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Draft Y our F inancial Dream Team

Spend as little time and effort as possible discussing money or invest-
ments with these people. When they see you moving forward, their natural
tendency is to criticize you, and try to convince you why you can’t achieve
your goals. Avoid discussing matters of finance with these people at all

costs.

If your spouse or significant other happens to be one of these people,
please don’t argue with him or her. Let them be right in their own minds, for
the time being—let your actions and results speak for you. As your family’s

situation improves financially, they will often begin to come around to a more
positive way of thinking in regard to money. Here’s a quick thought: Many
spouses are resistant to investing. Maybe they have heard it all too many times
already. However, they will come on board with getting debt-free. So, for
faster momentum, get on board with the Burley debt-free program, and you
just might see your spouse get on board with the rest.
Take advice from financially successful people who have proven them-

selves in the real world of investing. Contact them personally, if possible.
Read their books, listen to their audio programs, and attend their seminars.

Do whatever is necessary to benefit from their financial expertise. If you

need a real estate advisor, look at that person’s investment portfolio. If he
or she doesn’t have a track record that supports his or her claims, continue
your search. Not all are who they claim to be. If they are selling a “get-rich-
quick” scheme, then keep your money.
I tried lots of the “get-rich-quick” stuff, and my money was gone—quick!
Trust me on this. Trust only someone who has a long-term track record. Trust
someone who tells you that success is achievable, but that it takes work. There
is no “get-rich-quick” magic wand.

If you need legal advisors, find out how well they have defended and
advanced the purposes of their clients. In other words, do some market
research. When you assemble your team, base it on your level of sophistica-
tion, and where you want to go financially. If you are just starting out, you

don’t need Donald J. Trump’s attorney. You have nothing he can help you with,
and throwing away money for advice you can’t use is as foolish as throwing it
away on commissions without returns.

None of the advisors I work with were the first person I contacted. It
took me a long time to fi nd some of my advisors, while some were relatively

easy to find. Please keep in mind the 5/15/80 rule. I tried several different
people until I found those who actually knew what they were doing, and could
perform by demonstrating a proven track record of consistently making their
clients money. This is a process. You are looking for the top 20—if not the
top 5—percent, so that means you will have some sorting and interviewing

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