The Amazing Rick Shares His Philosophy on Money & Life

Thank you for listening to today's episode with Rick Loek. To learn more about Rick and his philosophy on life, go to www.theamazingrick.com

To learn more about Presence of Self go to http:peggy-scott.com

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Transcript

Welcome to another episode of Dare to Be Extraordinary. Today my guest is Rick Loek, better known as The Amazing Rick. 

Rick is someone people really enjoy getting to spend time with. He is skilled at making any person and situation comfortable and he is filled with compassion, particularly when addressing the today’s topic.  

Rick's Path started in the mid 1980s when he became a father. Nothing can develop you to be a father, one just becomes that overnight, as it were. From that day forward, Rick and his family have been on an adventure, growing and overcoming obstacles and learning how each obstacle is an opportunity.

Rick's path has evolved into making a difference in as many lives as possible. Rick's skills include Retirement in income, certified professional investment advisor, representative, certified coach, trainer, and master practitioner of neurolinguistics hypnosis and mental and emotional release.

Primarily the AMAZING Rick uses his training to work with people regarding the most taboo of subjects money. Few words have the power to cause. Such an emotional response as the word money.

 Today we're going to be discussing how money and people have limitations and how to powerfully address the limitations and creating new ways of being and taking actions. I can't wait to hear more about this. Welcome Rick and thank you for stepping into the podcast with me.

Thank you and, appreciate your invitation and the opportunity to converse more about that taboo subject, money…not the oldest profession, but the most taboo profession, money. I love it. So give me a little bit about  how do you go about helping people relax, get more peace of mind.  What can we do? I'm keenly interested because it is a trigger point and dang it, I'd like to conquer that little rascal.

 Yes, most of us do face some challenges when it comes to conversations regarding money. And as your training and development would have you understand as well is that comes from someplace in the past. Yeah, most likely it's not even baggage that you're looking at, it's something your parents taught you.

I'm not, somebody who escaped that training either. As I look and see how I relate to money, I can remember conversations in my childhood about finances and money. Yeah, we weren't raised with my mom and dad saying, hey, look at our bank account balance. I don't know about anybody else who was, well, I'm sure there's a few people out there, who boast about their bank account balance, but most people are very, very private about that. Yes, it's a taboo subject. I'll tell you what, you can't even ask people, well, how much did that cost you? Or, whatever. I remember my daughters when they were little girls and they said, well, let's just go to that, that machine, and you just get the money out and you just go, let's get it.

Most people walk around the planet in negative conversation, this self-talk about money and how I can't afford this, or I don't deserve this, or who am I to.... Yes. and being able to get to talk about their money.  I talk about playing poker, so to speak, like getting those cards face up on the table in front of you.

Now you're present to what is called choice. Are you committed to continuing to have that conversation with yourself or would you like something.  and that's where we go to work, is dive in and figure out, where do  those conversations come from.

It's simply important to see that you have those conversations, be it choice, and then use some of the tools and processes that I've learned over the years to work with people.  All too often, Peggy, and you've talked about tipping and I'm, I'm assuming, I'm now visualizing I have a mental picture of sitting at a restaurant.

The receipt comes and they, and they want payment, and then they want an accolade called a tip. Right? And now, oh, Rick, math is hard, is a common conversation. Right? Yeah. Math is hard and what I say to people when they say that to me is, okay, all right, Peggy, what's one plus.  and they say, oh, two.Hello, you are brilliant with math. I can't believe how skilled you are. Right. And, it's a story, it's a conversation that the people choose to have with themselves. And, it's not true. It just simply isn't true. Well, I know.  personally, having carved out my life fiercely. You know, I've been widowed early on in my life and had to raise two kids. Not had to, but have, and have had a wonderful time. But it hasn't always been easy. And the one that's been the challenge is the conversation about money. How are we gonna have, have this happen? But I find that the more I turn towards the concern and not go under the covers about it, the better I am.

And I get it figured out. It's just, what you said, I'm at choice. So, you have people probably in the same place where, it's a scary conversation. You mean I must look at how it really is. Yep. Well look at how it is. The conversation is much like navigating on a map or your phone. Yeah. If your phone doesn't know where you are, how can it get you to where you want to be? Same with me, is we need to understand where you are, where do you want to go, and then create a plan to get you to that destination working together. Yeah. 

So, you know, I know you're highly trained. You've done so many things, Napoleon Hills, Stephen Covey, Ernst Holmes trained with Werner Erhard,  and Neurolinguistics...that's a little tongue twister. And Deepak Chopra and those folks, those are helped you shape who you are today does that offer you some compassion or way to have compassion for people that are sitting in front of you and scared out of their mind like, oh heck, you mean I'm going to have to budget? Or, whatever the heck the conversation is that, keeps them from doing, having a brilliant financial future. Does that, has that given you compassion or that understanding? Tell me more. The compassion in empathy.  pretty much was born out of being the parent of a special needs child.

 Ah.  That's a whole deep conversation all by itself. The more I, as a parent push back, the more the pushback is Oh, very good. Good. Yep. Yep. So if I'm working with a client and, I'm pushing the client. Guess what they do? They push back. True. The conversation needs to be 100% grounded in what's important to the client and have nothing to do with the advisor...nothing to do with the advisor. What's important to you about money? Peggy? Write that.  So, let's say that that's A, so now what's important to you about A, and to get through the multiple layers until we've gotten to the point where there's nothing left for you to say, now we understand what's important to you about money. What is it you would like to accomplish? Also, part of the conversation is finding out what is your self-dialogue about. 

I kicked off 2023 by having, a couple of different trainings where I'm showing people how to see some of their mental conversations, their self-dialogue about money. Imagine if you will Peggy, you, however you contain money. Maybe it's in a wallet, maybe it's in a purse, maybe it's in a paper bag under the. I don't know. Right? No. The old concept of putting it in a tin can in the backyard, but you have a mental picture of how money is for you. And as you look at that mental picture, again, start asking you some questions about what is it that you see, and then write those down.

 Getting that clear for you and then working with you, you, the client, to be able to complete those conversations. Looking for limiting decisions, limiting beliefs, negative self-talk. Yeah. All those things, getting it listed in front of you, and that's between you and your future. Very good. So that's the conversations that keep haunting people, that they're not aware of,  but  wake up into it every morning or when you look at your checkbook…yep. So, what I hear from you is this deep compassion and concern for people and really committed to having them see that it's possible to have a good financial future that allows them peace of mind and happiness and the joy of living.

Am I hearing that right. Thank you for that it isn't so much about dollars and cents as it is about how you experience life. You can have a million dollars in the bank and still be the most unpleasant person around, or you could have a hundred dollars in the bank account and be joyful beyond, beyond measure.

Yes. So, it's not the bank account, it's the person, it's the mindset we're talking about, isn't it? Right. The mindset. Yep. The mindset. And using some of the tools, be it metaphysical tools or, I don't want to use the word therapy, but I'm not a therapist, so I would swap that out with coaching. Provide some coaching with people to a, what is that phrase, Peggy? They don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. Yes, that's right. And that's part of the foundation of how I work with people. I can solve puzzles all day long. Do you want me to solve your puzzle? Is the place we need to get to. And the way to get to that place is compassion and empathy.

Yes. I say, what it takes for somebody to become a client of mine is four things. It's mutual, trust, respect, understanding, and love. My mentor is coming, he's in his mid-eighties at this point, and when I say love, the hair goes up on the back of his neck. , Ricky, I would never never say love, never. It's like, it's not like we're going to go dating, but if, you know, If we don't like each other, why would we suffer through a relationship? What's love got to do with it? 

Tell me a little bit about what you mean love, like, love, like is it respect, is it a compassion? Is it, what is it? Is it human beingness? What is it for you?  I, often fly the sign language, sign for I love you, meaning? Yeah.  I'm sitting in a training and somebody's sharing something from the front of the room. I will put. Hand up that says, I love you to them.  I'm preaching to the choir on this one, there's something called core values. Yes. Right? Yeah. And, and you are the queen of values. Thank you. And you know, in your book, about how to ferret out one's values.

Love is my number one value, that's clear. And, and then, and then you were asking for clarification because that's, that's a word and I add meaning to it. Or you add meaning to it. And, and clearly my mentor is like, oh my God, love is something totally not appropriate. Cause the don't say that. And what I put as my, representation for the word love is heartfelt.  Appreciation of each other. Yes. I love it. It's like a, a being authentic with each other. Yeah. Having authenticity with each other, bringing that to the table. Yeah. You're listening to who's over there and what you want out of this... that's what you are amazing at. That's what makes you the amazing rick, as soon as they walk into your space, they have already been accepted and loved and listened to with authenticity. And that's where I see your love aspect comes in, is you have this authentic love and compassion for people and that's okay to bring into money.

I tell you what, you're onto a hot topic if you know, keep going with that. Thank you. Yeah. So, tell me a little bit about what has shaped the amazing Rick, and where, where did that come from? . Amazing. Rick, I love it because you are, but let's hear a little bit about what shaped you. This is great. The, the phrase, the Amazing Rick, isn't necessarily, what I've bestowed upon myself. It's as I've interacted with people in my life, my friends, family, clients, all too often people say, Rick, you're amazing. Yeah. And so born from those conversations I felt that would spend bestowed upon me, not by myself. Right.

And so, what makes me amazing is that level of compassion and empathy. Yes. The ability to calm someone. Just through conversation? Yeah. It's having them get that I got them, that I understand who they are and what their concerns are. because what's important to them is the only thing that's important on the planet.

Boy. That's right. You got that right. And you, so what you're bringing is a presence of self. And this presence is what I take on, is what is presence? Well, it is that self-that’s over there. Your values, your ethics, who you are, who you say you are. And that's, that's a lifelong journey right there. Who are you?

 It's this presence that you bring immediately. It's the atmosphere that you create for people that they immediately feel safe. And that is a big one with you. It's the safety. It's in your way of being. It's in your, in your speaking and in your presence of self.

It's immediately, I'm safe with this. , thank you. and I will invest my money with him because he has got my back. He's listening for me, not because he's in this industry where he is going to help you make a lot of money and he'll make a lot of money too. Good point. What drives me isn't necessarily the making money part.

What drives me is making a difference. Very good. Well, that's what distinguishes you from the rest of the pack because you are committed to the person that's sitting in front of you that they feel taken care of, loved, appreciated, authentically, listened to, and not getting in their wallet. 

So, this is, this is fun.  I'm enjoying this dialogue very, very much. Peggy what also popped up for me is in addition to feeling safe or experiencing safety, is they're left empowered. Amen. That's the word right there. Empowered you, you know? And boy, do we need more of that and what this world needs. It's more of empowering each other and empowering each other, particularly around the area of money. And I so appreciate what you do and what who you are and what brought you to this planet and what you decided to do was take on your own, if I may, use transformation so that you could be available to others in a way that you'd like to provide that service.

Absolutely. Yeah. I'm with you on that one. I dove right into it with my own life and said, there's gotta be more, there's gotta be more. Is this all there is? No, there's more. And there's more to us that meets the eye. And that's where I step in and go, oh boy, there's so much more to you. . And I know that when you look at people or when you're sitting with people, you are listening with that same love and compassion.

 And I love, I say use the word love. When I say love or beauty, that people go running scared. I go, oh, for goodness sakes. Imagine a world without any of that. What would we be like? Where would we be?  Yeah. This topic can go, we can have another discussion about this at another time. I think this is such a depthy conversation, and what I'd like to do is, have you on again, and what I'd also love to hear is a little bit more about your, I'm going to have another podcast with a couple of other people about the special needs children that they've raised.

Empower them as human beings and who they became and where they are with their life. So, I hope you will come back again for not only the conversation about money, but this other conversation about the raising a special needs child. I look forward to both opportunities.

Peggy, thank you. Yeah, you are amazing. You are amazing. You're the amazing Rick. Yay. And I am so, so grateful. For our time together, we had our, mastermind session back in San Jose and we had such a good time. And I'm, I am a testament of your amazingness because you have that deep compassion. So I always, always cherish our conversations and this has been a great way to get kicked off with the conversation about money Again, promise.

 We'll have another time with this and go even further. I've heard where your heart is with people, and that's just fantastic to offer them a peace of mind. What you're doing is contributing to peace on this planet by helping people get around that taboo topic. Money. Let's love that thing called money.

 Let's just embrace it with all our heart so that we can all just. It's the life we want, and money is part of that. So, money is not a bad thing. It's a great thing, right? Rick? Money is tied through all the important areas of life. You can't avoid it.  There's, another phrase that I love from my spiritual center. What's in the way is the, Oh, that's so great. You know, that's one of my winning formulas is whatever's getting up in my face. I turn to it and face it and go, all right, what do we got? What am I going to learn from this? How am I going to press? It's not even press through it, it's just, well, what do you have to offer?

Instead of chasing, having it chase me away, I step.  So don't be scare people. It's okay.  I'd like to ask, is there any, what else lights you up? What has you wake up in the morning saying, I'm amazing? That's a great question.

I have a, another initiative that's, pulled together inside of my mind and occasionally on paper and, and whatnot, which is how to make a difference with, severely underserved population. Oh, meaning, uh, at least here in Sacramento, there is, an abundance of homeless people, unsheltered people. Yes.

Yes. And Santa Clara County was bad and has gotten much worse.  People.  all too often, even as I'm saying those words, anybody listening to this show is going to have their opinion. Yes, they're going to have their own mental representation of what it looks like. How did these people get there?

 Whether it's, oh, those poor people, or shame on those poor people, or whatever that is. Mm-hmm.  is irrelevant. What's important again, is what's important to those people. What I'm focusing on, Peggy, is how to create a for-profit structure next to a not-for-profit structure where they support each other. Ah-huh. Effectively, the for-profit structure, any profits left over at the end of the year are shared by amongst the employees Yep. Or donated to the not for profit. Entity to provide services and training for those underserved people. Cue these people up to become productive members of the for-profit company. I love it. Where they have a piece of the pie. They have pride of ownership. That is gorgeous. That's brilliant. And we have that, I live here in Portland, Oregon, and we have that as well.

I think what you're doing, and your initiative is, beautiful.  important. And you know, San Francisco, Portland, Oregon, I don't know where else, you know, Sacramento. There are, it's, it's become, a bigger issue than it used to be, so I'm glad you're looking at it from that point. You're amazing.

Thank you again. This has been a fantastic conversation. I always, enjoy our time together, and I will invite you back for other conversations. Whatever they are, who knows, they can be other things, as they always are!

I appreciate who you are. Thank you, Peggy. All right. Appreciate you as well.