Create a Collection Better than a Billionaire
Good morning, Live Better than a Billionaire-a-Holics!
Are you feeling motivated this morning? I certainly hope so. I know that I am!
Do you like learning new things?
Do you enjoy meeting new people?
Are you good at organizing?
Do you have an inspiration that excites you?
If so, you should consider making a world-class collection that would be the envy of any billionaire.
Let me suggest that you avoid the mistakes that billionaires often make:
1. Many people collect items that end up being objects of devotion, taking them away from God.
When I used to visit the Faberge eggs that Malcolm Forbes collected, I couldn't help but feel that these intriguing and gaudy contraptions were a sort of golden calf of the sort that got Aaron and the Hebrews in trouble after leaving Egypt. Each was designed to be an Easter present. But the religious aspect was downplayed.
How much better it would have been to have collected stories of how people had best spiritually celebrated Easter.
2. The items in the collections have no coherence.
I was reminded of that recently while visiting a museum which was displaying a billionaire's collections. There was little rhyme or reason behind what the billionaire collected except that he liked each item.
An outstanding collection, by contrast, brings new insights to the viewer by comparing and contrasting items that illuminate each other.
3. The collection fails to inspire people to be better.
Collections by billionaires tend to be obsessive. Since they have so much money, they can buy a lot of things . . . including expensive things. As a result, you feel like you are looking at bragging rights . . . rather than something designed to uplift you.
4. The collector shows a poverty of spirit.
In the 19th century, it was common to assemble collections that were the looted patrimony of other cultures. The items were taken to a place where few from that culture would ever be able to see the objects again.
5. The collection isn't accessible.
Many of the best collections I've seen over the years were experienced alone. The site where the collection is kept is so remote and poorly known that there were no other visitors the day I came to see the collection.
Some major collections, for instance, are always kept in storage. The collector never made arrangements for display of the collection.
6. The items are not explained well.
I recently visited a small collection of a billionaire. He decided to explain the items in the collection to me. Unfortunately, he didn't understand what he had . . . and the explanation subtracted from examining the objects.
7. The collector doesn't get it.
For a collection to be outstanding it has to have the benefit of keen insight into a subject. Although a billionaire can certainly hire a curator to help with creating the collection, if a billionaire doesn't understand the subject well . . . the billionaire will either hire the wrong curator or give bad directions.
8. Size is favored over quality.
Would you rather have one great Rembrandt or 100,000 daubings by artists whose work no one ever wants to see again? Enough said.
9. The collector fails to collaborate in the creative process.
Most collections offer the opportunity to commission collectibles to be created. Those commissions offer the potential to create new and wonderful items that serve the collection's purpose better than items that were not done for a specific purpose.
10. The collector tries to impose his or her personality on the collection to an unpleasant degree.
I have met some pretty boring billionaires. When I ultimately see their collections, I'm struck by how much they have exalted their boring qualities. They would do better to seek out that which would make them more attractive or pleasant to be with.
How can you create a world-class collection that avoids these errors?
While one could write a book on that subject, let me give you a few ideas:
1. Collect something where the acquisition and storage costs are negligible.
In that way, your wallet or purse won't be the limiting factor.
I met a nurse a few years ago who had the world's best collection of post cards about nursing. He had also created a lovely coffee table book based on his collection. Although I never asked him what the collection cost, I have to assume that most items were never more than a few dollars.
2. Be unique.
If someone else has done it, forget about it. You can probably find something unique in your field.
For example, I have been developing the process of creating 2,000 percent solutions. It would be easy for me to create a collection of correspondence about how this process developed. I would simply have to keep track of the correspondence I receive and organize it a bit.
3. Add intelligence.
I was asked to speak on creating assets for retirement to my college class some years ago. I explained that the academics in the room should be able to retire with more assets than anyone else. They looked bewildered by that comment until I explained the value of rare documents. I encouraged them to write letters to top thinkers posing important questions and create collections built around the answers they received.
4. Give talks about your collection.
Your collection will become more enjoyable and valuable when you share it with others. Your pleasure will grow and you will get many good ideas for improving your collection. Others may offer items to you that you wouldn't have heard about.
5. Have a positive purpose in mind for your collection.
Take your collecting passion and turn it into an obsession for helping others. For example, you might collect items used to rescue people in famous disasters. Such a collection could be displayed to collect money for disaster relief and to inspire people to better prepare for future disasters.
Can any billionaire do better? I don't think so!
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N.B. As you can tell, I'm experimenting with color. Let me know what you like and what I should change about my use of color. Many thanks to Linda Grace for her suggestions which I am following!
Please let me know what else you would like to learn, and I'll do my best to help in future blog entries.
Here are some upcoming subjects:
Monday, let's take a look at inexpensive ways to enjoy great cruises.
For Tuesday, you'll engage the world's finest experts to answer any question you have . . . free of charge!
Wednesday, let's join a great party with leading celebrities for a star-studded blast.
On Thursday, we will look at the exciting possibilities of enjoying historic hotels in Europe.
Friday, you will find out faster and better ways to publish your new book better than a billionaire!
On Saturday, I will begin to share my preparations for attending the Michigan-Penn State game in Ann Arbor on October 15 as a way to show you how to prepare to enjoy a college game more.
August 31 was the most frequently read blog entry to date. Be sure to check it out!
Thanks so much for your support of this blog. I'm delighted that so many tens of thousands of people have made this blog part of their regular reading habit!
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Thank you to my many friends, students, clients and blog readers who are spreading the good word about this blog.
If you are visiting today because someone invited you, I'm delighted to meet you! Let's stay in touch.
Remember to also check out
Live Spiritually Better than a Billionaire at http://livespirituallybetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,
Be More Successful than a Billionaire at http://bemoresuccessfulthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,
Enjoy Mansions Better than a Billionaire at http://enjoymansionsbetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,
Enjoy Football Better than a Billionaire at http://enjoyfootballbetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/ and
Be a World Hero Better than a Billionaire at http://beaworldherobetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/.
I offer individual on-line tutorials and in-person seminars on living better than a billionaire on five dollars extra a day, creating 2,000 percent solutions (20 times the results with the same effort), developing more profitable business models and designing strategies that work regardless of the business environment. For information, contact me at ultimatecompetitiveadvantage@yahoo.com.
I am available to you as a speaker on these subjects. You can find my background at http://livebetterthanabillionaireon5dollars.blogspot.com/2005_08_30_livebetterthanabillionaireon5dollars_archive.html/.
May God bless you.
Donald W. Mitchell, Your Dream Concierge
Copyright 2005 Donald W. Mitchell
posted by Donald Mitchell @ 8:26 AM
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