My Kind of Success

By Dany Guillemette

For twenty years, Dany Guillemette has been committed to helping Canadians overcome the hump in attaining financial freedom. In My Kind of Success he not only brings countless guidelines and strategies to create an income stream that can enable anyone to live life on their own terms, but he does so in a simple, direct, and inspiring way through a very human dimension. By killing myths that prevent too many from reaching the ultimate goal of happiness and self-actualization, Dany shows readers how he lived it and what it actually "looks like".

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dany Guillemette
• Release date: Dec 16, 2015
• ISBN: 9781987985337

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MY KIND OF

success

40 PROPOSITIONS FOR A BETTER LIFE

Dany Guillemette

Table of Contents

LEGAL

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1 - HOW IT STARTED

#1 – DON’T LET YOUR PAST DICTATE YOUR FUTURE

#2 – USE THE POWER OF SMALL VICTORIES

#3 – USE OBSERVATIONAL LEARNING

CHAPTER 2 - WHY NOT YOU?

#4 – DAYDREAM ABOUT YOUR FUTURE

#5 – DON’T LET FEAR RUIN YOUR LIFE

#6 – THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE NOT THINGS

#7 – STOP LYING TO YOURSELF AND MAKE A DECISION

#8 – ARE YOU PSH?

#9 – LEARN THE REAL FINANCIAL LITERACY

CHAPTER 3 - METAMOTIVATION: STRIVING BEYOND BASIC NEEDS

#10 – BEFORE YOU GET STARTED, BE AWARE OF THE DANGERS AND TRAPS.

#11 – CHOOSE YOUR LIFESTYLE

#12 – WORK SMART NOT HARD

#13 – START A BUSINESS

#14 – CONSIDER OFFERING A SERVICE AND SELL YOUR KNOWLEDGE

#15 – THE POWER OF VIVA VOCE

#16 – WORK ON YOUR SALES SKILLS; TELLING IS NOT SELLING

#17 – CHOOSE HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO EARN

#18 – BUILD RESIDUAL INCOME

#19 – DARE TO BE DIFFERENT, JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF WRONG

#20 – REPEAT THE PROCESS

#21 – GET ASYMMETRICAL RETURNS

#22 – PROTECT YOUR BEST ASSET

#23 – KEEP A BIGGER PART OF YOUR INCOME

#24 – LEARN THE VALUE AND IMPORTANCE OF A CLIENT

#25 – WATCH YOUR NUMBERS

CHAPTER 4: HAVE MONEY WORK FOR YOU

#26 – INVEST

#27 – PAY YOURSELF FIRST

 #28 – CLICK BUY STOCK INSTEAD OF BUY SONG

#29 – GET DIVIDENDS: THE PILLAR OF INVESTING SUCCESS

#30 – WHEN IT GETS REALLY FRIGHTENING

#31 – DON’T BE AFRAID TO SPEND MONEY ON GOOD INVESTMENT AND FINANCIAL ADVICE

#32 – KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE

CHAPTER 5 - SELF-ACTUALIZATION

#33 – APPRECIATION VS EXPECTATION

#34 – DON’T GO OVERBOARD

#35 – STOP SOMETHING!

#36 – TEACH WHAT YOU MASTER

#37 – STOP HANGING OUT WITH THE WRONG PEOPLE

#38 – DO NOT LIVE YOUR LIFE IN ONE PLACE

#39 – HAVE FUN AND SIMPLIFY THINGS

#40 – FIND YOUR SPECIAL PLACE

LEGAL

This book contains stories, guidelines, and advice based on the author’s life experiences. The author has been in business for more than 20 years and is an experienced investor. The examples given are intended to support important concepts and strategies. As such, they are not necessarily recommendations, as market conditions change over time. Before undertaking any business project or any kind of investment, we advise you to seek professional help. Everything in this book is true and can be verified. Some names have been changed to respect the privacy of individuals.This book was prepared solely by Dany Guillemette who is a registered representative of HollisWealthTM (a division of Scotia Capital Inc., a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada).  The views and opinions, including any recommendations, expressed in this book are those of Dany Guillemette alone and not those of HollisWealth. 

TM Trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under license.

*All URLs used as reference were accessible as of August 1, 2015.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To my immediate family: we did not always have the best relationship, but I do love you. To my godmother Odette: although you are not physically here anymore, you are still with me. Thank you for your love and help; I know you are looking out for me from heaven. To my grandmother Lucina: thanks for your support in times of trouble; you brought me warmth and safety when I needed it. To my friends and colleagues who supported me with Addiction Snowboards, my advisor career, and My Kind of Success: I feel lucky and grateful to have you in my life. A special thanks to Vanessa Dube Caron for her photographic contribution, not only a very talented photographer, but most importantly the woman I share everything with.Thanks to Geneviève Viel Taschereau and Andrée Morisset Dion for the beautiful artwork made for this book. To Alcide, thanks for harassing me into becoming a financial planner; my life is better for it. A very special thank you to all of my clients and to all of those who have placed their trust in me.

I acknowledge the people who told me I would never amount to anything, as you are also part of my success. Thanks for laughing at my ideas; it proved to be great motivation!

THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO

ALL THE UNDERDOGS

INTRODUCTION

The best author will be the one who is ashamed to become a writer.

- Friedrich Nietzsche - German Philosopher

It has been over 20 years already. Over 20 years since I decided to break through into a new life where I could be guided by my most important values and therefore be happy. I left my old beliefs behind and most importantly all the noise and negativity that was imposed upon me when I was a young kid. At that moment the power of choosing a new path started shaping my destiny. During these 20 years of new freedom and opportunities I have built great friendships and business relationships. I have been able to inspire and help a lot of people, which I think is one of the best feelings in the world and an important key to happiness. When it comes to bringing dreams to life, I just get it! This is what I do every day; I help people realize their goals and dreams. Many claim to have the recipe for personal and professional success and I am not here to debate any of them. Instead, I am here to tell you that success is a journey, the journey of each individual’s self-accomplishment. This can take many faces. For some it is making a million dollars, and for others it is flying halfway around the world to do volunteer work. For me, success and happiness come from discovering and realizing our truest and deepest inner nature. I am here to tell my story about how this came about for me. It is now my time; it is my turn to open myself up in all honesty and simplicity and share my wisdom and knowledge. I hope to bring something good into your life. In order to get it, to understand it, you have to find out for yourself first. Introspection is necessary for the discovery of who you are and what you are here for. We all have to get past what was imposed on us as kids by our parents, our teachers, and society in general. Success is not necessarily getting that degree, that job with a pension plan, that marriage. I have hope for the future when I see a banker quit his job to become a chef, or when I see a student drop out of school to start a business. Decisions like those show me that people are not all immobilized by fear, but can be moved by passion and love. I can honestly say that all my childhood dreams have already came true. I have been through it all myself and I have gained valuable experiences along the way. Now I am in a better position to help others in their journeys.

I DON’T HAVE THE TIME, I DONT HAVE THE MONEY! These are words I have heard countless times in the past when people have spoken to me about their goals and dreams. I have always wondered if people were just saying that or if they truly meant it. Whether it is moving to an island or buying a nice car, it seems that most people can’t get what they want. If indeed people suffer from lack of time and money, then why don’t they do something to get more time and more money to do or have what truly makes them happy? It is a fact of life that most people struggle with the time/money factor and can’t have or do the things they love. Most people have a hard time becoming themselves. They do not self-actualize because they are too busy suffering the system. It is hard to find the meaning of life working a nine-to-five. It is necessary to clear the hurdle of satisfying physiological needs before finally having enough time to find ourselves and do what we really want. Time is our greatest resource, and time is not renewable. When you give your time to a friend, a client, a colleague, or a boss, you are giving the greatest gift of all. You are giving a portion of your life that you will never get back, so it is best to give this gift to those who deserve it the most, starting with yourself! My Kind of Success is the story of what I did to solve this problem which I faced myself in the early stages of my life. My story could help inspire you to live life on your own terms. Like most human beings, I am on a quest to find inner peace and fulfillment. For many of us living in North America, this quest can take the form of what is called the American Dream. This is a dream of prosperity, financial success, and higher social status. In other words, we all want to be somebody and we all want to make it. 

I was certainly exposed to this dream. I was practically raised by American TV shows and movies, and I promise you that I wanted all that I saw on the big screen: the cool pad, the hot girlfriend, the fancy cars, and so on. Like most I made the mistake of thinking that prosperity was the answer to fulfillment and self-actualization. Unlike most I did reach a very respectful level of prosperity at an early age, a level of prosperity WHICH I THINK IS A TRIGGER to move forward in our ongoing search. Without reaching financial stability, I do not think it is possible to go further in self-development and spirituality. I candidly want to remove my mask and share my story. My story begins with early struggles. My discovery of small business and investing allowed me to get past the usual daily grind and sent me on my way to discover my inner self and what I really wanted to do. At this very moment I am doing what I really want to do: write, teach, and inspire those who need it most! If my book touches the soul or sparks the brain of one person, my work will be accomplished. If you are a bit skeptical or offended by my work, then you may be the best person to read this book.

This book is NOT about money! It is about self-actualization and discovering the real treasure which is becoming your true self. I am an advocate of business and investing, but only as a tool to beat the system that is lying to you. I do not wish to elaborate too much on a subject that has been written about ad nauseam. But I have no choice but to touch on the subject of money, as money is a big part of our daily lives. It may be true that money does not make you happy, but everyone still seems to want to find out. Everyone wants a taste of it! Every day I see people controlled and paralyzed by money. I see people who would never be doing what they do if it was not for money. People want to preserve the gains and the advantages they have acquired. How much is it really? Is it so much to let go? My message is about what you can do to gain freedom. Yes, money can do that for you, but how can you get more money without using up all your time and ruining your health? I want to share the concepts and strategies I have personally used. I want to warn you about the dangers lurking out there that can expose you to failure such as your government, your bank, thinking a college degree will guarantee a better economic status, and the way you handle money with friends and family. I have a lot of respect for anyone out there trying to help others succeed and I have read a lot of success and money books, but one thing you have to remember is that most of the writers, life coaches, investment gurus, and rock stars out there did not invent compound interest, the rule of 72, buying and selling, or the concept of not exchanging time for money. These things have been around for ages and it is up to you to decide if you want to use them or not. A lot of people have certainly made it big out there, but please remember that they are no better than you; they just have more money! I don’t want to disrespect anyone with hundreds of millions of dollars. I have found inspiration from Warren Buffet and some other great investors out there who studied and mastered their crafts, and I appreciate how some of them give a lot away to help humanity. But the fact is that one billion dollars does not make you one thousand times happier than having one million dollars. You might ask me How do you know? You don’t have one billion dollars! I know based on one principle: happiness comes from doing what you love. It isn’t that much about the numbers. I once made $80 in one month of full-time work as I was starting a new business. Soon after that, I was making $37,500 per month. $37,500 is 468.75 times $80, but was I 468.75 times happier than when I was making $80? Hell no, maybe even a little less because I now had employees who were tough to deal with, a huge tax bill, and less free time. I believe there is a threshold in managing the money/happiness relationship, a place where you find comfort and security, a position where you can buy a few toys and even give some away. This place allows you to start focusing on more important things. That number may vary from one individual to another, but the basics, the guidelines, the rules, and the principles to get there ARE THE SAME. 

Business and investing are at the base of it all, along with the age-old activity of buying and selling. In other words WORKING FOR YOURSELF! You just have to decide how much of it you want to do! You like cars? You can build a General Motors and sell nine million cars a year with everything this implies, or you could run a nice little operation selling a few cool sports cars or convertibles every year. You could make a six-figure income and have a lot less stress and more time for yourself. Turning a passion into a small business is how you solve the equation of time, money, and freedom. That is what I have done for the past 20 years, and yes, I will try to persuade you to do the same! From the nature of their occupations, some may think they are not in business or not in the world of buying and selling, but that is unrealistic. Some form of buying and selling occurs every day whether someone likes it or not! As for money, we deal with it every day. I do have some credibility on the matter, as I have worked for over 17 years in the financial service industry. I have spent most of my time preaching about key money concepts like building residual and passive income and paying yourself first. Financial literacy is a big thing right now. For some, selling advice and looking out for your best interests is a multi-million dollar money making machine. I am one who thinks that there are too many opinions from too many people. But how do you earn the right to write or speak about money? Some suggest that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to achieve mastery. I am certainly up over 50,000 hours on that subject, so I believe I can take a shot! I have served clients and trained advisors in becoming involved not only in financial aspects but human and psychological aspects as well, which are by far the most important. Strategies and plans don’t matter unless you address the psyche of a person. My opinions and advice are quite different from some of the latest trends; I will not be bashing some important financial tools like mutual funds. Mutual funds were part of my success and the success of many of my clients. I will certainly not tell you to cheap it when it comes to getting good financial advice. I don’t sleep at Super 8 motels when I travel; I kind of prefer the W. So when it comes to my life savings I rarely seek the cheapest discounts out there! Certain things I have read lately have left a sour taste in my mouth when it comes to financial advice. But I will take the money message a little further than shopping for discounts. There is an opportunity to go beyond and shed some light on real financial literacy. Look at the big and successful investors out there, look at the gurus and famous life coaches, and ask yourself: What brought them the most profit: their personal investment portfolios or their businesses? Long term investing is very good, but for most people investing and getting enough results to be financially secure will take years. Nobody I know cares about living large at 90 years old! The plain truth is that most millionaires out there made it BY STARTING A BUSINESS!

I am not a rock star hedge fund manager or venture capitalist. I certainly can’t name-drop anyone famous, and that is perfectly fine! I live comfortably and enjoy great freedom. I am just a common person with an uncommon lifestyle! Statistics show that I am a member of that infamous 1% group* the world seems to be hating on right now. In 2012, Canadians with an income of $215,700 were required to be part of that club. But as far as I am concerned, although it may not seem this way because of what I do, who I hang out with, or what I drive, I am just a regular guy, a very common man; I am a beach, golf, and snowboard bum. When given a choice between working or spending a day at the beach with my dog, the latter will be my pick. I went to public school, I am not an Ivy League graduate, I don’t speak five languages, I am not famous, and I am sure there are plenty of smarter and better looking people than me in this world. In that sense, I definitely feel like I am in the 99% as so many are just better at something than I am! I find it fascinating how most people are smarter, richer, more educated, and more known than I am, but somehow most people are still searching for my kind of lifestyle of pretty much doing what I want when I want. But the fact is we are 100% human with different realities, values, and goals. Success should not be evaluated in the traditional way of amassing the most money for your funeral.

I am no longer concerned about not having time for myself and not having money. First and foremost, I am an advocate of getting out there and LIVING; no one is on their deathbed wishing they spent more time at work! My only uncommon traits are my persistence and determination: I just refuse to give up when I care about something. What I care about is a lifestyle of freedom and happiness, being able to have choices, and living my life on my own terms. The other day I bumped into a girl I used to go to school with. We hadn’t seen each other for ages, and she asked the traditional How have you been? and What’s new with you? and I answered the traditional Not much!, and You know, working hard! But I could have answered the following: Well I just finished playing a round of golf; I am a member of the most prestigious club in town. Right now you are sitting in my new restaurant; I have a new brand of cigars coming out soon; that’s my brand new Porsche outside; I also own a successful financial planning practice; I am a public speaker; I am making very good money; I am helping people improve their lifestyles; and I am now working on my first book. I am going out with a gorgeous woman who I love very much. I recently travelled to California, Monaco, Barcelona, Mexico, Washington State, Florida, Las Vegas, New Orleans, and Panama. Over the past couple of years I have witnessed some of the greatest shows and sporting events including my favourite football team winning the Super Bowl and my favourite hockey team winning the Stanley Cup. I have been invited to very cool venues and parties where I have indeed partied like a rock star and hung out with some of my favourite celebrities. In other words, I am very happy and successful and I am living the life of my dreams!

Of course no one talks like that! It is not exactly politically correct! People would think I was showing off, right? But the reality of success and happiness is based on emotions. Think about it, how do you feel when you leave your house to go to work and find yourself struggling with heavy traffic, bad weather, or a stupid boss? You feel sadness. You feel sad because there is a resistance to what you really want to be doing. When you feel happiness it means you are closer to your goals and what you really want out of life. Happiness is really what it’s all about. People who reach their goals and dreams are happier; but this is just one dimension of success. For me success means nothing if it’s unshared. Sociological studies clearly show that people who give are happier. I think it is easier to reach out and help others once you reach a certain level of success. I was an average kid who has come a long way since leaving home at 17. I believe we all start out as average, even those great ones we admire the most. Just take a look at some old pictures, or read about who they were before they became famous and successful, and you will get my point. I have received such comments as you live like a king or your life is sick from friends and acquaintances, and I believe they are right. I am blessed. I enjoy a lot of free time - enough time to meditate, travel, take boxing lessons and flying lessons, and play with my beloved four-legged friend Walker. In other words, I have time for myself to learn about new ideas and cultures, to be more useful, to bring my message to a larger crowd, and to be consulted and listened to. That is what self-actualization is about. I work about ten hours a day three times per week, yet I have earned more than the prime minister of this country. I was a millionaire by the time I was 34. I don’t want to enter a pissing contest with anyone; my statement is not about bragging. I just want to show you that a broke daydreamer who leaves home at 17 years old can become successful. Having some money is important for freedom, good health care, and a proper education. The lack of financial literacy in the world is overwhelming, even for developed countries like Canada and the USA, and no, the best things in life are not free. The best things in life are not things. There are a lot of books on the matter. But mine is different because I am giving you the facts of my life. I have no theories, because it actually happened! One thing no one has ever written about until today is my story. People’s stories and experiences have always fascinated me. Very often during a one-hour business meeting I spent 45 minutes exchanging life stories with my clients. Stories, and especially real life stories, have an emotional component, and life is really about emotions. Think about it, why do you do anything? Why do you train, work, play, or love? Why do you want to win and to be successful? If you search a little bit, you will find out that you do things for the feeling it provides.

I am now 40 years old. After reassessing what I want out of life, writing and teaching have emerged. This book is the first step toward a new era. This book is about what worked and what didn’t in my pursuit of happiness and how it can relate to you. I am experiencing a new kind of mid-life crisis, I suppose, as I already have the Porsche! Over the past years I have acquired skills in sales, business, and investing, and I have gotten my taste of the finer things in life. I consider my experiences to be priceless. This work is the best gift I could give myself for my 40th birthday, as it has proven to be a great self-growth experience. I want to share this with you. Storytelling was the trigger to this work, since I have often been asked to share my story locally. I love telling a good story and I love to hear one as well. Stories make us laugh, cry, and learn about others’ joys or pain. By telling our stories we let others know who we are and what our purpose is. We talk about our values and what we believe in. For me, storytelling has always been the MOST POWERFUL WAY to create a connection. No success is possible without creating connections. Whenever I read or hear a story that engages me emotionally, it stays with me and I learn a lot. With stories, especially true stories, it easier to remember the important concepts and information. Honestly, I have not retained much from any formal traditional education I have received. I am talking here about sitting for hours on an uncomfortable chair listening to passionless teachers send out information that is useless in the real world. Warren Buffet once said: The best education you can get is investing in yourself. But this doesn’t always mean college or university. I have two degrees but I don’t have them on my wall, in fact I don’t even know where they are. This applies to me and to a lot of successful people. What taught me are stories and illustrated, engaging examples of how to go about things. I only learned this after I stopped going to school. In theory, everything is fine; but unfortunately, we don’t live in theory. We live in the real world! The most essential education is to find the right information and inspiration for you. For me, the right information and inspiration came from authors. I never liked to read that much as a kid, as I was more into music, movies, and playing sports. But in my early twenties, I read over 50 books in about 18 months. I was thirsty for knowledge, and reading helped me to evolve. Reading absolutely changed my life!

When I first started out in life, and when I became involved in business, I really acted on instinct. Like many, I had an innate talent, but after a while I sought more knowledge. I wanted to reach new levels and refine what I was doing. We all have thoughts, feelings, and values. That’s why it is a special moment when you read a book and someone you admire and respect puts into words exactly what you are thinking about or how you feel. For me, such moments are a tremendous confirmation that I am on the right path and I am doing the right things. There are two ways to go about any situation: the good way and the bad way; when it comes to your life, you only get one shot at it! Unfortunately, what I needed to know was never taught in any school I have attended. There are reasons why people succeed, and some successful people are kind enough to share and help others. I want to be like that. I have so much valuable information now that I want it to be out there helping others! I am a believer in not reinventing the wheel, so some guidelines may sound familiar. But I will also show you how I applied these guidelines and what the results looked like. With this book, I want to share the concrete side of things, not just theory. I will share with you the guidelines that made my life better and really fun. I will focus on the steps I took to reach self-actualization. Self-actualization is about your ideas, your creativity, and your inner talents. You become yourself. It is important not to let fear rationalize why it is impossible to do what you want. All your life people have told you that what you want to do is tough or impossible. I have been there, and I am proof that what you want to do is possible. In fact I have always taken pleasure in telling people what I want to do and then following through. Sharing of goals is a powerful motivator.

For me, living life on my own terms is huge, as it is my true definition of wealth and success. I can honestly say that the concept of freedom bothers a lot of people, as most people are stuck in places, jobs, and relationships they don’t want to be in. Somehow, the flow of life and being busy being busy numbs people. The years pass and their worst nightmare comes true: they failed! They did not do the things they wanted to do. I decided early in life that unhappiness was not for me. To get different results, I needed to get out of what I thought was my comfort zone and take different actions. Every day I see and meet people who are forced to do things they don’t like. It’s just impossible for me to understand why someone would spend 20 or 30 years working somewhere they don’t like or being in relationships that make them miserable! Everyone has different goals and dreams in their personal lives. The magic finally happens when you can act upon your goals and dreams. When you are guided by your values, your dreams become instantly fulfilled! I have spent many hours meeting with people and discussing their objectives and what they most wanted out of life. The overwhelming majority of people have told me that they worry about money and the fact that they do not have enough time to relax and do what they want. People want more freedom to live. As a financial planner and lifestyle consultant I have asked thousands of people what would make their lives perfect. Again, the top answers are very familiar: 

Financial stability

Good career

Freedom to do what I like

Travelling the world

Perfect life partner

Happiness

Peace

Good health

Most people I know share these same objectives; unfortunately, this success that people search for is most often not found or achieved. I hear most people identify some form of insecurity or fear, such as their lack of time, their lack of money, their job they hate, and so on. Why is it that so many people can’t satisfy their basic physiological and safety needs that prevent them from evolving and reaching their psychological and self-fulfillment needs? It became my mission to answer that question. Helping others brought me a surprise which I believe to be the most important breakthrough in my life. When I started genuinely caring about people, things changed both internally and externally. Inside, I just felt better about myself. I forgot all my worries and I found my calling in life. Externally, as my clients sensed that I genuinely cared and was working hard to help them, they put more trust in me. They sent me loads of business and referrals. At that point my happiness and success increased tenfold! A lot of people have seemed to claim ownership of this quote, but I think it was Theodore Roosevelt who said: People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care! Would you say most people in the world care about each other right now? Could it be that there is a huge opportunity to do good here? I make a living out of helping people realize their full potential. My goal is to free people of their financial concerns first and foremost and then help them to develop and do what they really want in life. Help enough people get what they want, and I promise you will become very successful.

I take pride in seeing people thrive and enjoy life based on my advice and training. I have met many people who were wandering and searching for a place they had never been. Building a plan so that they could reach