The Prosperity Mentor

My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor (Free Version) By Carl “J.C.” Pantejo My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 2 This free eBook is brought to you by: Y.N. Vurce Publishing VISIT US ON THE WEB: ynvurcepublishing.com © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing – All Rights Reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the author and publisher. www.ynvurcepublishing.com © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 3 Limits of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty The author and publisher of this book have used their best efforts in preparing and presenting its content. They make no representation or warranties with respect to accuracy, applicability, fitness, or completeness of its contents. They disclaim any warranties (expressed or implied), merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. The author and publisher shall in no event be held liable for any loss or other damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. They do not warrant the performance, effectiveness or applicability of any of the strategies and techniques successfully used by others listed in this book. All examples of past successful endeavors are put forth for information purposes only and are not warranted for content, accuracy or any other implied or explicit purpose. Always seek the advice of competent legal, tax, accounting, medical or other appropriate professional for any and all matters that may impact your personal, individual situation. Some of the situations in this story are based on actual events. Certain characters may be composites, or entirely fictitious. Any similarity to any one person living or dead is merely coincidental. If you detect a similarity between these fictional characters and persons who exist, please consider that in a world with billions of people, the chances for coincidence of detail in an imaginary person and a real person are actually quite good. © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 4 Fictional Characters: Juan Carlos (“J.C.”), Y.N. Vurce (“Yu” Nee Vers), and Kai are fictional characters created by and property of the author. The fictional characters are to be in no way shape or form recreated or used without my permission. Any questions or comments should be directed to following e-mail addresses: customersvcs@ynvurcepublishing.com Founder@ynvurcepublishing.com Pantejo@ynvurcepublishing.com © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 5 DEDICATION This book is dedicated to the women in my life: Ophelia, my intrepid and munificent mother; Barbara Jean, my thoughtful and always responsive sister; Anya, my cheerful and beautiful daughter; Teri, the trusted friend and eternal voice of reason; Diane, the selfless life guide to me and countless others, and Soukvilay Symoungkhoun; my lovely and caring soul mate. To: Mom, Beej, Anya, Teri, Diane, and Kai, “For your unconditional love and devotion, this book is dedicated to you.” Forever grateful that you are in my life; and loving you always, Carl “J.C.” Pantejo © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 6 Table of Contents Limits of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty……………3 Dedication………………………………………………...5 Table of Contents…..…………………………………….6 Preface.................................................................................9 Acknowledgements……………………………………..11 From the Author: Life Changes………………………12 Prologue……………………….………………………...14 Chapter 1: Chapter 2: Not a typical day…...................................16 The car, the woman, and the billionaire…………………………….…27 Chapter 3: Chapter 4: Chapter 5: Chapter 6: Chapter 7: Chapter 8: Chapter 9: The Education Begins………..…………39 Down the rabbit hole I go………...…….44 Yu and Kai………………………………49 Are all the opportunities gone?...............56 The Original Substance – The One.…...64 How to make Riches Come to You ……70 Good God, Bad World?.............………..78 © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 7 Chapter 10: …to forgive is divine. …………………..88 Chapter 11: The Chimera called Money…………….95 Chapter 12: Create, Create, and Create!....................99 Chapter 13: Valuing Value………………………….104 Chapter 14: A Hint of the Certain Way – If you know what you really want, it’s already on its way!.........................................................112 Chapter 15: Gratitude – Staying Connected……….117 Chapter 16: Write it down!........................................123 Chapter 17: Keep your mind at home (it does the most good there……………………………..131 Chapter 18: Meow and the Origami Bird…………140 Chapter 19: Acting in the Certain Way – Preparing to Receive………………………………...144 Chapter 20: More on Acting in the Certain Way – The Basis for its Success……………………157 Chapter 21: Why not?.................................................165 Chapter 22: Field of Endeavors…………………….171 © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor Chapter 23: Don’t just talk the talk; Walk the 8 walk………………………………….. .177 Chapter 24: Beware the Beast………………………184 Chapter 25: Only when ready…………………...…188 Chapter 26: In your soul, in my soul……………….195 Chapter 27: An unusual day………………………...200 © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 9 Preface Many of the story’s details originate from my own tumultuous, personal life and experiences in the military. I spent nearly 24 years in and out of the military. I’ve earned, then lost, or given away all my personal wealth (and belongings) many times; usually coinciding with the advent of multiple marriages and divorces. Believing that school was too boring, I dropped out of High School early; only to earn an A.A., B.S., and MBA in less then 4 years much later in life – while working full-time as a Navy/Marine Corps Medic. In spite of a fear of heights and deep water, I free-fall parachuted out of airplanes and performed diving ops in very deep, open ocean water. I came to Thailand 11 months ago for a week’s vacation, fell into a teaching job, and have never left! In search of a better philosophy and system to get wealthy, I stumbled onto the book “The Science of Getting Rich,” by Wallace D. Wattles. Unfortunately, the book was written in 1910 and both the language and examples were hard to identify with. Nevertheless, its tenets completely resonated with me. I wanted to internalize, to really “own” the principles contained in the book. So, to personalize the process in a way that would stick, I decided to write a modern story about it; a story that incorporated the concepts of “The Science of Getting Rich” using contemporary language and an existing backdrop. In this way, I knew I could ingrain the concepts into my psyche; while creating something that would help others discover the same powerful ideas. Novices will easily learn “The Science of Getting Rich” through the edutainment of this book. And veterans © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor of this subject will find the heartwarming anecdotes and examples refreshingly original. 10 Using today’s language, “My Friend Yu – The Prosperity Mentor” thoroughly explains the timeless, Universal Laws of getting incredibly happy and wealthy. When obeyed, these Universal Laws never fail to result in manifesting great riches. “The Science of Getting Rich” is tightly woven into the plot of this intriguing, romantic, and funny story. The setting for this narrative is in modern Thailand. The main character is named Juan Carlos “J.C.,” an AsianAmerican English teacher who is forced to hunt for a new job. A half hearted inquiry into a possible employment opportunity results in a chance meeting with a billionaire named “Yu.” They become friends. Eventually, Yu decides to teach J.C. the Science of Getting Rich. © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 11 Acknowledgements: I am grateful for the will, ability, and opportunity to write this book. I could not have done it without the support of all my loved ones, friends, and associates. I would also like to thank the following authors (past and present) who don’t know me; but inspired me to write, examine, explore, and expand. The list includes: Wallace D. Wattles, Napoleon Hill, George S. Clason, David Cameron Gikandi, Bob Doyle, Christopher Westra, Joe Vitale, Dr. Robert Anthony, Dr. Steven Covey, Robert Kyosaki, Andrea Wagenner, Mike Dooley, Paolo Cuello, Steve Goodier, and others. © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 12 Life Changes In the beginning, this project seemed daunting, almost impossible; but completing it has profoundly changed my life for the better - in all respects. The level of personal growth and satisfaction I’ve gained from writing this book was nothing less than phenomenal. Even before completing it, positive things began popping up left and right in my life on a daily basis. Call it dumb or beginner’s luck, “coincidence,” or divine providence; but people and opportunities seemed to magically appear - just when I needed them. I literally began living some of the things I was writing about. Many times, I felt like I was scripting my own life! Amazing, isn’t it? This all resulted from reading a 1910 book and a flash ambition to write my own book. The ambition quickly became an idea (an obsession) that just would not go away. I felt driven. My only choices were to write down my thoughts or never go to sleep! The original “maybe” turned into a definite “yes;” and I nurtured the belief, the certainty that I could actually write my own book, until it took on a life of its own; quickly becoming a joyous passion. I can’t list or describe the abundant increase of everything positive in my life since starting, writing, and completing this book. I attribute all this to learning and living The Science of Getting Rich principles mentioned in this book. Now that the book is complete, so is my transformation. I’m a true believer in The Science of Getting Rich. You’ve got to experience it to believe it. © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor It’s my sincere hope that you learn how to master your world, your life, and create your riches through the powerful thoughts in this book. 13 “My Friend Yu – The Prosperity Mentor” allows you to learn the Science of Getting Rich” while having fun reading an absorbing story. And most importantly, it will teach the Certain Way to drastically change your life! Enjoy this holiday on Earth, my friend! You really can play, laugh, and dance with the Universe every day – for the rest of your life. Good Life to you and yours, Carl “J.C.” Pantejo Author “My Friend Yu – The Prosperity Mentor” Founder, Y.N. Vurce Publishing Come visit. You are always welcome. ynvurcepublishing.com © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 14 Prologue Outwardly, I was barely maintaining a professional demeanor. But inside I was bursting with curiosity and envy. What was his story? What were his “secrets of success?” What, if any, “Golden Formulas or Billionaire Lessons” could I get from him? How could this man – a man who looked at least five years younger than myself get so rich, do so much, and most importantly, know so much about me? He knew things about me that only a handful of people were privy to. I was determined to get some answers! © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 15 There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows and in miseries. ~~~ William Shakespeare (Julius Caesar) © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 16 Chapter 1: Not a typical day… It all started this morning, a typical morning for me. The tone on my mobile phone went off at 6:00AM. Ten minutes later my watch alarm beeped, telling me that it was time to get my butt moving. I made a cup of coffee and stepped outside onto the small balcony of my apartment. I did some energy, meditation, and motivational visualizations recommended in the e-courses I had bought 3 weeks ago. It’s become a twice a day habit. Funny thing; I’m really beginning to see some tiny changes in my thoughts lately. They are less negative and cynical, more positive and powerful. That’s a new thing for me. I used to be the armchair critic on anything I knew the tiniest amount of details on. Of course, many times that led to “analysis paralysis” and inaction: but hey, I didn’t know better at that time. I smiled, thinking that there might be something true to all that metaphysical, quantum physics mumbo-jumbo? Usually, I would be getting ready to go to work at the Thai High School where I’d been teaching English, Physical Education, and Computer Science for the last year. But today I was to meet a prospective new employer. I was in “job-hunting mode” because the English Program at the school was being phased out. Apparently, some genius in administration thought it would be better (and of course, much cheaper) to hire Thai teachers who were educated abroad to replace the current cadre of native English speaking teachers. The Thai Governmental school system was not immune to the normal governmental political jockeying. I’m not sure what bureaucratic positioning resulted in this hair-brained scheme, but apparently the new Vice Principal © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 17 was the impetus behind this course of action. Who knows? Maybe the parents of these “elite,” higher tuition students would accept the deal – or not. Non-native English speaking teachers are fully capable of providing grammatically correct written English. But, unfortunately for the elite students, they failed horribly in the area of actually speaking English. Most real, native English speakers can’t understand a single word of the spoken English of these abroad-trained, Thai teachers. Oh well. It was a moot point now. All I knew was that the school year was coming to an end soon and I needed to find a new job; the sooner, the better. I saw an interesting ad on the internet a couple of days ago. It read “URGENT: motivated individual needed immediately for full-time English proofreading and editing position. Salary: Negotiable upon review of qualifications. Please call to setup an interview…” On a whim I answered the ad yesterday. Lo’ and behold, they wanted to meet me as soon as possible – meaning today. The meeting was to be a “business brunch” at 9:30AM in the restaurant of some nearby Ritzy hotel. Supposedly, a company representative – I assumed it would be the Human Resource guy or gal – would be there to talk about possible employment, plus treat me to a nice “American Breakfast.” Wow, I already liked this company. If this was the way they treated prospective employees, I wondered how many more bennies came with the job? The company’s name was “Y.N. Vurce Publishing, Inc.” Its website ynvurcepublishing.com offered a variety of digital material (i.e., eBooks, videos, audios, CD’s, DVD’s, newsletters, online seminars, and one-on-one mentoring) within the realm of “Wealth Creation and Abundant Life Manifestation” – whatever that was? Y.N. Vurce must be a person’s name, probably the owner, a © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 18 foreign owner. The name and Inc. designation led me to believe that the company could be British or American. The name definitely did not have a Thai ring to it. I wasn’t sure how to pronounce “V-u-r-c-e”? There was no accent over the ending “e,” so I ruled out the French “ver-shay” version. Or maybe it was a Spanish “v” and was pronounced “burse;” or even Italian and pronounced “Burche.” In this part of the world where Asians and Farangs (Thai word for foreigners) abound, the transliteration possibilities and linguistic permutations were endless. I made a mental note to get the representative to say the company’s name first instead of sounding ignorant too early on what I hoped to be a long business relationship. I did a Google search on: Y.N. Vurce. There was only one short article from a business magazine about a billionaire named Y.N. Vurce. Apparently, this rich man was another one of those young, self-made internet billionaire entrepreneurs. Must be nice, I thought - young, rich, and powerful. I tried some other search engines, but to no avail. This man was probably the typical (if there is a typical) billionaire recluse; not wanting too many people to bother him. I’d spent enough time researching. I told myself it was time to FIDO (Forget It and Drive On). Anyway, I figured that the job I was applying for was part of this billionaire’s many businesses subsidiaries. I had to prepare my interview clothes. There was laundering and ironing to do. I wanted to look sharp and be as professional as possible. Besides, it seemed like ages since I wore a suit and tie. And it has been years since I wore a military uniform. I kind of missed both. In a suit and tie I felt wealthier. In a military uniform I used to feel comfortable, powerful - “totally at home.” The Thai High School didn’t require teachers to wear neckties, so the traditional Thai shirts and slacks were the norm. Some © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 19 teachers, especially a few of my current Farang co-workers, tested the limits of minimal personal hygiene and acceptable work clothes standards. Some of the teachers would be reeking of alcohol from the previous night (if they showed up for work at all). Others looked like they didn’t have a mirror in their houses or owned a comb or an iron. One teacher routinely wore the same pair of slacks for the whole workweek (even though most of the classrooms were not properly air-conditioned and one would be swimming in their own sweat within minutes of teaching). In Thailand, where outward appearance can carry more weight than credentials or ability; I wondered how those people could go out in public looking so sloppy and then expect to get respect from the students and fellow ajarns (Thai word for teachers)? I constantly remind myself that it is their business, not mine. Besides, several attempts at addressing the hygiene and appearance issues proved futile in the past. Being the typical Westerner, I arrived at the Hotel restaurant 15 minutes early. I wasn’t sure if Y.N. Vurce Publishing, Inc. operated on “Asian” time or “Western” time. Asians, with a seemingly perverse delight, are notorious for keeping Farangs waiting (or worse, not showing up at all. No advance notice of cancellation. No remorse if you should happen to bump into them afterwards). There is a saying amongst us Farangs in Thailand, “If you and an Asian agree in the morning to meet at 4:00 PM, the next question should be: What week?” Anyway, I took a quick scan of this clean, modern, and obviously expensive restaurant. Everything oozed wealth. The floor tiles were Venetian marble and some walls were adorned with Persian tapestries. The red tablecloths were immaculate and even the water glasses were some kind of high quality crystal, probably made by “Waterford”. © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 20 It was too early for the previous night’s bar hoppers and high-class hookers; and too late for the working class. That only left people like me – “the in-betweens,” meaning in between jobs or soon to be looking for employment – and the Rich, (or the Rich’s minions). Even the attitude of the waiters and waitresses projected an aura of exclusivity. They eyed my tailor-made suit - a Bangkok special, one that could be cloned by any reputable Indian tailor in Thailand – with a smug look of superiority. Admittedly, the staff looked sharper in their uniforms than me in my “Look at me, another naïve Farang” outfit. At least I was comfortable and looked somewhat professional – albeit, the struggling professional teacher type. The restaurant was devoid of customers, except for one man sitting at a table near the front window reading a Newspaper. It was the Bangkok Post. That meant he was reading (and possibly spoke) English. He was an Asian, probably between 35 to 38 years old. I wasn’t sure. Asians, myself included, tended to have physical appearances that didn’t coincide with biological age. Either they looked way too young or semi-ancient for their ages, depending on lifestyle and financial situation. The man was dressed casually in a pink Ralph Lauren polo style shirt and khaki trousers. Pink shirt, huh? Colors aren’t deemed feminine or masculine in Asia like they are in the United States. Instead, they represent people or events. In Thailand, yellow is the King’s color and light blue is the Queen’s color. Once I wore my off-white casual suit to teach an adult English class and everyone kept asking me if I just got married? I didn’t know that white suits were reserved for weddings in Thailand! Anyway, in the U.S., people would gather that this man with the pink shirt was gay; or oddly enough, he was straight and was ostensibly displaying his masculine confidence by flaunting the © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 21 norms. But I must say that he did know men’s fashion because the pants weren’t cuffed – disastrous for men under 5’ 8”, it makes them look shorter. And his shoes were definitely Italian leather loafers – no socks, of course. I didn’t see an expensive watch on his wrist. It was just an IronMan sports chronograph. He must be a fitness buff, I thought. The man noticed me noticing him. To quell my growing anxiety about the upcoming job interview/brunch, I decided to try to strike up a conversation. I figured the company representative would be late anyway. When he saw me approaching, he put down the newspaper, smiled, stood up and extended his hand. Still smiling, he said, “Hello, how ya doin’? My name is Yu. That’s Y-U, not YO-O. A lot of people mistake me for Chinese. Are you here about the proofreading and editing job too?” While shaking his hand, I thought, “uh-oh.” Yu must be in competition for the same position I wanted. It dawned on me that he had spoken in perfect American English. He looked Thai, or maybe Malaysian, or maybe even Filipino? To look younger (and more intimidating), I took off my glasses and put on my game face. My vision would remain unchanged – better than normal, “sniper eyes.” The glasses were non-prescription, fake. They were a prop that made me appear more “teacher-like,” a slight and innocent professional disguise. Maybe I could convince this man that vying for the same job against me was useless? Maybe he would conclude that it would be best if he just went home? Yes, he shouldn’t waste his time and just go away. I had all the checks in the boxes for this job: the administrative skills, the organizational experience, and the © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 22 academic degrees. Almost unconsciously the military peacock in me was being activated. I stood straighter. Pecs, biceps, and triceps flexed; stomach in, and lats flared. Then I realized it was foolish to try to scare this guy away. Surely the company representative would choose the man with the best credentials – me, of course. Relaxing, I switched back into civilian mode and said, “Hi. I’m Juan Carlos, but please call me “J.C.” And yes, I’m here about the job. Do you know anything about the company or the mysterious owner? I got diddly-squat, nothing from my internet searches.” Yu smiled that “Naa, naa, na-naa, naa - I know something that you don’t know” kind of smile. I could picture him sticking his tongue out at me like a little kid. The image made me laugh. Then Yu proudly commenced to give me his knowledge of Y.N. Vurce Publishing, LTD and its owner. “The Publishing company was Mr. Vurce’s (pronounced like “verse,” as in a poem) first company. It enabled him to start other businesses. He has many diversified businesses: A Holding company that caters to the small investor, Fitness Centers, some kind of “Think Tank,” etc.,” he said. After a long pause (I guess to either organize his thoughts, or to emphasize the significance of the rest of his data), he continued on. “The story of his success is quite unique in one way, but plainly “common” in another – meaning anyone could have done exactly what he did. The only difference is that he DECIDED one day to become rich and began learning and doing all he could to reach his goals. You see, when he was a mere “average working Joe” with an average salary that barely met his needs, he stumbled onto an old book that changed him forever. The book was called “The Science of Getting Rich” by a man © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 23 named Wallace D. Wattles. The book was written before 1924; and therefore considered Public Domain. That is, it could be used freely by anybody, for any purpose (academically or commercially). Mr. Vurce instantly saw the wisdom of the messages contained in the book. He began to practice what was prescribed in the book and amazing things began to happen. It seemed like the universe began bringing him new opportunities for financial and personal growth daily! Unfortunately, when he recommended the same book to his friends, they were immediately turned off by the old-style, pre-1920’s form of English. Even the examples were blatantly outdated. Because the book was written over 80 years ago, there is no mention of computers, internet, or mobile phones. The great railways were the controlling, corporate big shots; and worldwide commercial air travel was yet to be born. But Mr. Vurce still believed there must be a way to attract and hold the attention of our computer savvy, MTV, video snippet, and sound bite crowd. He decided to write his own book, an e-book, in today’s language, depicting modern situations. His book would incorporate the principles of the original book, but modernized. There was nothing to stop him legally because the book was Public Domain. In fact, he had heard that other people had already done what he planned to do, building whole training programs around the book. But, his book would be different, original, with an interesting twist of fate and a bending view of reality. The original idea was to present it as the story of a modern guy just trying to do the normal, modern day things – including the necessity of trying to find a job. © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 24 Anyway, the book (the first book he’d ever written) was a resounding success. The e-version and audio file versions of his book could easily be downloaded as a .PDF file or .MP3 file. He followed up with a hardback, a paperback, and a CD audio version of the book. The products were so popular that Mr. Vurce needed to outsource production and distribution to one of his former employers! His website and book made him his first million. After that, he ventured into many other areas. He proved both flexible and highly creative. Wherever he turned his attention to, tons of money was made and thousands of jobs were created. His innovations in every one of his endeavors spawned a whole copycat industry. I think the whole bundle of businesses’ net worth is in the tens of billions by now.” Momentarily finished, Yu sat back; crossed his arms triumphantly, and gave me a big fatcat smile (like the way a cat looks after eating the world’s biggest mouse – fat, dumb, and happy). Listening to this young Asian man speak, I couldn’t help admiring his enthusiasm; almost an infectious zest for living. He appeared to actually be happy with his personal lot in life. But like the usual Western man, I began to mentally size him up and compare myself to him. He sounded like a native-speaker of English. His accent was definitely American. Maybe he grew up in the States? His vocabulary suggested a college education; and the rhythm and tone of his speech hinted of a West Coast origin, probably Southern California. His fit physique must’ve been the result of daily exercise. Maybe he’s ex-military like me? Okay, I told myself. This man could be a real contender for the same spot I was applying for. In spite of that fact, I couldn’t help feeling akin to him. Why did I © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 25 feel this way toward Yu, a man I just met; what 45 minutes ago? As I contemplated all this, I realized that it was half an hour past my business brunch time. Oh well, I guess it was going to be another “hurry up and wait” day. Besides, I was having a good English conversation – something rare for me these days. My Thai girlfriend’s English skills mirrored my Thai skills: pathetic, almost non-existent. How do we get along? I don’t really know. Somehow, on the important issues, we just knew what each other needed or “meant.” The rest (which was a lot), didn’t bother us. In short, we are happy; but I must confess that I missed stimulating, English conversations now and then. The only other people I could converse with were the other Farang teachers at my school. I had exhausted their repertoire of “been there, done that” stories in the first three months of work. Now the majority of them were uninspiring and torturous to listen to. Their negativity almost matched Yu’s optimism. I looked at my watch and said, “We just might’ve both been stood up this morning. I’m going to wait another hour, just in case. You know Bangkok traffic; it can be rather schizophrenic. One second you’re careening around curves and through the streets at double the speed limit; then the next minute you’re in a traffic jam, crawling inches per hour. Anyway, it sounds like you know a lot about Mr. Vurce. Is that why you’re applying for a job in his company; a good way to “learn while you earn” – so to speak? And if you’re wondering why I’m asking so many questions, don’t worry. I play fair. If you’re the best man for this job, then so be it. There will be others. It’s just that the more I hear about this Mr. Vurce, the more I want to know about him.” © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 26 At any rate, I am convinced that He [God] does not play dice. --Albert Einstein © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 27 Chapter 2: The car, the woman, and the billionaire… Yu just sat there for a moment. He looked me straight in the eye and started to move his lips, but suddenly something happened that made both of us lose our trains of thought. Through the restaurant window we saw a car drive into the parking lot. It wasn’t just any car; it was a 2007 Jaguar Super V-8, the top of line model from the Jaguar Company. The Jaguar Super V-8 combines the features of the XJ series with the amenities of the Vanden Plas class of Jaguars. MSRP: about $95,000.00 USD! It was British Racing Green, almost Teal in color, with dark, barely legal, tinted windows. I couldn’t believe it! This was the car of my dreams! Both Yu and I peered out the window, mesmerized by the car’s beauty. I was the first to snap out of the Jaguar’s spell. Half laughing and half talking I said, “That, my friend would be one of the symbols of my success – when I become rich, that is. Maybe we could get the company to hire both of us and become filthy rich?” Yu smiled and just continued to look at the Jaguar as it was backing into a parking space. I guess he was still under its magic spell. After the car was parked, he said, “Hey, J.C. I bet some hot looking babe is the driver.” “No way,” I said. “Some fat, ugly, over-the hill rich guy, trying to solve his middle age crisis, would be my guess.” “Bet you 20 Baht (about 45 cents). That car is always accompanied by a hot babe,” Yu said confidently. © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor “Okay, I’ll take that wager, Sir.” Then we shook hands on the bet. 28 Sure enough, an ultra-sexy Thai woman stepped from the driver’s side of the Jaguar. She had to be Thai. Being an avid observer of the female species, I knew that most refined Thai women were fair-skinned, hour-glass slim, full, and firm everywhere else. Other Asian women, Filipinas for instance, had shorter torsos, usually buxom, deliciously bigger in the glute area, and darker. This is probably due to the three-hundred and thirty-three years of Spanish influence on the Filipino gene pool. Asian women? Personally, I admire them all. I could almost smell the pheromones that she was surely emitting toward anything male in a fifty-mile radius! This regal woman was so hypnotizing that I almost forgot that I lost the bet. Without losing eyeshot of the woman, I took out a 20 Baht note and gave it to Yu. Jeez! This woman Jaguar driver was absolutely gorgeous! She was petite, about 5’ 3”, maybe 35-40 kilos, and could have been between 20 to 35 years old. You could easily misjudge how old Asian women, especially well taken care of Asian women, actually were. She had her shiny, jet black hair neatly pinned up business-style. She carried herself like she’d attended some wealthy finishing school. Runway models couldn’t hold a candle to the way this woman moved; no, “glided” over the pavement. She wore a thigh-high beige skirt, white silk blouse, and a matching gold and white pump/purse ensemble. The pearl ear rings and necklace complimented her elegance. Her light pink sunglasses couldn’t hide her bright, riveting, exotic eyes. Her lipstick was in the same shade as her sunglasses. Yes, this sure was a sexy, classy lady. Surprisingly, she didn’t wear a perpetual pout like most © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 29 rich women. In fact, she smiled a smile that could easily eat the world in one bite. My thoughts were simply: SHE’S MY TYPE! She made a beeline to the Hotel entrance and, in accordance with my secret wishes, remained within my line of sight. As she sat on the couch in the lobby waiting area, I thought “Great, now I can ogle, I mean observe, her legs and let the fantasies roll in!” When I came back to Earth, I figured that she was probably going to meet her well-to-do Thai or Foreign boyfriend or husband soon – whoever that lucky bastard was. Turning back to Yu, I said, “Sorry man. That Jag and sexy woman put me into sensory overload! Anyway, good call on that bet. It’s 10:30AM. Looks like a bus stop for both of us. I’m gonna follow up on this job later. If you’re not doing anything, you want to grab a bite to eat? I’d like to know more about this Mr. Vurce. He sounds pretty cool.” Yu was still holding the 20 Baht I had given him for losing the bet in his left hand. He held up his right hand to gesture “excuse me or wait a minute, please,” lowered it, and then unclipped his mobile phone from his belt phone holster. He took a couple steps away to speak privately into his phone for about 10 seconds; put his mobile phone back into its holster, and handed the 20 Baht bill back to me. Yu could tell by the look on my face that I had no idea what was going on. With a sly grin, he said, “You’re probably wondering why I’m giving the money back to you. You see, I didn’t really win the bet fairly. I know who the real owner of that Jag is. Just wait a second; it’ll all be clear in a few moments. Oh yeah, if the offer is still good, yes, I’d like to get some chow with you soon. I’ll tell you whatever I know about Mr. Vurce over lunch, O.K.?” © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 30 “Sounds like a plan, my man,” I said. “But I’m dying to know why you gave me the money back. Have you seen that Jaguar before? Do you know that stunning Thai woman? What? What?” He had me on a hook, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to know! Yu just held up his hand again; still smiling that mischievous grin. A moment later, he pointed over my shoulder. There she was! Standing right behind me was the Jaguar-driving, mesmerizing, sexy Thai woman. I almost knocked over my chair trying to stand up and turn around to greet her. Now I was TOTALLY confused. She said something, but I was still in too much shock to hear her. I just stood there with an idiotic look on my face. You know, the “I can’t believe what’s happening” expression people get when it seems like reality is rapidly warping around them. She moved her lips again. This time I heard her. “Hello, my name is Kai. Nice to meet you, J.C.,” she said – in English, British English. I watched and listened like a disembodied spirit as Kai gave Yu a peck on the cheek. Switching from Thai and English, she said, “Tii rak, sabai dii mai? Kittueng yu khun! (Darling, How are you, I missed you!). See? I didn’t wreck your little green baby. I know how much that Jag means to you, sweetheart. I drove extra carefully this morning just for you, Darling – mmwah! (another kiss, this one on the lips). My Beamer will be out of the shop by this afternoon.” She looked at me and flashed a perfect smile. Still keeping her gaze on me, she spoke to Yu again, saying, “I see you’ve made a new friend this morning. Am I right?” Without waiting for an answer, she spoke to me now. “J.C., Yu is a private sort of guy. If he spent all this time with you this morning, I’m sure he likes you. Anyway, it © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 31 was very nice to meet you. I bet we’ll be seeing you a lot in the future.” And with that she handed Yu the car keys, kissed him again, and left the restaurant. I saw her disappear into the hotel elevator; realizing only then that my pulse was racing, my fingers were tingling, and it was getting awfully hot in the restaurant! I felt humiliated, furious, and ironically – totally stoked (California-speak for very, very excited)! Sensing all my confusion, Yu waved his hand in front of my face. “Snap out of it, Dude! I can explain everything. I think you’re feeling pretty weirded-out now, huh? No, you’re not in the Twilight Zone; and no, you’re not in some real-life Stephen King novel. I am Y.N. Vurce. That green Jaguar is mine. And Kai, that intelligent, hot babe you just met? ...is my girlfriend. She went upstairs to freshen up and change. She’ll be joining us later. All the things I told you about Mr. Vurce, ah, I mean me are true. Whatever else you want to know can be discussed over lunch, O.K.?” he said, still wearing that boyish grin – Yu’s personal trademark; a grin that I was slowly getting used to …and enjoying. While Yu pocketed the car keys, I could see and hear the gold Jaguar emblem clinking against the keys on his key chain. Damn, I thought, I guess this guy might actually be the real deal – a self-made billionaire. As if reading my thoughts, Yu handed me his business card. It was British Racing Green and in gold type were the words “Y.N. Vurce, Owner, Vurce Global Enterprises, Inc.” At the bottom of the card, in a smaller size type, were locations of international offices situated in every major city around the world, website address, and phone numbers. “Check it out if you want, J.C. In your place, I probably would too. Or we can relax and pick up where we © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 32 left off until we were so rudely interrupted by my car and my girlfriend,” he said, chuckling a bit. Naturally, I had my suspicions. I decided to pocket the card and make a verification call whenever I went to the men’s room. Meanwhile, if Yu was who he said he was, I didn’t want to piss him off for no reason. I could learn a lot from him; especially on the subject of making money and getting filthy rich! But somehow, even though I’d never met a billionaire in person before, Yu didn’t seem to fit the mold. You know the stereotypes: hard driving, workaholic types, who forgot how to have fun; or the other extreme, weird eccentric, agoraphobic types who never saw the light of day “a la Howard Hughes;” or lastly, the hedonistic do-anything-anytime type who would jet around the world to eat breakfast at his favorite European bistro or sidewalk café. YU shattered all the preconceptions I had had about ultra-rich people. Mainly, it was his easygoing demeanor that struck me as so “unbillionaire-like.” He was funny, intelligent, and well, genuinely “genuine” - no pretenses and easy to talk to. I could understand the privacy thing. He probably couldn’t travel so freely if everyone knew who he really was – a billionaire, a member of the very elite group of people possessing extreme wealth; global financial nobility. Yu motioned to the waiter and speaking in fluent Thai he asked for three lunch menus. Then he turned to me and said, “O.K., what do you want to talk about, my friend? Who knows when Kai will come down to join us? I guesstimate another hour or so.” After the waiter filled our water glasses, the chef, hotel manager, and each of the staff respectfully welcomed © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 33 Yu and introduced themselves with the traditional “wai” (Thai way of greeting by putting the hands together in front of the face and slightly nodding the head). “Oh well, the cat is out of the bag. I guess the receptionist talked to Kai, recognized her, and put two and two together,” Yu said with a tinge of irritation in his voice. “Excuse me for a moment, J.C. I want to make sure we aren’t disturbed for as long as possible.” Then Yu got up and talked with the hotel manager. Just by observing everyone’s body language, Yu commanded a lot of respect around this posh place. The more I saw how the staff treated me after they knew I was with YU, the more I believed that, yes, I’m in the presence of a bona fide rich, very rich man. When Yu returned, he simply said, “J.C., the manager could only guarantee our anonymity through lunchtime. The maids, waitresses, and waiters tend to gossip a bit. I think both of us cherish privacy, huh? Doing what you did in the military, I bet it was hard to have time to yourself alone.” How did Yu know I was in the military? Was it a lucky guess? What else does he know about me? “Don’t be shocked, J.C. I investigate every serious applicant for my businesses. As you would guess, I have a lot of resources at my disposal.” Then he spoke in a monotone, newscaster style voice as he chronicled my life with astonishing detail. He recited my date and place of birth, past and current addresses, civilian jobs, education, hobbies, family, children, ex-wife’s names, and military career - even the stuff that wasn’t supposed to be officially documented! Not only was Yu a quiet billionaire, he was obviously a “genius in disguise” too. Yu’s voice returned to his normal teasing tone when he said, “Now, do you want me to list your favorite food and sexual positions; or just your favorite food during sex?” © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 34 Yu’s sense of humor is almost as warped as mine!, I thought. It was difficult to keep reminding myself that I was supposed to be applying for a job from this man. And the events of the morning had my head swirling with questions. Outwardly, I was barely maintaining a professional demeanor. But inside I was bursting with curiosity and envy. What was his story? What were his “secrets of success?” What, if any, “Golden Formulas or Billionaire Lessons” could I get from him? How could this man – a man who looked at least five years younger than myself get so rich, do so much, and most importantly, know so much about me? He knew things about me that only a handful of people were privy to. I was determined to get some answers! “Jeez, Yu! You know so much about me and I know almost nothing about you, Yu,” I whined. Then in mocking deference and with the worst British accent I could mimic, I said, “Ah Mr. Vurce, Sir, to assuage my angst, might I inquire about your biographical background?” “Of course, my good man, you may fire when ready, Grizzly!” Yu replied – in the same mocking and awful British tone. My list of questions was a mile long and our time might be short; so I tried to prioritize. “I’m not sure where to start; or even how to address you now,” I said with a long exhale. © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor Yu broke in and said, “Call me Yu. I would be disappointed if knowing I was a billionaire affected you that way.” Speaking at the speed of an auctioneer, I said, “Okay Yu. First off, tell me about your life before becoming a billionaire. Then I want to know how you became so wealthy. And since you have a dossier that surpasses any FBI file on me, do you think I have what it takes to be a billionaire someday too?” 35 Yu had a serious look on his face. Looking straight into my eyes (and into my soul), he started speaking. “J.C., it was polite of you to list your questions in reverse priority; especially since you know that we have what one, maybe two, hours max to talk? Be honest. Isn’t finding out if you have what it takes to be a billionaire and how to become rich your two top questions?” I nodded sheepishly. Then he continued on. “Being honest with yourself is important. You need to know EXACLTY what you want. And yes, you have what it takes. But, when you said “…be a billionaire someday,” I must point out that the statement is seriously WRONG. It’s WRONG language to be spoken out loud for the world to hear; and more importantly, absolutely WRONG to say to yourself. That “Someday” will never come. Why not Now? “Being” and “Knowing,” not rationalizing, but really feeling in your body and soul without a doubt – CERTAIN - at this moment is the key. It is the key that opens all the imaginary locked doors in your mind. After you hear the rest, you’ll know why. You see there’s a Science of Getting Rich. Just like 2 + 2 = 4, adding the elements within the Science of Getting Rich always, and I mean always, leads to riches. Understand this science and you will possess all the knowledge you need to get anything you want in life. If © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 36 you follow and obey the rules of this science, you will manifest all the riches you desire. The Science of Getting Rich includes a discussion of what everything is made of. This knowledge is necessary to fully accept the recommendations in the Science of Getting Rich, because it explains why the Science of Getting Rich never fails to deliver its promise of abundant wealth. The composition of the universe can best be explained by delving into the subject of quantum physics. In the interest of time I will give you the “short course;” not a long, drawn out, and complicated explanation of it. I will tell you all you need to know about quantum physics to get rich (which is just the basics). Besides, I’m still a mere novice fan of this complex and fascinating subject myself. You may want to explore that later, but I want to teach you how to be rich first. It’s important to me. In fact, I believe it’s why I’m here on Earth. Imparting this knowledge to people who are “ready” for it is what I live for. You see, many people are not, or will never be, ready for the message I’m offering. Contrary to popular belief, the more people who get wealthy, the more abundance manifests. All I ask is that you save your questions until I’m done. Write them down somewhere and ask me afterwards, okay?” I was ecstatic. I returned Yu’s stare with a glare of my own and said, “Believe me, I’m all ears. Is it alright if I turn on my mobile phone voice recorder?” Yu nodded yes. He had a different kind of smile on his face; not at all mischievous in nature, but almost angelic this time. His eyes were glowing with excitement. It was as though his whole body was radiating positive energy. His posture, mannerisms, and speech were vibrant, fully animated with joy – true happiness and sincere gratitude © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor personified. I switched on the voice recorder function of my mobile phone as Yu began to speak. 37 “What I am about to teach you will take you on an enlightening and exciting journey into yourself, me, everyone, and everything. Relax and digest as much as you can during this first exposure. Keep an open mind. Accept what I have to say as fact. It can easily be verified with even the most cursory investigation into quantum physics. The things I will teach you are true and have been proven through the ages. The concepts and recommendations are pure, systematic, and sound.” Instinctively, I switched into training mode. That meant I had to first clear my mind. I knew that emptying my mind was necessary to make room for as much new learning as possible. This is from the Eastern philosophy of “emptying your cup before attempting to drink someone else’s tea.” Nature abhors a vacuum, so anyone can easily accelerate learning by first ensuring that the mind is open and ready to receive. I’d done this so many times in the past that within seconds I was ready to fill my mind with whatever Yu was about to say. Motivation to learn was not a problem. I treated all information presented during training sessions as the most important information in my life. Literally, it could mean the difference between life and death; mission success and mission failure. Today’s information was no different. In this case, I knew that my personal and financial survival could depend on it. © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 38 “The forces of nature are at the disposal of the person of vigor and determination and desire. Such a one has but to knock at the door of attainment and have it opened to him.” --William Walker Atkinson © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 39 Chapter 3: The Education Begins The Law of Cause and Effect is timeless. LIKE causes ALWAYS produce their corresponding effects. You don’t need to be an expert to begin using these principles and methods to get amazing results (just like you don’t need to be a mechanic to drive a car; or be a programmer to work a computer). In other words, suffice it to say that you don’t need to know all the reasons why it works, it just does. Granted, I will provide enough rationale to put your doubting mind at ease and get you going towards your rich, happy life; but today’s lessons will not contain a lot of scientific theory, philosophy, quantum physics, and metaphysics – the things that are automatically and continuously going on “behind the scenes” on your behalf. It works out perfectly without prejudice – ALL THE TIME. If you follow my directions to the letter, with no deviations, you will enjoy the inevitable and massive success that results from following Universal Laws - failure is impossible! A good place to begin is explaining why everyone should be rich. You have the Right To Be Rich. Drop any hang-ups you may have about being wealthy. Being rich is not a sin and adopting a vow of poverty doesn’t guarantee you entrance into heaven. The fact is that no one can live a full, happy, and successful life without being rich. Let me tell you why. (By the way, when I say “he” or “his” I mean both genders). The goal of all living things is development. Every living thing has the right to fulfill its greatest potential. All men have this same right. But no one can realize his full potential in any area of life without using many things. EVERY pursuit in life requires the use of things. Everyone © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 40 (i.e., musicians, doctors, teachers, athletes, ministers, etc.) and every vocation require things to succeed. To enjoy recreational activities, you need things. Even the development of the mind and soul requires the use of things. These things cost money. Therefore, to develop any aspect of your life, you need money to buy those things. In short, by simply being alive, you and everyone on the planet have the Right To Be Rich. Furthermore, no one should settle for less when they are capable of being, doing, having, and enjoying more. There is nothing wrong in wanting to be rich. It’s normal for any person to desire more in life. It’s as natural as a seed wanting to sprout and grow. It’s life seeking full expression. So, if you have any hang-ups about being rich, consider them pure and utter nonsense. The greatest joy in life is the realization of all you can be. That blissful state of affairs can only be manifested by using many things. In your quest to “become your own hero” you have to be rich enough to buy those things. The person who doesn’t want to be all, have all, and do all that he is capable of is not normal. That kind of person possesses limited thinking based on false, “anti-life” beliefs (e.g., poverty, limited resources, and competition). Plainly, you can see that the unlimited use of the things necessary for living life to its fullest is everyone’s innate right - in other words, everyone has the Right To Be Rich. Today, I won’t talk about wealth figuratively. Being rich doesn’t mean “acquiescing to fate;” telling yourself that you might as well be happy with your lot in life because “that’s all there is, so you’d better be content and satisfied with it.” That’s total rubbish. Life is about abundance, not scarcity! © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 41 We have three strong drives in life that are devoted to developing the body, mind, and soul. Diverting all your attention to only one of these areas and neglecting the other two is a recipe for unhappiness. No one area of life is more important or nobler than the other two; all are equally vital to live a full life. Over indulgence in food and drink, drug abuse, or the search for ever-increasing sexual intrigue to the exclusion of activities geared toward enhancing the mind and soul is the cause for many lives cut short. No one is ever truly happy unless body, mind, and soul are fully expressed. All three require many things to be exercised, fed, and rested sufficiently. The body needs activity to stay healthy. In today’s modern world, many people stay physically fit by joining fitness centers, playing sports (e.g., tennis, golf, cricket, badminton, or swimming) at country clubs, running 10K’s or marathons, or by using home exercise equipment. The memberships to these places, exercise equipment, running shoes, and other sports paraphernalia costs money. Additionally, the body also needs enough good, nutritious food for optimum fitness. Oftentimes, the most fresh and nutritious food costs more than the average, “high fat, high calorie, and low nutrition” frozen, canned, or fast food. The mind needs continual stimulation and constant learning to stay sharp and grow. This keeps a man motivated; preventing mental lethargy, geriatric memory loss, and depressing ennui. Books, magazines, newspapers, the internet, and traditional university study enriches the mind. These resources are not free and sometimes – in the case of college educations – cost tens of thousands of dollars. Being loved and expressing love nourishes the soul. A man’s greatest happiness comes when he can provide for © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 42 his loved ones. Love is spontaneous and naturally giving. Giving benefits and gifts freely to the ones you love creates immense joy. Poverty prevents this expression of love and causes much sadness. A man may feel inferior or “not quite a man” if he can not do these things for the most important people in his life. Clearly, then, it’s in the acquiring and use of material things that brings full life to the body, grows the mind, and develops the soul. That is why everyone should strive to be rich. J.C., if this doesn’t make sense to you; if you don’t think you have the Right To Be Rich; or if you have too many hang-ups about money (e.g., fear, guilt, and worry), I can’t help you. But if you’re okay with being wealthy, I mean really okay within your whole being; I can teach you the Science of Getting Rich.” Deep down, everything Yu said made sense to me. Somehow, I just knew that everything I heard was the real TRUTH and it was stirring up feelings of hope and excitement in my soul. Feeling this way, I must’ve had a fierce look in my eyes when I looked at him and said, “Come on! I’m ready, my friend. Keep talking ‘cause I’m listening to every word you are saying.” © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 43 Alice falls down the rabbit hole and her dress poofs up like a parachute. Alice: ‘Well, after this I should think nothing of falling down stairs.” Alice in Wonderland (movie – 1951) © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 44 Chapter 4: Down the rabbit hole I go… “Awesome!” Yu exclaimed. “Here we go. Are you sure you want to take this journey? The Science of Getting Rich is not merely a list of instructions. It requires a total paradigm shift from your old core beliefs (the way you think about money, the World, Life, and the Universe) to the TRUTH – a TRUTH that may seem unbelievable now, but must be believed. Once you are exposed to this material; and if you want to get rich, you can never go back to your old way of thinking. Last chance, are you in or out?” I felt like I was in the scene from the movie “The Matrix” where the main character was being offered the two pills of different color. Yu’s question, or should I say “challenge” had the same meaning: Choose the current sheep-like existence of the status quo; or go into the daunting UNKNOWN in search of riches and the TRUTH. Being open-minded and adventurous my whole life, I routinely explored things that most people found too dangerous, too weird, or too boring. As a youngster living in a sleepy town in midFlorida, I used to catch snakes – the harmless ones for pets, the poisonous ones for skins. I used to swim in our small, shallow swimming pool with my black racer and common water snakes. My mother was so scared of snakes that she would have nightmares of me being strangled by one of those snakes! As a pre-teen, I quit High School because it was too boring; only to get an Associate, Bachelor’s, and Master’s in a four year period as an adult – while working full-time in the military. In spite of having © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 45 a great fear of high places and a phobia of deep water (meaning, any water depth above waist level); I had freefall parachuted out of airplanes and performed diving ops in very deep, open ocean, water; plus many other things that were well beyond the scope of normal people.” So, without a blink, I said, “Yes, I am certain. Let’s get on with it!” “My, my, my, you sure are a confident one – Translated: You’re a cocky son of a …! I like that,” Yu said, grinning from ear to ear. “Fine. First off, let me tell you that there is a Science of Getting Rich. It doesn’t depend on anything external (e.g., birth rite, environment, business, profession, talent, or even intelligence). If this were so, no one born poor would become rich; and yet we hear and read about “rags to riches” stories everyday. If getting rich depended on place, then every single person in one town, city, state, and country would be rich; while every single person in another town, city, province, state, or country would be poor. This is not the case. You find rich AND poor people living in the same towns, cities, provinces, states, and countries around the world. If getting rich was contingent on being in a certain type of business, then everyone in one type of business would be rich; while everyone in another type would be poor. Of course, this is not true. In every type of business you have people who are successful and get rich; while others in the same type of business fail and go broke. Even choosing a particular profession doesn’t guarantee riches. Many people in the so-called “high paying professions” (doctors, lawyers, and corporate executives) have huge burdens of debt; struggle to make ends meet, and eventually have to declare bankruptcy; while others in the © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor same profession breeze along enjoying life, getting richer everyday. 46 Getting rich doesn’t depend on how much talent a person possesses. There are as many untalented rich people as there are talented poor people. Intelligence has nothing to do with getting rich. Many geniuses remain poor; while many average or simple-minded, “dummies” get rich. So, get it through your head that becoming wealthy doesn’t depend on anything external (i.e., pedigree, place, industry, vocation, innate skills, or even I.Q.). Some people believe they’ll never get rich because it takes too much sacrifice. They think that in order to get rich a person would have to be a miser, living off cat food everyday for many years; never having any fun or luxuries and never leaving the small, bare apartment he calls home. Nonsense! In fact, many penny-pinchers stay in miserable poverty for life; while many free-spenders get rich. So how does one get rich? To get rich you simply have to do things in a Certain Way. Why do I say this? Because it’s obvious that if two people are in the same circumstances (i.e., in the same city and working in the same profession/business) and one is rich while the other is poor, you can see that the only difference is that the rich person is doing things (by accident, or on purpose) in a Certain Way and the other is not. To add insult to injury, the poor person might even have more talent, higher intelligence, more education, and better credentials; and still remain poor because he doesn’t do things in the Certain Way that his rich counterpart does. But the beauty of this TRUTH is that no matter what your background is, or where you’re located, or what your business or vocation is, or even your level of talent, © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 47 intelligence, and education (or lack of) - YOU CAN GET RICH if you do things in a Certain Way. If you think you are in the wrong place, you can get to the right place. If you think you’re in the wrong job, you can get into the right job. If you think you need capital, you can get the capital. You can do this by doing things in a Certain Way in your present place and in your present job. Starting now to do things in this Certain Way will automatically bring you opportunities to move to the right location, find another vocation, or get capital for a business. Notice that I said a “Certain Way.” I used the word “Certain” and not any other word to describe the way to get rich on purpose. “Certain” means a lot. The Certain Way is a way that’s a “state of Being Ultimately Sure, Unwavering in Belief, and Profoundly Self-Knowing,” Yu said, with a Buddha-like expression of wisdom and contentment on his face. © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 48 “Banish worry by quietly and confidently affirming the drawing power of divine love as the constantly active magnet that attracts your unfailing supply.” --Charles Fillmore © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 49 Chapter 5: Yu and Kai Almost instantaneously, Yu’s demeanor changed. It was now that of a devoted, loving man. I could see the added color in his face, the bigger pupils in the wider eyes, and a warm, anticipating, half-smile. The moment I turned my head to see what had distracted Yu, I saw Kai again. She exited the elevator and was standing at the front desk talking to the receptionist. She was still sexy as ever in a cute, “Girl Next Door” kind of way. The make-up was minimal and her hair was down. Shiny, black bangs draped down her face, half-hiding her left eye in the most alluring way. That, plus her charming smile, was incredibly seductive. She was in running shorts and a sports bra/halter top. Obviously, she was planning to workout somewhere. Her body was amazing! From her proud breasts to her trim, tight waist and her long feminine legs; it was plain to see that she worked out regularly; or had perfect genetics, Hell, probably both! In deference to Yu, I had to consciously quit looking at her bust, waist-to-hip ratio, and butt. It was hard, but I kept my gaze at her face and that dazzling smile. “Kaotot na kaa, tii rak (Thai for: Excuse me or sorry, Darling). The shop called. They can’t get the parts in time to fix my Beamer today,” she said disappointingly. “I missed my morning workout because of my car. I’m not hungry yet and I want to do a nice, long, and relaxing run on the treadmill at the gym. I downloaded some new songs onto my I-Pod and want to get lost in the music and feel the aerobic, endorphin rush. Is it okay if I take a rain check on this communal lunch, guys? Besides, by the look on your faces, it’s obvious you two are talking about some serious stuff, yes?” Kai said with a mocking, childlike pout. © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 50 Yu stood up, put his hands on his hips, looked at Kai with a fake frown, and then chuckled. And in the most loving tone, Yu said, “Chai, chai, tii rak. Kao jai (Thai for: Yes, yes, my darling or; Of course, Sweetheart, I understand). I hate missing workouts too. You know how much of a jerk I am if I can’t workout. Go have fun. I’ll meet you tonight at our favorite restaurant and bar. We can eat, drink, and sing some karaoke songs, okay?” Kai wrapped her arms around Yu and gave him a big, warm, hug. Yu reached in his pocket and handed over the keys to his Jaguar. I must admit that I was green with envy. They really looked like the perfect, happy, and loving couple. Then Kai, after an affectionate kiss, waved good-bye, almost skipping like a little girl out of the restaurant. I kind of felt deflated when she left the hotel and drove away to the premiere fitness center in Bangkok. But then I remembered why I was here. Primary Mission Objective #1: Talk with Yu and learn how to be like him – rich, powerful, healthy, and happy. “Yu, sorry if I was staring at your girlfriend’s…everything! Where? When? How did you two meet? And most importantly, is there a sister, cousin, or any distant relative that remotely resembles and acts like her!?” I said with an urgent, begging, desperate tone. “Down boy! At the risk of being cryptic, let’s just say the universe sent me her just when I needed her (and she needed me) most. Funny thing. We both had given up on dating and romantic relationships in general when we met. First I noticed her at the gym. Then we kept bumping into each other in the course of our daily routines (e.g., the supermarket, the mall, and the laundromat). To this day, I still like to do my own laundry and ironing sometimes. I know it sounds weird, but doing laundry and ironing is kind © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 51 of therapeutic for me. Anyway, we noticed each other at the computer, auto, Sci-Fi trade shows, and even the library. And, get this, because here’s the kicker: We saw each other at the movie theater – and we were both alone! Finally, after making sure we weren’t stalking each other, we both got it through our stubborn, thick skulls that maybe, just maybe the universe was telling us to try our hands (and hearts) at romance again. I sat next to her, smiled, and offered her my popcorn. When she smiled back and looked into my eyes, I had this instant feeling of Déjà vu. Images of being an Egyptian Pharaoh, with her being my lovely Queen, flashed through my mind. Scene upon scene of past, perfect love and romance reeled across my inner movie screen. I must had been wearing a dumb (or blank) expression on my face ‘cause Kai waved her hand in front of it and said, “Helloooo, anybody in there?” “Thanks for the popcorn. Here, have a sip of my Pepsi Max (Thai version of diet Pepsi). You look like you’ve seen a ghost!” she said with a teasing pinch on my arm. Was this another coincidence? Diet Pepsi happens to be my favorite soft drink. Now it was my turn to tease her. So, I said, “That’s right!” “What’s right?” Kai said, confused. “You called me you. My name IS “Yu.” …nice to meet you. And I swear I’m not stalking you. It’s just that lately, every time I do what I usually do, I see you there too. What’s your name?” © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 52 “My name is Kai, pleasure to meet you too, Yu? Chan leukern (I’m half Thai), long story. I’ve been studying abroad and just returned to Thailand a few months ago. It’s been so long since I’ve been here that I feel like a Farang! By the way, how come you speak such good English? Aren’t you Thai too?” “That’s a long story too. I hope we have time enough together to tell you it.” And with that, she snuggled close to my shoulder; we shared our popcorn, diet Pepsi, and our first of many heartwarming, exciting, and intimate experiences together. It wasn’t until much later that I told her about the mental reverie I experienced when she first smiled at me. Here’s another strange thing: She confessed that she had the same experience, except her version was of me being a Knight of the Middle Ages, a Prince from the Far East, a European King, and an Asian Emperor. The rest is history and we’ve been together ever since. A day doesn’t pass without us saying “I love you” to each other, sometimes in multiple languages. That was just a few short years ago. In fact, it was before I became a billionaire. I think that was pretty cool timing because I’m certain she loved me then and loves me now for being just me – not because I am rich now”, Yu said, with a supreme look of gratitude on his face. The story of Kai and Yu really touched my soul. I was glad and sad at the same time – glad that such love still exists in this world; and sad that I have never experienced it in my lifetime; or worse, with my predominantly jaded attitude toward relationships, that I may never get the chance to feel that kind of love and joy in my heart. © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor 53 Broken relationships and botched marriages seemed to be my specialty. I’ve had countless relationships that just “didn’t work out” and three failed marriages. In each case, I would pour my heart, soul, and everything I had into it. Consequently, after each break-up, I would be left with nothing; and would have to literally “start over” (financially, emotionally, psychologically, and sometimes, physically). Reliving my past failures at love and then listening to Yu and Kai’s perfect romance was getting to be too much to bear. I felt like my heart was just one, big broken jigsaw puzzle. I pretended to tie my shoe because I could feel a tiny tear pooling in my left eye. As I bent down, the tear slowly trickled down my cheek, and in slow motion, plopped onto my shoe. (I swear I could hear the tear splash against the laces! That’s how alert, or should I say alive I felt). “Hey killer, there’s something in your eye and it’s okay. The story of Kai and me has almost the same effect on everyone. Aside from the stray individual with misplaced anger, or needs to always display a stoic façade; there’s usually never a dry eye in the house; especially when I describe the relationship and how much we love each other,” Yu said from, from…under the table? “I knew we had a lot in common. We’re both tough on the outside, able to tolerate much physical pain; but real softies on the inside when dealing with anything that concerns our loved ones. I usually act like I’m sneezing and cover my whole face with a handkerchief when that happens to me,” Yu said with a compassionate smile. “The last time was when Kai and I were watching the movie “Titanic.” I went through quite a few hankies that night and © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited. My Friend Yu - The Prosperity Mentor Kai thought I had a severe cold or some kind of bad hay fever!” 54 We both laughed as Yu crawled backwards under the table and sat back down in his chair. Yu’s sincere empathy immediately dissolved the supreme embarrassment I was feeling for shedding a tear in public. This man – this crazy, quiet billionaire - could put anyone at ease, I thought. I was beginning to see how Yu could relate to, have fun with, and do business with just about anybody. Merely by being himself, he probably attracted more business than he could handle. “Okay, that’s enough talk about my love life. Class is back in session. Before I move on, we require a comprehension check. Chief, interpret and summarize the mission brief up to this point for the troops,” Yu said with commanding authority… …the story continues on Chapter 6 (of 27) in the Complete Version of “My Friend Yu- the Prosperity Mentor.” Purchase your Complete Version (Chapters 1-27 and over 200 pages) by visiting the Y.N. Vurce Publishing website at: http://www.ynvurcepublishing.com - and clicking the “BUY NOW” button. Orders are automatically delivered 24 hours a day within minutes of purchase. Sign-in the site’s Guest Book and join our FREE “You Can Be Yu. Be Your Own Hero!... Y.N. Vurce Newsletter.” Truly Wishing You and Yours Abundant Life and Love, Carl “J.C.” Pantejo, Pantejo@ynvurcepublishing.com © 2007 Carl Pantejo / Y.N. Vurce Publishing - All Rights Reserved Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.