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Life Is A Business! Manage It Better So You'll Enjoy It More
The inspiration for “Life Is a Business! Manage It Better So You’ll Enjoy It More” didn’t come from my success—it came from my failure.
In my personal life, I didn’t adhere to a strict household budget or routinely balance my checkbook. I made poor purchasing decisions and kept sloppy accounting records. I didn’t spend time thinking about relationships with my family and friends. I just let my life go on without much planning or caretaking.
In business, I excelled. I amassed more than four million dollars in real estate. I lived in a gated community, invested in rental properties and bought whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted it. It seemed like I was doing everything right.
But, in fact, I was doing everything wrong.
Unfortunately, by the time I discovered I was doing it all wrong, it was too late. I systematically destroyed my business. I used my credit irresponsibly and continually made knee jerk buying decisions. I had no real accounting system and the business grew at a rate that was unsustainable. I repeatedly made bad business decisions and, as a result, bankrupted my corporation.
Once the dust settled—after the home in the gated community was gone, the cars repossessed, credit cards defaulted on, foreclosure on my rental properties, and bank account wiped out—I began to reflect on my actions. I asked myself over and over, “What did I do wrong?”
The answers came to me, but not overnight. In fact, it took years to examine both my personal and professional life to figure it all out. But clarity came one day in a single flash—like being hit in the head with a 90 mile an hour fast ball. I needed to manage my life like the 500 business that it is.
How we run our lives mirrors how CEOs run businesses. We need to pay attention to financials, nurture relationships, and become good problem-solvers. We have to look to the future and plan for it. And we have to pay attention to the details—when we take care of the small things, the big things practically take care of themselves.
My life has changed and so can yours. I started living my 500 Life and identified nine key principles that I’ve outlined in this book. It’s my hope that, by sharing this information with you, you will develop a burning desire to put your 500 Life on track, too. It takes discipline but it isn’t difficult. You can live a full and rewarding life and experience the prosperity that awaits us all.
In my personal life, I didn’t adhere to a strict household budget or routinely balance my checkbook. I made poor purchasing decisions and kept sloppy accounting records. I didn’t spend time thinking about relationships with my family and friends. I just let my life go on without much planning or caretaking.
In business, I excelled. I amassed more than four million dollars in real estate. I lived in a gated community, invested in rental properties and bought whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted it. It seemed like I was doing everything right.
But, in fact, I was doing everything wrong.
Unfortunately, by the time I discovered I was doing it all wrong, it was too late. I systematically destroyed my business. I used my credit irresponsibly and continually made knee jerk buying decisions. I had no real accounting system and the business grew at a rate that was unsustainable. I repeatedly made bad business decisions and, as a result, bankrupted my corporation.
Once the dust settled—after the home in the gated community was gone, the cars repossessed, credit cards defaulted on, foreclosure on my rental properties, and bank account wiped out—I began to reflect on my actions. I asked myself over and over, “What did I do wrong?”
The answers came to me, but not overnight. In fact, it took years to examine both my personal and professional life to figure it all out. But clarity came one day in a single flash—like being hit in the head with a 90 mile an hour fast ball. I needed to manage my life like the 500 business that it is.
How we run our lives mirrors how CEOs run businesses. We need to pay attention to financials, nurture relationships, and become good problem-solvers. We have to look to the future and plan for it. And we have to pay attention to the details—when we take care of the small things, the big things practically take care of themselves.
My life has changed and so can yours. I started living my 500 Life and identified nine key principles that I’ve outlined in this book. It’s my hope that, by sharing this information with you, you will develop a burning desire to put your 500 Life on track, too. It takes discipline but it isn’t difficult. You can live a full and rewarding life and experience the prosperity that awaits us all.
208 pages, Paperback
First published April 15, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 25, 2015
I just finished reading Life is a Business. This book was a great read. I gave it five stars. I liked how Mr. Cox included case studies with each of the nine principles, which went perfectly with each principle. I was engaged in the book from the beginning to the end. Matter of fact, a few of my co-workers commented about me reading this book. They stated that they could see me reading a book like this because I was always focused on bettering myself. I could relate to a lot of things discussed because I have read accounting books, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, and I try to stay abreast of matters to bring equilibrium to my life.
I recommend this book to readers who want to learn to take control of their lives and live a Fortune 500 Life.
I recommend this book to readers who want to learn to take control of their lives and live a Fortune 500 Life.
May 16, 2013
There are too many “get rich quick’ books circulating the Self-Help section of bookstores. When I was first introduced to "Life Is A Business," I was skeptical that I would find anything new. Although the action steps recommended are not completely new, the presentation is novel.
Charles Cox shares his personal experience of making it big, losing it, and then finally figuring out how to change his “roller coaster life” to achieve stability and success in both his business and personal life. After extensively researching Fortune 500 Elite companies, Mr. Cox identified nine principles for success shared by these companies. Taking these business principles, the author translates them to ideas and action steps used to achieve success in one's personal life. His main point is that changing one's perspective will change all aspects of your life. I share this philosophy.
In spite of my initial skepticism, I found myself highlighting passages on almost every page. This book lays out the nine principles, followed with business case studies, and then presents personal exercises for the reader. The format is straight forward, easy to understand, and practical to implement. The author stresses that you must take personal action – but it needs to be the right action.
Charles Cox wrote this book to share the insights he discovered after he failed in almost every area of his life. I believe he is sincere in his desire to help others avoid the pitfalls he has suffered. He provides the action steps he believes will lead to a happy & more prosperous life. I enjoyed the author’s message and his approach. The author is credible; he has walked the walk. I have a great deal of admiration for him and wish him all success. I recommend this book to those who find themselves "stuck" with self-defeating behavior, and who are looking for a fresh approach to help them move forward in their lives
Charles Cox shares his personal experience of making it big, losing it, and then finally figuring out how to change his “roller coaster life” to achieve stability and success in both his business and personal life. After extensively researching Fortune 500 Elite companies, Mr. Cox identified nine principles for success shared by these companies. Taking these business principles, the author translates them to ideas and action steps used to achieve success in one's personal life. His main point is that changing one's perspective will change all aspects of your life. I share this philosophy.
In spite of my initial skepticism, I found myself highlighting passages on almost every page. This book lays out the nine principles, followed with business case studies, and then presents personal exercises for the reader. The format is straight forward, easy to understand, and practical to implement. The author stresses that you must take personal action – but it needs to be the right action.
Charles Cox wrote this book to share the insights he discovered after he failed in almost every area of his life. I believe he is sincere in his desire to help others avoid the pitfalls he has suffered. He provides the action steps he believes will lead to a happy & more prosperous life. I enjoyed the author’s message and his approach. The author is credible; he has walked the walk. I have a great deal of admiration for him and wish him all success. I recommend this book to those who find themselves "stuck" with self-defeating behavior, and who are looking for a fresh approach to help them move forward in their lives
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews