Two New Books to Help You and Others Acquire Mansions

The 400 Year Project is pleased to announce the completion of drafting for the companion volume to Excellent Solutions, Excellent Leadership. Dr. Elijah Chingosho, Secretary General of the African Airlines Association, has kindly agreed to author the book's Foreword. Excellent Leadership will help individuals identify their callings for working on excellent solutions and prepare them to be highly fruitful in these activities. Publication is expected to occur in March 2015. The book will be available in paperback and electronic form. 

The paperback For-Profit Edition of Excellent Solutions is now available for purchase at Amazon.com, other online book sites, as well as book stores. Here is the ISBN identifier to help you locate the correct edition of the book: 1499378696. Here is the link for the Amazon.com page:

http://www.amazon.com/Excellent-Solutions--Profit-Greater-Fruitfulness/dp/1499378696/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406598686&sr=1-1

We are working on a short book trailer for this edition that should be available soon. I'll add that link to this post as soon as the trailer is done.

The Nonprofit Edition in paperback and digital versions is also now available on Amazon.com as follows:

The ISBN identifier for the nonprofit edition is 978-1493625444 . The ASIN for the Kindle version is B00OE682FQ.

Here is the link for the Amazon.com page for the paperback edition:

http://www.amazon.com/Excellent-Solutions-Nonprofit-Greater-Fruitfulness/dp/1493625446/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1413112635&sr=1-1&keywords=9781493625444

Here is the link for the Amazon.com page for the Kindle version:

http://www.amazon.com/Excellent-Solutions-Nonprofit-Greater-Fruitfulness-ebook/dp/B00OE682FQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1413112764&sr=1-1&keywords=B00OE682FQ  

Unique, New Book Provides Directions for Highly Fruitful Solutions to Meet and Upgrade All of Life's Spiritual and Material Needs by Using Your Currently Available Resources

Contact: Helen Cook, 903-654-0938

WESTON, Mass., June 10, 2014 /Christian Newswire/ -- The 400 Year Project founder, Donald W. Mitchell, launches his latest book, Excellent Solutions: How to Apply God's Wisdom for Greater Fruitfulness. Two versions are available – one for nonprofit organizations and the other for for-profit companies. The 400 Year Project is a Christian initiative to increase global fruitfulness by at least 20 times.

News reports reveal that many people lack some of the basics for sustaining a healthy and productive life: clean water, food, medicine, shelter, education, and a job. Some people who are well supplied with the basics recall times when their own circumstances were more favorable than now and are discouraged about the future. Others are concerned that some people seem determined to harm as many other people as possible and personally live in fear.

Excellent Solutions shows that there is more than sufficient time, effort, physical resources, and money available to greatly improve the spiritual, moral, health, emotional, and physical circumstances of almost everyone on Earth. While some make that argument based on redistributing what those with more have to those who have less, Excellent Solutions encourages, instead, upgrading what we all do and how we conduct our lives to provide such benefits.

Mitchell described the writing experience as follows: "God through the Holy Spirit provided the revelations and inspirations that made this book possible. I happily give Him thanks and gratefully acknowledge that He deserves all the credit for the remarkable methods He revealed to me. Please join me in praising Him!"

First Review of Excellent Solutions 

Foreword Clarion Review

978-1-4936-2544-4

Five Stars (out of Five)

Mitchell avoids narrow ideas, encourages positive thinking, and sets large goals to make the biggest possible spiritual and social impact.

In Excellent Solutions: Nonprofit Edition, Donald Mitchell proposes to prove “that there is more than sufficient time, effort, physical resources, and money available to greatly improve the spiritual, moral, health, emotional, and physical circumstances of almost everyone on Earth.” That is a significant challenge for an author to take on, but Mitchell’s thorough and optimistic presentation provides a commendable and thoughtful plan for nonprofit organizations to follow as they strive to make important and lasting impacts on individuals and society.

Mitchell breaks his process into four stages, each with its own section: “Set Goals for Excellent Solutions,” “Eliminate ‘Stalled’ Thinking,” “Create and Implement an Excellent Solution,” and “Create and Implement an Excellent Solution By Using a Second Method.”

“Excellent solutions” are those that reach beyond simplistic answers and blossom exponentially into far-reaching, positive actions without significantly increasing the initial effort. He begins with the
essential element of goal-setting, but as is the case with all thirty-one of his lessons, Mitchell stresses the need to think in terms of goals that are not limited by negativity or narrow focus.

Mitchell excels at turning potentially complex ideas into easily understood steps that he reinforces with biblical passages, personal examples, and engaging explanations that communicate his points clearly without coming across as condescendingly simplistic. Rather, his style conveys the feeling of a favorite uncle teaching a child about important life lessons while giving constant encouragement. For example, near the end of one teaching segment, he writes, “When you have finished the five tasks, please accept my congratulations for having done so much valuable thinking.”

Biblical references and scripture passages abound, and Mitchell craftily uses them to support his concepts and to emphasize that his plan is biblically sound. His passion for his Christian principles and his belief in their ability to change the world, particularly through the effectiveness and excellent solutions of nonprofits, resonates throughout his writing. He does not simply want nonprofits to be successful in secular terms, but also in spiritual matters.

Excellent Solutions is packed with useful and clearly explained information, but Mitchell adds a creative twist that gives the 450-plus page book some visually inspiring moments. Before each lesson, he inserts an incredibly beautiful full-color nature photo by Derrick Z. Jackson. Whether intentional or not, these brilliant pictures inspire reflection on creation’s beauty around the world, subtly reinforcing Mitchell’s global concepts.

Mitchell practices what he teaches. He avoids narrow ideas, encourages positive thinking, and sets large goals to make the biggest possible spiritual and social impact—precisely what Excellent Solutions is all about.

Jeff Friend

Advance Praise for Excellent Solutions

What’s the world coming to? If you follow some form of media news outlet, you will acknowledge that large portions of the world’s populace expect only increased difficulty, strife, terror, chaos, and disaster. So many either join the turmoil or sneak off into some private refuge, content with their games, distractions, and preoccupations. So much for positive, purposeful living.

What I love about Don Mitchell’s approach to life is that anything and everything good that pertains to human flourishing is within the realm of reasonable and reachable. But attaining such fruitfulness is not dependent on Don’s intelligence or methodology or wisdom. Rather, it is in the nature and character of God, whose love for any and all people is real and powerful and available. As a result, Don helps us get a handle on God’s wisdom and helps us translate it into fruitful living.

This book busts the traps and boxes into which we unwittingly fall prey. Our thinking and our living are invited to fresh, rich levels of expression. The “number of our days” may be limited, but the difference we make and the contribution we offer to the world are unleashed. Instead of being part of the problem, we can learn from Excellent Solutions how to become increasingly part of the solution, part of God’s good, global solution.

— Pastor Doug Whallon

This wonderful book is a comprehensive guide for finding excellent solutions by applying God’s Wisdom for greater fruitfulness through upgrading what we all do and how we conduct our lives and thus turn well-justified hope into huge accomplishments.

— Dr. Elijah Chingosho, Secretary General, African Airlines Association

A formidable synthesis of management thought, personal psychology, and organizational behavior, all informed by Christian beliefs. This insightful work lays the foundation for truly excellent solutions. Don Mitchell again points the way to a better personal and organizational life.

— Wayne P. Jones, PhD, Executive in Residence, Professor of Marketing, College of Business,
University of Louisville

The story of doubt and stalled faith told by John, a contemporary of Jesus, enlightens our understanding of the loving care and creative power of the TriUnity of God (John 6:1-15). John’s story is situated in a time in Israel where many thousands of marginalized people sought a better solution from a rabbi named Jesus. “When Jesus looked out and saw that a large crowd had arrived, he said to Philip, ‘Where can we buy bread to feed these people?’ He said this to stretch Philip’s faith. He already knew what he was going to do.” (MSG). Even if there was enough bread in the nearest town, there was not enough money to buy bread for so many people. That would be our stalled thinking. But divine wisdom is not shackled by limited vision. Five barley loaves and two dried fish from a little boy would be more than enough. Jesus demonstrates this creative power of faith in God. This seed of faith (a hopeless resource for some) possesses an explosive power for regeneration. It generously feeds the many who seek a better solution in Jesus and graciously leaves more leftovers
for others.

Don Mitchell taps the divine seed of power by exploring how heavenly wisdom is radically different from our own worldly assumptions and then discovers that hidden in this seed is the power for a new creation.

— Stephan Earnhart, follower of Jesus serving the needs of a broken humanity, hotelier, and educator

Excellent Solutions unlocks the secrets to living profoundly by explaining how to tap into your passions and be in sync with what the Lord wants you to do. By following the roadmap laid out by 2,000 percent solution guru Don Mitchell, you, too, can experience the more productive, happier existence that Jesus Christ wants you to enjoy. Instead of just getting by, you’ll be wonderfully supercharged because your actions will be aligned with the teachings of Christianity.

— Ira McCown, investment banker and entrepreneur

With his customary modesty, Donald Mitchell describes his special gift from God: “He made me very curious about ways to find more and better solutions to difficult and painful problems.”

Readers who have benefited from Mitchell’s previous books would add that he writes with compelling clarity. Never one to leave a point unexplained, he elaborates: “Here’s an example,” “Let me spell out what this may look like,” “Let me give you an example,” and interjects many other transitions that become road signs toward insight. He keeps readers captivated and informed through simple illustrations that unlock profound truths.

Excellent Solutions emerges as his masterpiece on the theme he considers his God-given mission. Definitely, the book’s subtitle — How to Apply God’s Wisdom for Greater Fruitfulness — does morethan challenge readers. The phrase encapsulates what the author has accomplished in this epochal book.

— Bill Lampton, PhD, President, Championship Communication

In Excellent Solutions, Donald Mitchell has combined the knowledge and wisdom of the Bible with the stallbusting principles of his 2,000 percent solution to arrive at a magnificent work that teaches us how, through God’s guidance, we can arrive at a sequence of change and action to produce excellent solutions that will multiply benefits in our lives and businesses and thereby create greater fruitfulness for all.

— Dr. Andreas Stark, professional geophysicist and author

I’ve known Don Mitchell for at least a decade, and have always personally known and admired the strength of his character. Excellent Solutions presents a new and expansive vision of Don Mitchell. Those who know him personally have not been surprised to watch him evolve into one of the top Christian business minds in America.

Excellent Solutions allows Don to be recognized not only for his experience as a business leader and forward-thinking problem solver, but as an ongoing Christian learner who can integrate and implement plans and actions based upon teachings of the scripture. Through development of a plan, analysis of what has been done previously, and focus on creating the best opportunities, Mitchell helps us to look at ourselves and our approaches to problem solving in ways that allow us to continually multiply and enhance solutions to challenges we face. I’m proud to know Don and call him a Christian friend. May his work bless your life, and the future work you do.

— Alan Guinn, CEO and Managing Director of The Guinn Consultancy Group, Inc.

Are we really happy with our life, our family, our business, and our friends? No matter how successful we are, we are all performing way below our achievable potential. More happiness and more success are within reach of all of us but we do not see it, we do not know how; we are blind and ignorant. Life is beautiful but we have to make it beautiful.

If you believe in God, by applying God’s Wisdom you will find answers to all your problems. God’s Wisdom will open your eyes and your mind and will help you to achieve exponential success.

Don Mitchell in his new book, Excellent Solutions, combines with talent God’s guidance and stallbusting principles. This outstanding resourceful book will help you to free your life from stalls to find new strengths to go beyond your expectations.

— Alain Pierre Mignon, PhD, CEO, PT Fratekindo Jaya Gemilang, and Chairman of the French-Indonesian Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Don’s motto in life comes from Luke 12:48: “To whom much is given, much is expected.” His book, Excellent Solutions, is a must read for us all if we are to make a difference in our own lives and the lives of others.

— Patrick Crowley, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, OMERS

Don Mitchell is a gifted writer and a brilliant thinker. Therefore it is no surprise that Excellent Solutions gives readers deep insights into behavior change. Regardless of your religious beliefs, implementing just one idea from this book will have a profound impact on your life and the lives of others.

— Stephen Shapiro, Author, Best Practices Are Stupid

We all limit ourselves from achieving exceptional results. We take on what others desire and fear. Unnecessarily. Excellent Solutions frees you to think for yourself in highly productive ways.

— Ania Lichota, executive coach and author

Excellent Solutions takes the reader to a new level of consciousness about improving their own lot as well as those around them, and its “how to do it” approach provides the tools.

— Douglas Scott, foundation CAO

A Universal Method for Quickly Increasing Benefits by Ten Trillion Times

Dear Happy Mansion Lovers,

I pray that you are having an amazing day!

The Holy Spirit gave me an astonishing revelation last evening, a universal method for quickly increasing benefits by ten trillion times while engaging no more time, money, assets, effort, and resources from existing sources. Wow! Do we serve a great God of what? I've been directed to teach this method to those who want to immediately put it into effect for Godly purposes. Send me a message to save_more_souls [at] yahoo [dot] com if you are so called. Praise God for His unlimited knowledge, power, and grace!

Please let me know how I can help.

May God bless you, your family, and all you do in the name of Jesus!

With best regards, much appreciation, and all good wishes,

Donald W. Mitchell
Founder, The 400 Year Project

Visit Mansions for Your Next Birthday: Here's What I Did!

Good morning, Happy Mansion Lovers!

Are you feeling motivated this morning?

I certainly hope so. I know that I am!

Let me thank you for all of the wonderful ideas I've received for my new book. It's been a great time as I explored those subjects and developed my latest book proposal.

Now that the book proposal is off being considered by publishers, I'll be able to write more blog posts to inspire you to live better than a billionaire on five dollars extra a day.

Thinking back over the last year, I realized that I had some experiences that might inspire you to enjoy more beautiful living. I'll be writing about these experiences in the coming weeks and months.

Since we all have a birthday each year, it struck me that you might like to learn about how I organized my birthday last year.

In New England, the weather often turns pretty dreadful before my fall birthday. I've learned to have alternate plans for the day, depending on the weather. I always prefer to celebrate outdoors and hope for the best.

When my son, Don, lived in the Boston area, we made it an annual event to play a round of golf on that day. Many years, we had to wait until the afternoon for the frost to leave the course so we could play. In other years, we would bask in 60 degree weather.

Since Don doesn't live near me any more, I've made it a bigger point of emphasis to get outdoors that day.

Last fall, I found myself in a mansion mood. But I was wary about the weather. Why? Most historic mansions in New England aren't heated for visitors!

But the weather forecast was for balmy weather and not a cloud in sight. I decided to take the day off with my wife and visit Newport, Rhode Island's wonderful mansions. While all of the mansions aren't open in the fall, many of the best ones are. The good news is that you don't have many visitors to compete with. You can park right next to the mansion. You don't have to wait long for a tour, and your tour group will be small. With the good weather, you can also stroll the grounds or walk along the ocean to warm up after your chilly visits inside.

There's also a favorite restaurant of mine in Newport where you can dine on excellent seafood while looking out at the harbor. That would be our mid-day stop.

But we were in no hurry. Arriving mid-morning after a 90 minute drive, Carol and I found ourselves in front of the Elms, one of Newport's most impressive mansions. We bought the multi-mansion tour package and were informed that because one of the houses was closed that day for a special event we could instead take the backdoor tour of the Elms. That was a nice surprise because I had always wanted to take the tour . . . but had never had enough time to do so.

What most people don't realize about the mansions is that more servants lived in them than the families that resided there for six weeks or so every summer. The families didn't want to see the servants unless they wanted something done, so great efforts were put in place to make the servants' quarters invisible. In the Elms, this was done by adding a floor at the top of the house that's hidden behind a false roof front. Between the false roof front and the servants' rooms, there's a lovely rooftop strolling area where servants could take the sun without being seen. The rooms are quite nice except for one problem: They must have been beastly hot in the summer when most of the seasonal servants came from New York to live there.

The owners were equally desirous of having the ordinary functioning of the mansion be invisible to them. For example, the coal deliveries were made a block away and carried by railway cart underground into the basement of the Elms. A service entrance is located on the working side of the Elms and cleverly covered with wisteria vines so that no one would see the delivery wagons or trucks while they were waiting.

So if you find yourself in the Newport area, be sure to take the backdoor tour of the Elms. It's great!

After a delicious and pleasant lunch, we headed for the Breakers. That's the most magnificent of the Newport mansions. Some would argue it's the most magnificent of all American mansions of that era. I had never been in the Breakers aside from the summertime and I was interested to see how it would look in fall conditions. The conservation staff does quite a nice job of taking the indoor-outdoor areas and walling them off with glass so that the precious interiors are not damaged.

Whenever I visit the Breakers I'm struck by an incongruity. Many Americans travel to Europe to see various palaces in England and France, especially at Versailles. Most of those Americans have never been to see the Breakers. Why should they? It's only a summer home.

But the magnificence and opulence of the Breakers puts the interior of any public palace you can visit in Europe to shame. Psst! Don't tell too many people. Otherwise, you won't be able to get into the Breakers for a wonderful, uncrowded visit on your next birthday.

Afterwards, we took the cliff walk and enjoyed our many views of the Breakers and its grounds as we listened to the roil of the waves and surf below. It was astonishingly lovely to be there.

Where can you spend a day like this on your next birthday? Why not in Newport? Just check schedules to be sure that what you want to see is open then. Most winter days this year, only the Breakers was open. Go to http://www.newportmansions.org/ for more information.

May God bless you.

Donald W. Mitchell
Your Dream Concierge

Copyright 2007 Donald W. Mitchell All Rights Reserved

I Need Your Help: What One Thing Do You Most Want to Learn about How to Live Better than a Billionaire on $5 Extra a Day?

Good morning, Happy Mansion Lovers!

Are you feeling motivated this morning?
I certainly hope so. I know that I am!

I'm now ready for the next step in writing Live Better than a Billionaire on Five Dollars Extra a Day.

Isn't that exciting?

I need your help to take this step. Will you help me, please?

I need to know what one thing you most want to learn about how to live better than a billionaire on five dollars extra a day!

Please e-mail your answer to ultimatecompetitiveadvantage@yahoo.com and label your subject as: "Here's what I most want to learn about living better than a billionaire on five dollars extra a day".

Please ask your friends to send their answers too!

The results will be used to define the structure of the new book, Live Better than a Billionaire on Five Dollars Extra a Day.

By sending your answer, you'll also have a chance to participate in writing the book.

May God bless you.

Donald W. Mitchell
Your Dream Concierge

Copyright 2006 Donald W. Mitchell

Christmas Activities in French and Newport Mansions

Good morning, Happy Mansion Lovers!

Are you feeling motivated this morning? I certainly hope so. I know that I am!

Have you ever spent Christmas in France? If not, you have a special treat ahead of you.

France is one of the countries where the spiritual side of the holiday is well maintained. Family manger scenes receive more attention than Christmas trees (although that tradition is also claimed for France). Naturally, the whole family goes to Midnight Mass and then goes home for a wonderful large meal called Reveillon. Special desserts are baked. Buche de Noel (Yule log) is one of my favorites!

One of my favorite French non-religious traditions is that each child who sends a letter to Pere Noel (Santa Claus) receives a reply. It's the law!

If you would like to learn more about French Christmas traditions see, http://french.about.com/cs/culture/a/christmas.htm

Going to France for a Christmas party is an old tradition for Europeans. For example, you can book a day trip from the UK to have lunch in a chateau! Sounds like great fund, doesn't it? For more details see http://www.gable-events.co.uk/xmas/france/#anchor3

Naturally, you can also stay in a chateau to enjoy your Christmas meal. Consider the Chateau Tilques Hotel for comfort and joy. See http://www.golfinfrance.f9.co.uk/hotelchateautilques.htm

If you want to look more broadly for a chateau to stay in this Christmas, check out www.castlesandchateux,com/Pays/france/htm

In the United States, mansion lovers would do well to visit Newport, Rhode Island. The amazing mansions there are dressed up in Christmas finery just for you! For a listing of all Christmas season events see http://www.christmasinnewport.org/. Keep in mind that the mansions are closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas. For an advance look at the decorations and the schedule, go to http://www.newportmansions.org/. I was particularly intrigued by the opportunity to enjoy a Victorian tour of the Astors' Beechwood mansion. See http://www.astorsbeechwood.com/christmastour.shtml for more details.

By the way, if you forgot to make such exciting plans this year . . . it's not too early to start your plans for 2006!

Could a billionaire do better? Not a chance!

************************************

Please let me know what else you would like to learn, and I'll do my best to help in future blog entries.

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!

If you like this blog, please let others know who might also enjoy it. E-mailing your favorite post to them is a great idea.

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 visit

Live Spiritually Better than a Billionaire at http://livespirituallybetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,

Be More Successful than a Billionaire at http://bemoresuccessfulthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,

Create Your Own 2,000 Percent Solutions at
http://2000percentsolutions.blogspot.com/,

Create a Billion Dollar Business at http://billiondollarbusiness.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. Merry Christmas!

Donald W. Mitchell, Your Dream Concierge

Copyright 2005 Donald W. Mitchell

Announcing Create a Billion Dollar Business

Good morning, Happy Mansion Lovers!

Are you feeling motivated this morning? I know that I am.

As a follow-up to my recent announcement of The Billionaire Entrepreneurs’ Master Mind I wanted to alert you to a new blog, Create a Billion Dollar Business (see http://billiondollarbusiness.blogspot.com/).

This new blog will share exciting details about the new master mind for those who want to create unprecedented entrepreneurial success in their careers.

If you think this opportunity might be right for you, contact me at ultimatecompetitiveadvantage@yahoo.com with a subject heading of "I Want to Create a Billion Dollar Business". I'll be back to you to answer your questions and provide application information.

Merry Christmas!

May God bless you.

With best regards, much appreciation and all good wishes,

Donald W. Mitchell
Your Dream Concierge

Copyright 2005 Donald W. Mitchell

Marvelous Mansions to Visit in Wales

Good morning, Happy Mansion Lovers!

Are you feeling motivated this morning? I certainly hope so. I know that I am!

Most people haven't been to Wales. And that's a shame.

Other than knowing that there is a title called Prince of Wales, I didn't really know anything about this part of the United Kingdom until popular singer Tom Jones began his hip-wiggling television show in the 1970s.

Later I had a business trip to Wales and found the people and places there to be exceptional pleasant and enjoyable.

If you want a good starting point for learning about Wales, go to http://www.myguidewales.com/.

But let's focus on the mansions in Wales for today. You'll probably want to start with Aberconwy House which is that rarity, a mansion from medieval times. Aberconwy House dates from the 14th century and is now decorated to resemble an 18th century merchant's home. For more details see http://www.myguidewales.com/northwales/attraction/activity_attraction.html?this_attraction=190

While in Conwy, be sure to also visit Plas Mawr (which means "Great House") which is an exceptional example of Elizabethan mansions. For more details see http://www.myguidewales.com/northwales/attraction/activity_attraction.html?this_attraction=198

Continuing our travel through the past centuries, you will be delighted by your visit to Plas Newydd, the 18th century home of the Marquis of Anglesey. Anglesey served at Waterloo, and the mansion features a fine military museum concerning that battle. Art lovers will feel rewarded by the marvelous Rex Whistler collection, including his most famous and largest mural (about 50 feet in height ) in the dining room. See http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-plasnewydd.htm

For those who cannot get enough of medieval castles, be sure to visit Powis Castle and enjoy the gardens there. For more information, see http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-powiscastle_garden.htm

If you prefer fantasy castles, then the 19th century Penrhyn Castle is right for you. This castle features a romantic appearance, wonderful views, a doll collection and outstanding art and furnishings. See http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-penrhyncastle.htm

For those who loved the "downstairs" part of the famed television series, Upstairs, Downstairs, you have a treat awaiting you at Erddig. While you are there be sure to take a carriage ride and walk some of the 13 miles of paths. Pick a sunny day, though, to see the interiors. There is no electricity in the rooms. See http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-erddig.htm

If you like gardens and views, be sure to check out Bodnant Garden. Although there's no mansion there, you'll feel refreshed in this very popular destination. See http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-bodnantgarden.htm

Could a billionaire do better? I doubt it.

A billionaire would probably find Wales too small to be interesting. It's not the center of anything. There are no big deals to be done there. So you don't have to worry about The Donald getting in your way! You'll be thoroughly charmed though.

************************************

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.

Please let me know what else you would like to learn, and I'll do my best to help in future blog entries.

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!

If you like this blog, please let others know who might also enjoy it. E-mailing your favorite post to them is a great idea.

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 visit

Live Spiritually Better than a Billionaire at http://livespirituallybetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,

Be More Successful than a Billionaire at http://bemoresuccessfulthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,

Create Your Own 2,000 Percent Solutions at
http://2000percentsolutions.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

Enjoy the Pleasures of Scottish Mansions

Good morning, Happy Mansion Lovers!

Are you feeling motivated this morning? I certainly hope so. I know that I am!

As someone whose family came from Scotland, sharing this blog post with you is a special pleasure.

One of the special treats of mansions in Scotland is that they are often, you guessed it, castles!

Even Shakespeare was fascinated by the special qualities of Scotland as he showed in his amazing portrayal of Macbeth.

Here's a little known secret. There's a National Trust for Scotland that plays a similar preservation role that the National Trust does for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Naturally, you can do all of the same things that I outlined in yesterday's blog . . . but the settings will be quite different.

Let me give you some guidance through the NTS web site. To find places to visit go to: http://www.nts.org.uk/web/site/home/visit/places/Places_home.asp?NavId=5020&NavPage=41

Once there, you'll find a map to show you the different regions. Click on the areas you think you want to explore and see what pops up!

Not everything you'll turn up is a castle though! The NTS also has urban mansions such as The Georgian House in Edinburgh and wildlife preserves in the Shetland islands. The NTS is very interested in preserving Scottish culture, and some sites combine museum quality paintings with views of prior living. A special treat can be found at The Hill House, arguably Scotland's finest private residence. This home was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh for Walter Blackie, a Glasgow publisher, and features a fine view of the Clyde estuary.

Scotland is also well known for its ruins. Battles often left castles in disrepair. The English later found this so charming that they built ruins onto their estates to capture this romantic element. A good choice for your visit is Strome Castle.

While you are there, be sure to enjoy the amazing Scottish gardens. One of the most interesting is Inverewe Garden on a rocky peninsula overlooking Loch Ewe. Enormous trees emerge from imposing rocks amid some of Scotland's finest scenery.

Don't forget the wonderful bird watching while you travel from mansion to mansion. NTS has many wonderful preserves. I especially recommend the ones on the islands to the north and west.

Of course, you'll want to stay in a Scottish castle. That's very easy to do! Here is a helpful site to make that even easier: http://www.castles.org/Chatelaine/accomm.htm

Perhaps you've heard of a little game where people chase a little white ball. The honorable game of golf had its origins at St. Andrews. No trip to Scotland is complete without seeing some of its famous courses. Perhaps you might also want to have your own adventures on them. If you have not been to Scotland before, I suggest that you have someone help you arrange the golfing part of your trip. That way you'll be sure to see the right courses and enjoy wonderful caddies! I highly recommend a firm I've used, Haversham & Baker. You can read about them at http://www.haversham.com/. They can also arrange amazing mansions to stay in near the courses you want to play!

Could a billionaire do better? I doubt it.

A billionaire would probably find Scotland to be too plain. Where else do people take great pleasure in their oatmeal and haggis! But for those who understand the joys of authenticity, you cannot beat Scotland.

************************************

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.

Please let me know what else you would like to learn, and I'll do my best to help in future blog entries.

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!

If you like this blog, please let others know who might also enjoy it. E-mailing your favorite post to them is a great idea.

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 visit

Live Spiritually Better than a Billionaire at http://livespirituallybetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,

Be More Successful than a Billionaire at http://bemoresuccessfulthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,

Create Your Own 2,000 Percent Solutions at
http://2000percentsolutions.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

Plan to Visit English Mansions

Good morning, Happy Mansion Lovers!

Are you feeling motivated this morning? I certainly hope so. I know that I am!

England has long been well-endowed with mansions. As you know from past posts, access to the mansions is also well organized through the National Trust (see http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-index.htm to get started).

What is probably less well known for those who don't live in England is that your mansion viewing and visiting choices are also very broad in there. Beginning many years ago, high taxes, skyrocketing heating cost and challenging upkeep forced many mansion owners to make their homes available to the public. At first these visits were brief and just one day a month. Gradually, access widened . . . and the properties that are now owned by the National Trust make themselves as available as is reasonable.

Here are some dimensions of English mansions that you may not have considered:

1. Plan a holiday visit.

For instance, many of the mansions are opening in December for Christmas festivities. To find out about such seasonal opportunities visit http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-events.htm
Here is the link for December's Christmas activities:
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-global/w-special_projects/w-christmas/w-christmas-events.htm
The choices can be fascinating. For instance, you can enjoy Christmas carols in a variety of venues and styles. See http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-global/w-special_projects/w-christmas/w-christmas-events/w-christmas-events-carols.htm

2. Plan an important family event in an English mansion.

Weddings and wedding receptions are both frequent choices. Many mansions are now licensed for civil ceremonies, or you can arrange to be married nearby and hold the reception at the mansion. Here is the link for wedding reception choices: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-global/w-hiring-2/w-hiring-weddings/w-receptions.htm

3. Pick a theme and explore it.

Did you know that many English mansions have been featured in various movies and television shows? Here's a link to give you some ideas to see your favorites: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-daysout/w-daysout-themed/w-daysout-themed-stars_of_screen.htm
It sounds like Cliveden is the one to be sure to see. Here's a link: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-cliveden.htm

If you are a writer or just like good writing, you may also want to visit the places that have inspired some of the greatest works in English literature. While you are there, you can see various local mansions as well. See http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-daysout/w-daysout-themed/w-daysout-themed-literary_connections.htm

But what if you like ghost stories? England can help you there, as well. See http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-daysout/w-daysout-themed/w-daysout-themed-ghosts.htm

4. Go on the corporate tab.

Many sites also let companies hold meetings. For more information, see http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-global/w-hiring-2/w-corporatehire.htm

5. Focus on a region.

If you don't know England very well, you can benefit from the National Trust's many interesting suggested itineraries. See http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-daysout/w-daysout-area.htm
I was particularly interested in the one for great houses in the London area. See http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-daysout/w-daysout-area/w-daysout-greater_london.htm

6. Learn about something that interests you.

The national trust can also help you turn your visit into a learning experience. The choices are many. See http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-chl/w-learning_discovery/w-adult_learning.htm for more details.

7. Stay in historic cottages and save a bundle.

Beautiful hotels in England can be pricey. But the National Trust also can point you to historic cottages that it rents out for overnight stays. Here is the link: http://www.nationaltrustcottages.co.uk/

8. Get help with bed and breakfasts to stretch your budget.

One of my least favorite trips to England was a time when my wife and I didn't have a reservation ahead. We drove and drove and drove, and couldn't find anyplace that wasn't booked. We ended up in a fleabag and the breakfast bacon had something green growing on it. You can avoid that problem by having the National Trust help you find some lovely bed and breakfast accommodations where you'll start off with a hearty English breakfast. Here's the link: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-holidays/w-bedandbreakfast.htm

Could a billionaire do better? I doubt it.

A billionaire finds protecting his or her billions to be an engaging task. The ones who want to build more billions are even busier. While billionaires may well receive invitations to weekend visits in mansions that you'll never see, the odds are that you will be able to spend more time visiting mansions than they will. Can you imagine The Donald taking public tours of the gardens along with a bus tour group? But for many of the loveliest sites, there are no private tours available.

************************************

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.

Please let me know what else you would like to learn, and I'll do my best to help in future blog entries.

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!

If you like this blog, please let others know who might also enjoy it. E-mailing your favorite post to them is a great idea.

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 visit

Live Spiritually Better than a Billionaire at http://livespirituallybetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,

Be More Successful than a Billionaire at http://bemoresuccessfulthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,

Create Your Own 2,000 Percent Solutions at
http://2000percentsolutions.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

Announcing Create Your Own 2,000 Percent Solutions

Good morning, Happy Mansion Lovers!

Are you feeling motivated this morning? I certainly hope so! I know that I certainly am.

Long before I conceived of the subject of this blog and began developing the book upon which it is based, I worked in the area of helping people find their own ways of becoming more productive. One of the first public fruits of that work was a book called The 2,000 Percent Solution which was published by the American Management Association in 1999. My co-authors were Carol Coles and Robert Metz.

Since then, I've given more talks than I can count to CEO and senior management groups in companies of all sizes and conducted classes and workshops all around the world to help people apply the lessons of that book.

What's the premise? You can accomplish 20 times as much with the same time and effort and resources in virtually everything you do.

Why is that the case? First, because experience has shown that such improvements routinely available. Second, because there's a simple process you can learn to follow that will get you there. Third, because we operate so far below the potential of what we do because of bad habits we've fallen into (something my co-authors and I call "stalls").

Since 2003, I've been teaching on-line students ways to revolutionize their lives for the better. One of the fruits of that work has been to create a workbook with my esteemed colleague, Carol Coles, based on The 2,000 Percent Solution to make it easier to make such wonderful improvements.

The workbook will be published in December, and I know that you will want to buy a copy. As soon as the book is available for purchase on-line, I'll let you know.

To give you a head start over the rest of the world, I've decided to post a few of the early chapters of The 2,000 Percent Solution Workbook on a new blog, Create Your Own 2,000 Percent Solutions. There's a link on this blog's page, but you can also go to http://2000percentsolutions.blogspot.com/ directly.

May God bless you and your efforts to create many more 2,000 percent solutions!

Donald Mitchell, Your Dream Concierge

Copyright 2005 Donald W. Mitchell

Fabulous Historic Homes and Mansions in New England

Good morning, Happy Mansion Lovers!

Are you feeling motivated this morning? I certainly hope so. I know that I am!

Last week, I had the pleasure of hanging out in Concord's Colonial Inn. While there, I spotted a brochure for Gropius House in Lincoln, Massachusetts. This historic home was built in 1938 after Walter Gropius, founder of the Bauhaus, came to Harvard. The home is a modest one that combines traditional New England building materials with the efficiency, simple design and heavy use of glass that exemplified the Bauhaus. The home is furnished with both family possessions and Bauhaus furniture designed by Marcel Breuer.

I haven't visited Gropius House in almost 40 years, and I was glad to find this reminder of that delightful example of European styling in rural Lincoln, Massachusetts. The house is located at 68 Baker Bridge Road and can be seen from October 16-May 31 on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. through 4 p.m. Tours start on the hour and are limited to 10 people. The house is closed on major holidays. Adults pay $10, seniors pay $9 and children from 6-10 pay $5. Historic New England/SPNEA members and Lincoln town residents are free.

It was that last reference to Historic New England that inspired this blog entry. I didn't know the organization, but you can find its Web site at www.HistoricNewEngland.org/. One reason I didn't know the organization is that Historic New England is the new name (since June 1, 2004) of the venerable Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA).

Historic New England operates 35 house museums and landscapes that exemplify New England styles over four centuries. These properties house over one million items.

Historic New England also contains occasional listings of historic properties that can be purchased. So if you've wanted to live in a New England landmark, here's your chance. I was particularly intrigued by Exton Farm in New Canaan, Connecticut, located on 17 lovely acres. Here is the listing information: http://www.historicnewengland.org/about/Extown_Farm.pdf

If you plan to visit many of the properties belonging to Historic New England, you would be smart to purchase a membership. For an individual, the price is only $35. A household can join for $45 (two adults and all children under 18).

The historic homes are described at http://www.historicnewengland.org/visit/homes/

You will probably be surprised to see that Connecticut has only one home represented. Massachusetts has a generous total of 19, all but one of which are in the greater Boston area. That may be because the organization is based in Boston. Maine has six, New Hampshire has five and Rhode Island has four. Vermont is not represented.

For those who love mansions, consider trips to:

Hamilton House in South Berwick, Maine (http://www.historicnewengland.org/visit/homes/hamilton.htm);

Castle Tucker in Wiscasset, Maine
(http://www.historicnewengland.org/visit/homes/castle.htm);

Nichols-Sortwell House in Wiscasset, Maine
(http://www.historicnewengland.org/visit/homes/nickels.htm);

Sayward-Wheeler House in York Harbor, Maine
(http://www.historicnewengland.org/visit/homes/sayward.htm);

Beauport in Gloucester, Massachusetts
(http://www.historicnewengland.org/visit/homes/beauport.htm);

Codman Estate in Lincoln, Massachusetts
(http://www.historicnewengland.org/visit/homes/codman.htm);

Quincy House in Quincy, Massachusetts
(http://www.historicnewengland.org/visit/homes/quincy.htm);

Rundlet-May House in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
(http://www.historicnewengland.org/visit/homes/rundlet.htm);

Governor John Langdon House in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
(http://www.historicnewengland.org/visit/homes/langdon.htm);

Please be aware that many of these homes are only open for tours in the summer and early fall. So check the listings above before visiting to see if tours are still available now.

For that reason, you may want to wait until May to join the organization so that you can begin enjoying the sites in June when most open again. But if you join now, you can begin learning about the sites and planning your summer 2006 journeys to visit.

Can a billionaire do better? I doubt it.

The market value of these properties and their contents is probably over $200 million. But it would take decades to assemble a comparable set of buildings and contents. Then there would probably be another $100 million in renovations required.

I think you can do better by just spending $45 for an annual household membership. You will enjoy properties and contents sooner . . . and for a lot less money.

******************************************

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.

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!

If you like this blog, please let others know who might also enjoy it. E-mailing your favorite post to them is a great idea.

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 visit

Live Spiritually Better than a Billionaire at http://livespirituallybetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,

Be More Successful than a Billionaire at http://bemoresuccessfulthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,

Create Your Own 2,000 Percent Solutions at
http://2000percentsolutions.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

The Amusing Story of an "Accidental Mansion Owner"

Good morning, Happy Mansion Lovers!

Are you feeling motivated this morning? I certainly hope so. I know that I am!

Do you find mansions fascinating?

Have you ever considered living in a mansion?

Can you imagine how a mansion might change your life?

Are you intrigued about stories with unexpected twists in them?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, this blog post may make your day.

Less than one percent of the people in the world have ever lived in a mansion.

Even fewer have gone from living in an apartment to a mansion.

I was recently invited to attend a collaborative innovation summit in Providence, Rhode Island hosted by the Business Innovation Factory. I was intrigued by the idea when I saw that the program would be hosted by John Seely Brown and Richard Saul Wurman, both of whom I admire but neither of whom I had met.

John Seely Brown mildly chose to be part of the audience except for comments at the end of each day. Richard Saul Wurman (RSW was he likes to refer to himself) was a distinct presence on the stage by employing wit, wisdom and great timing.

Richard Saul Wurman is a Renaissance man. Trained as an architect who apprenticed under Louis Kahn, RSW soon shifted his focus to the ways that understanding is retarded by the way that writers, designers and publishers convey information. He shared a Zen thought with us: "You have to understand what it's like not to understand."

True to his word, RSW has written widely about communication, publishes books that take new approaches, runs conferences and generally uses his energy to prod us into a more positive future.

If you would like to read about him, go to www.wurman.com/.

Naturally, I was surprised when he launched off on a story about how he had come to live in a Newport mansion. During a break, I approached him on your behalf knowing that you would want to know more. Here is what he told me and graciously offered to let me share with you.

RSW had lived in a loft in New York City for most of his life. Although he loved his loft and NYC, he had a frustration. No one ever visited him there. As a break from the city, he also owned a "falling down" summer place in the mansions.

He began to realize that it was probably going to be cheaper and easier to buy a new summer place and sell the old one rather than to rebuild the old heap.

As nice as the Hamptons are, other people had figured out that point also. Everything RSW and his wife looked at was way too expensive.

His wife just happened across an ad in the Wall Street Journal for a mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. Neither had ever been to Newport, but they decided to take a look on a lark.

More significantly, neither one had ever wanted to go to Newport. As RSW told me, "Those aren't our kind of people."

But the mansion blew them away. It was in terrible shape, but "the bones" were there. The home had more than 10 fireplaces, Baccarat crystal chandeliers, and 7 gorgeous acres.

The best part: All this came for less than the cost of an ordinary 3/4 acre place in the Hamptons.

They have been building ever since. They've added three swimming pools and have three full-time gardeners for the ever expanding landscaping.

How do they like it?

They love it!

Here's why.

1. Everyone visits them at their "outrageously pretentious home".

2. Living there is a great gag. When their son first saw the house, he came into the kitchen and said, "Mumsie and Popsie, Biff is here." This cracked RSW and his wife up. They responded by buying vanity Rhode Island license plates that say (you guessed it), "Mumsie" and "Popsie".

3. They love having a "F___ You House". They don't have to get along with the neighbors or the people in town they don't care for. The house speaks for itself.

4. Oh, and by the way, the house has gone up tremendously in value and they've made their money back many times.

So that's how RSW and his wife became "accidental mansion owners".

There's some good food for thought there.

1. If you buy a fixer upper mansion at the right time, you can save a lot of money over a "normal" home. (P.S. Now isn't one of those times.)

2. Mansion living will transform your life in many more ways that you can imagine.

3. Mansions will draw visitors, friends and family like a bear seeks honey.

4. If you can afford the upkeep as you go, your appreciation will more than pay for your mansion lifestyle.

This path can be made even more attractive if you cooperate with the programs that encourage historic homes to be made available to the public. Be sure to check with your local preservation society to find out about the many tax and cost-saving choices available to you during your lifetime while you inhabit your mansion.

Can any billionaire do better? I doubt it.

Billionaires aren't going to want to fix up an old mansion. They are more likely to push it over and build a bigger one. While that shows off how much money they have, it's hardly the most intelligent way to approach mansion living. After all, you will lose your mansion's charm in the process and replace it with modern nonsense. That's hardly progress!

******************************************

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.

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!

If you like this blog, please let others know who might also enjoy it. E-mailing your favorite post to them is a great idea.

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 visit

Live Spiritually Better than a Billionaire at http://livespirituallybetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,

Be More Successful than a Billionaire at http://bemoresuccessfulthanabillionaire.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

Build Your Mansion Better than a Billionaire

Good morning, Happy Mansion Lovers!

Are you feeling motivated this morning? I certainly hope so. I know that I am!

Did you ever dream about building a home that's twice the size of the Taj Mahal?

Have you ever wanted to live on a princely estate built to your specifications?

Does the idea of showing up others excite you?

Do you enjoy good gossip about billionaires?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, this blog post may provide a bit of fun this morning.

Today, we'll look at David Duffield's plans to build a 72,000 square foot mansion in Alamo, California.

Let's start by putting the size of that plan into perspective. The Taj Mahal in India is considered one of the world's most impressive palaces. Yet that colossus has a mere 34,596 square feet according to Parmy Olson of Forbes.com (see http://www.forbes.com/facesinthenews/2005/10/10/duffield-peoplesoft-mansion-cx_pwo_1010autofacescan07.html?partner=yahootix)

But, as you point out, that's old money. Surely new money can do better. You're correct. Bill Gates, world's richest human, has a 48,000 square foot compound near Seattle according to Michael Ledtke of The Associated Press (see http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05284/584797.stm).

Even the United States can top the Taj Mahal. The White House accounts for 55,000 square feet according to Jon Swartz in USA Today on October 7, 2005.

But perhaps the best comparison is to William Randolph Heart's San Simeon overlooking the Pacific. The Hearst Castle weighs in at 60,645 square feet.

If we look into Mr. Duffield's past, we may get a hint of what's really going on. He headed PeopleSoft, a software firm, for many years. That company was recently purchased by fellow billionaire, Larry Ellison of Oracle Corporation. Mr. Ellison also has a famous mansion built at a reputed cost of $100 million. But that mansion is mostly for entertaining business customers and the living quarters are estimated to be only 10,000 square feet.

Could it be that Mr. Duffield wants to have the last laugh by taking Oracle's money to one-up Mr. Ellison? If so that's a dangerous game. While Mr. Duffield is barely a billionaire, Mr. Ellison is one many times over. Perhaps his next home will have 720,000 square feet. He can afford it.

By comparison, the average American home is a little over 2,000 square feet.

Where do you build such an enormous three story home? Well naturally it's hard to find a big enough lot in California. So Mr. Duffield has bought an 8,000 square foot fixer-upper on 22 acres which he plans to tear down to make room for his castle. The Associated Press article has a photograph of the home that's doomed to be leveled.

Perhaps you can offer $1 to buy it if you pay for the move. That would save Mr. Duffield the cost of tearing it down.

In the meantime, Mr. Duffield has been alternating between temporary housing in Silicon Valley while he tried to fight off Mr. Ellison and his estate near beautiful Lake Tahoe. But you can tell that Mr. Duffield has big things in mind. In the Lake Tahoe area, he owns Ponderosa Ranch, an enormous tourist attraction where the television show, Bonanza, was shot. Mr. Duffield is also starting up a new company to topple Mr. Ellison's Oracle. So the new home is his way of having a pied-a-terre while he ups and software wars.

But some of the neighbors aren't happy. They don't want their tiny 5,000 to 15,000 homes to look small. Mr. Duffield's mansion will be a very big stick in their eyes every day if the mansion is built.

The mansion proposal is currently before an architectural commission and the matter will have its initial resolution later this month according to news reports. If you're in the area, you might want to attend that meeting. It should be great fun!

We're open minded people. Let's devote this blog entry to giving Mr. Duffield some free advice about how to build his mansion.

1. Buy the whole town and tear down all the existing homes.

This isn't the Middle Ages. Castle owners don't need peasants to tend to their crops and cattle in exchange for protection from bandits. Why should a billionaire have to put up with such nonsense?

2. Look for empty land so you don't have any immediate neighbors to be annoyed.

San Francisco has a huge undeveloped section called Golden Gate Park. If that's not centrally located enough, Manhattan has Central Park. Either one has nice grounds that could be turned into a nice estate for a castle.

3. Expand an existing fixer-upper that has curb appeal.

The Taj Mahal must surely be in need to repair. Mr. Duffield could use that as the servant's wing and build on the main house to it. If India is going to be the future of the software business, what better place to locate his dream mansion than in that emerging nation?

4. Think bigger.

I suspect that if Mr. Duffield had picked a larger parcel of land there would have been no complaints. After all, if no one can see the mansion, who can be annoyed.

In California, there's a huge, unoccupied parcel called the Mojave Desert. Mr. Duffield could buy that, pipe in a little water and enjoy some peace and quiet.

5. Create a compound rather than just a mansion.

The Kennedys have a compound don't they? If you have a lot of mansions linked together, that's got to be better than just one.

I suggest making the 72,000 mansion into a gym. Then, Mr. Duffield can get enough cardio-vascular exercise by running from room to room . . . and up and down stairs.

6. Put in some cottages and keep your enemies close.

Rather than be at war with Bill Gates and Larry Ellison, why doesn't Mr. Duffield offer to build each of them a cottage? If the cottages were 200,000 square feet each, they would surely want to upgrade from their old digs. From there, they could plot how to takeover Mr. Duffield's house. You know the old advice, keep your enemies close.

7. Add a little recreation.

What could be more boring than a mansion without recreation? That's another reason why Mr. Duffield needs more land. I suggest that he recreate Lake Tahoe (but on a larger scale) on his estate so he won't have to long for his old home there. Then, he can water ski or go fishing whenever he wants.

8. Add some privacy.

Mr. Duffield must hate all this publicity. Some reporters seem to be making him out to be some kind of insensitive billionaire who doesn't care about other peoples' mansions and feelings.

I suggest a 100 foot high wall around the exterior of his estate so that people cannot peek in to bother him. He should also put in a retractable roof over the whole property so that satellites and airplanes cannot peer in from above if he ever wants to cavort in the all together.

9. Manage his press relations more proactively.

This is the sort of story that can end up in the National Enquirer or the Star along with images of aliens. I suggest that Mr. Duffield buy up all the newsstand tabloids so he can point the stories at other billionaires instead.

10. Plead poverty in the hearings.

As a cultivated, considerate neighbor, I'm sure that Mr. Duffield would like to provide all of these techniques to help them be happier withhis mansion. But maybe his budget doesn't quite stretch that far.

Mr. Duffield should point out that he has to live on a budget like everyone else and that's he's barely a billionaire.

Can any billionaire do a better job of building their mansion? With our advice, it's a snap!

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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!

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May God bless you.

Donald W. Mitchell, Your Dream Concierge

Copyright 2005 Donald W. Mitchell