As a lot of people, I had a crash and burn at one point in my life several years ago. I was in a fairly lucrative career doing a job I really loved.

Then some things happened that caused the industry in my local area to fall and I lost the career. The thing that got me the most was I was promised some work by people who for whatever reason didn't back up the promises they made. This was in an industry that claims that the integrity of your commitment was the most important thing. I suppose I should not have been so naieve to think it was a two street as opposed to the one way street it turned out to be.

If everyone had kept the promises they made I would have made between two and three hundred thousand dollars. Instead I bled out about sixty thousand dollars in savings to keep my head above water financially. So in some ways I pretty much lost a quarter to a third of a million dollars

So I was then left with no contacts outside of my area I was left to find work, any work I could find.

Needless to say I was at a pretty low point. The crash and burn though did make me realize the importance on not relying on only one source of income - and I was lucky to learn that three and a half decades before retirement as opposed to three years.

So I then started looking into home based businesses. The first of which that I got involved with was a network marketing (or MLM) business. Quixtar - formerly and now once again Amway (note to moderators I'm not trying to recruit anyone here).

Before you leave the article for something else I'm not going to go into the benefits of MLM except for what is probably the best part of any of these businesses.

And that is the educational part of it. The self improvement books and CD programs you get with it.

At this time, after having lost a lot of money I was very angry at the people who caused it and myself as well.

But some of the things I learned are:

1. We all, get a kick in the teeth every now and then (hopefully only figuratively). And whether or not you're justified in being angry about it you only hurt yourself by staying angry.
2. Talk is cheap, actions are the only thing that truly speak. Don't listen to what people say, watch what they do. That is what will tell you who they are.

Going with the theory of "you don't drown by falling in the water, you drown by staying in it." It was then that I really needed to hear the message that was being said in the programs. And lucky for me I was open to hearing it.

While the CDs and books from the business were great, my favourite ones are the ones I bought from Nightingale Conant.

They have probably the largest selection of educational CDs on the market today. Anything that's challenging you in life they have a program that can help give you the guidance to solve it.

These inlcude but are not limited to:

• debt repayment
• marketing
• passive income
• spirituality
• natural health
• time management
• and goal setting

You can also go into any bookstore or Amazon and look into the self improvement books sections for anything you need help with.

Without these programs I don't know where I would be. But I wouldn't have stuck with internet marketing or any of my fitness training that I do.

I hope that after reading the article I have inspired you to help yourself improve your life. Remember like the Bruce Cockburn song says "you gotta kick at the darkness until it bleeds day light."

Go out there and make it a great day.