When you venture off into the unknown to start your own business enterprise, what is the force that makes you think you will succeed? You must have strong faith to believe you can fly. Simply put , you have faith! It is an essential pre-cursor element to entrepreneurship. Before I go pontificating about the subject I must give proper credit to my cousin Anita Connors, (http://www.atconnercpa.com/index.html), a CPA in Philadelphia who hipped me to this novel concept. She has built a vastly successful business and produced a documentary of her life story which is a strong example of the principles to be discussed here. So many people get twisted into knots when you discuss faith, but at its core faith is simply a belief that is not based on proof. A brand new business has no sales stats, no past performance, simply an idea and someone's faith that it will succeed. With faith being such an essential element, all those who venture out on that proverbial limb and start a new business should logically become students of faith. Any tool that will assist and strengthen your faith logically seems to have a direct ability to impact your entrepreneurial pursuits.Some great quotes on faith: “Keep your dreams alive. Understand [that in order] to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.” – Gail Devers “Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to” – George Seaton “I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be.” – Douglas Adams “To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.” – St. Thomas Aquinas “Faith... Must be enforced by reason...When faith becomes blind it dies.” – Mahatma Gandhi “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” – Reinhold Niebuhr “You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith.” – Mary Manin Morrissey “Faith isn't faith until it's all you're holding on to” - unattributed Being an entrepreneur gives rise to the occasion when you learn firsthand, “it’s lonely at the top!” Being the boss creates occasions when burdens run high and friends run away. The bills flow constantly, while customers seem sporadic. It is only by faith that you can continue to move forward, continue to believe. Having a strong spiritual faith allows the entrepreneur to give up his worries and place them in something greater than themselves. It is this ability to know that no matter what happens I am not alone that allows me to maintain my daily sanity without the regular use and constant abuse of intoxicants. I personally continue to seek new ways to exercise my faith spiritually, professionally and personally. The greater one's faith, the greater one's potential. So as we all grow , let's spread some tools for a more faithful life.... Think about it and let me know what you think.

A Will or Last Will & Testament is a legal document usually requiring the signatures of witnesses and outlines the final distribution of your property and possessions, designating your wishes for who takes responsibility for your minor children and/or disabled dependents on the event of your passing, as well as other issues you desire to address. Who needs a will? Almost everyone can benefit from having a will. If you own things or have minor children something must happen when you transition, there is no way to avoid this absolute of life. Take control and responsibility today, it is very important. Have a question, just ask. dlw@donwestjr.com Originally published on my official blog at http://ping.fm/OMXDC

Legacy and estate planning can be combined to guide and direct future generations while also helping you preserve your hard-earned assets and ensure that they go where you want them to go after you pass on.

By purposefully plotting your generational impact you can save your family and heirs considerable time, expense and potential grief by eliminating uncertainty about inheritance. In the legacy planning process a you are given an opportunity to teach and offer hard-earned life experiences that helped shape your life and guide your destiny. The old saying, “If you give a person a fish you feed them for a day, but if you teach a person to fish they can eat for a lifetime,” is a common theme drawn upon daily by many successful clients who worry about the well being and preparedness of their future generations.

Seventy percent of Americans do not have a will. Unless you would like to donate your estate to Uncle Sam, it is time to join the thirty percent who do. Though writing a will may not be fun to think about, a little foresight now will save your heirs and loved ones enormous hassles down the road. In this series on legacy and estate planning you will learn to:

• Understand the basics of wills, trusts, probate, legacy statements, charitable giving, and more.
• Set up power of attorney, a living will, and long-term care arrangements
• Minimize the impact of estate and inheritance taxes on your heirs

Warren Buffet has drawn much attention and praise for his comments regarding his own children’s inheritance, “"The perfect amount of money to leave children is enough money so that they would feel they could do anything, but not so much that they could do nothing."

This attitude has been embraced by young professionals and baby boomers alike as well as the middle class. Only by planning your estate now can you be sure that all your wishes will be known and respected when you pass away.

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