For those of you don't know Burt Goldman, now is the time to meet him.

Burt, also known as The American Monk, is a spiritual guru, praised teacher, recognized painter, awarded photographer, published author, ordained minister and an online entrepreneur.

Oh and did I mention, he is 81 years old?

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Here's an interesting study relevant to all our blog readers who are parents of young kids.

Scientific America magazine talks about a study that shows that it's more important to teach your kids the importance of hard work as a means for academic success than it is to tell them that they are bright and talented. Apparently kids who are told that they are smart, often look down on hard work and tend to give up when the going gets tough.

This article might go against your beliefs on parenting. Read it with an open mind.

The Secret to Raising Smart Kids

Hint: Don't tell your kids that they are. More than three decades of research shows that a focus on effort—not on intelligence or ability—is key to success in school and in life

By Carol S. Dweck

A brilliant student, Jonathan sailed through grade school. He completed his assignments easily and routinely earned As. Jonathan puzzled over why some of his classmates struggled, and his parents told him he had a special gift. In the seventh grade, however, Jonathan suddenly lost interest in school, refusing to do homework or study for tests. As a consequence, his grades plummeted. His parents tried to boost their son’s confidence by assuring him that he was very smart. But their attempts failed to motivate Jonathan (who is a composite drawn from several children). Schoolwork, their son maintained, was boring and pointless.

Our society worships talent, and many people assume that possessing superior intelligence or ability—along with confidence in that ability—is a recipe for success. In fact, however, more than 30 years of scientific investigation suggests that an overemphasis on intellect or talent leaves people vulnerable to failure, fearful of challenges and unwilling to remedy their shortcomings.

The result plays out in children like Jonathan, who coast through the early grades under the dangerous notion that no-effort academic achievement defines them as smart or gifted. Such children hold an implicit belief that intelligence is innate and fixed, making striving to learn seem far less important than being (or looking) smart. This belief also makes them see challenges, mistakes and even the need to exert effort as threats to their ego rather than as opportunities to improve. And it causes them to lose confidence and motivation when the work is no longer easy for them.

Praising children’s innate abilities, as Jonathan’s parents did, reinforces this mind-set, which can also prevent young athletes or people in the workforce and even marriages from living up to their potential. On the other hand, our studies show that teaching people to have a “growth mind-set,” which encourages a focus on effort rather than on intelligence or talent, helps make them into high achievers in school and in life.

» Read More on Scientific America

While my colleagues and I boarded the express bus to Singapore last Thursday night, I must admit, I was somewhat dreading spending the next 3 whole days indoors at a 14 hour/day conference while the sun beamed outside. It was a perfect weekend weather-wise and I couldn't help but think other ways I could be spending the upcoming few days. Hiking, biking, sun-batheing, swimming... anything would be better this.

We had heard about T. Harv Ecker before as earlier this year some of my other colleaques attended his Millionaire Mind Intensive he held in Malaysia. They claimed that his conference was a life-chaning moment for them and they returned to the office the following week with a complete shift in mindset. "Right," I thought sarcastically. I guess you could say I am (or used to be) somewhat of a skeptic. In fact, I don't think a more skeptical group of us could have been sent to T. Harv's seminar this weekend. I was completely expecting to come home on Sunday night wishing I hadn't "wasted" my weekend.

Boy. was. I. wrong.

I am not even sure if I can entirely explain to you what happened to my colleagues and I over that weekend with T. Harv and I don't think I fully understood what had happened until I woke up on Monday morning. In fact, even while participating in the sessions and activities at the Millionaire Mind Intensive I wasn't aware of the change that was happening within me, or perhaps I just didn't want to admit it. The funny thing is, we all felt it. We tried are hardest over our hurried lunch hours and short coffee breaks to fuel our skepticism with anything negative we could dig up but by our 3rd day with Harv it became evident we just couldn't fight it anymore.

We were different and we knew it.

The energy at the conference was infectious and it wasn't long before anything and everything made us shriek with Harv's token mantra "YOU'RE AWESOME!" while tossing around high-fives left and right. I realized this at the office Monday morning when I screamed "THAT'S AWESOME, YOU'RE AWESOME!" when John announced he had made a pot of coffee and he bellowed back "I KNOW I AM FREAKIN' AWESOME!."

What has happened to us!?

Whatever it is, I like it.

I feel like a completely different person than I did a week ago. I wake up each morning eager to start my day and make sure I sing my self-composed "success song" daily, something T. Harv recommends everyone to do. I even began a new work-out routine, something I have been putting off for months. I have completely new insights on money and how to manage it effectively, I realize that making excuses won't get you anywhere in life and how you do anything is how you do EVERYTHING! I now know without a doubt that I will reach my career and personal goals effortlessly. I can feel the energy flowing from my fingertips and bubbling through me and I just can't help putting 100% into everything I do! No more ifs, ands or buts!

The new energy permeating the MindValley office is amazing and we are constantly celebrating our daily successes. It is amazing how this energy acts like a money magnet! MindValley has been steadily and consistently growing since we started attending T. Harv's conferences. Coincidence?

Maybe, maybe not.

One thing those of us who attended the conference now know for sure - our lives have changed.

As far as we see it... we are millionaires already.