water first thing every morning after waking up and at least 30 minutes before eating breakfast. You will find with practice that this will have beneficial effects on your metabolism, make you more regular and give you more energy. Continuing to drink lots of water during the day. Yes it will make you Pee .. but it will also make you healthier and more productive.
You will also eat less ..particularly junk food and you will feel more energized and it will decrease your chances of contracting certain diseases.
Getting up to go to the bathroom ..is exercise !

13. Take a Productivity Nap
A quick nap can improve creativity, memory, and your ability to stay focused. Besides that, neurologists tout the learning benefits of midday siestas. Napping is not just napping anymore; it’s a skill. And it’s a skill that can super-charge your productivity.

14. Spend time with Positive People
Spend more time with people who motivate you and lift you up. You will be excited, and energized. Surround yourself with people who can improve your life, and your life will naturally improve. Eliminate people who who are negative or who de-motivate you.. Life is too short.

15. Practice Gratitude.
Take a moment each night to reflect. In that moment, quit worrying about what you don’t have. Quit worrying about what others have that you don’t. Think about what you do have. You have a lot to be thankful for. Count your blessings every night and you’ll start the next day in a much more positive way.

16. Use Your Mind for Thinking, Not Remembering
Here’s another Getting Things Done tip. Don’t clutter your thoughts with mental to-do lists or information you need to remember. Write all those things down. Don’t waste mental energy trying to remember important tasks or ideas. That’s what paper ( or a Journal ) is for.

18. Turn off Alerts
Every alert sucks away your attention. When you are working and focusing on what you want to achieve …. turn them off. You can always check them later …when you have finished your important task or project. The world won’t come to an end.

17. Be Inspired by Small Successes
Habits are hard to form. If you want to learn a new skill, decide to do one small thing really, really well. Then build on that. Success, even minor success, is motivating and creates an awesome feedback loop that will motivate you to do another small thing really well. One step at a time.

 

For more Tips and Tricks to help you be more Productive Online please click here: https://pjlwebservices.com/GetOrganized

 

Adapted from an article by – Jeff Haden 2016 INC Magazine