What Do You Believe? -August 2007
What Do You Believe?
Hello from Vancouver! We’re just at the end of our time with family over here and I have to say we have had a brilliant time. We climbed to the very top of Whistler Mountain (what an amazing 360 degree panorama), spent
a couple of days in Seattle and also went white water rafting.
I have to tell you that is one hell of a buzz! I highly recommend it if you haven’t had a go. It was my first time, it pushed my comfort zone that’s for sure. But when you push your comfort zone, that’s when you sample the
real spice of life.
Just as an aside…when was the last time you pushed your own personal envelope?
Anyway, it’s been just fantastic to spend quality time with family as well. It’s so great to be able to do the important things in life!
So, we’ll be on our way back home soon, and whilst we have had a superb, exciting, relaxing and indulgent holiday, I am looking forward to getting home.
While we’ve been here, it has been very interesting to see and hear the news from a North American perspective. The power of suggestion that the American media use is very strong, stronger than the UK in my opinion. And, it therefore seems North America is more open to the suggestion of the media. Now, I know we have a habit of doing the same in the UK as well, although I’d like to think we challenge things a little bit more, but…the subject did get me thinking!
And, the article that got me thinking on this subject was the news on the US mortgage market and how the property market in the US has collapsed and the credit markets are looking dodgy because of that and how that may well knock on to the Bonds markets and…all of a sudden the entire economy is looking like it’s going to collapse.
Now, being in Vancouver the news there seems to have a heavy US bias, so I’ve been able to see this close up.
But…the question I want to ask is “do you believe what you read (or hear or see)?” You see, all this bad news is a real threat to you. Not because of what’s happening out in the markets, but because of the effect it may well have on YOU! The markets, the big corporations and such like will make
money regardless of the general economic situation. They’ll just make the money in different ways depending on the different conditions that exist at any given time.
But, because the media is now full of scare stories, everyone picks up on it and all the negative “chatter” starts and all that “bad news” turns itself into a self-fulflling prophecy! Before you know it everyone is telling you how bad the economy is. How poor Fred down the road was laid off and had his house repossessed by that shark bank. How the corner shop has closed after 75 years trading, oh it MUST be bad.
However, this is not the real threat to you or your business. It’s the doom and gloom merchants that so enjoy (and yes that is the right word) peddling all this bad news.
Let them get into your head and it will be bad news for your business!
The reason for this is simple. If you believe it, it will come to pass.
Studies of advanced thinking clearly show this to be true. Numerous studies have shown that people who believe they are good at something are indeed good at it. Think back to the school disco. The people who think they are attractive to the opposite sex are more successful in attracting the girl or boy. People who believe they are good leaders turn out to be so.
The ultimate manifestation of this is in drug trials. I’m sure you know what happens. People are told a new drug has been developed that cures a given ill. To test the drug some people are given the drug, others a sugar pill – known as a placebo.
The really interesting thing is that some of the placebo patients get better.
It’s called the “placebo effect” and the only explanation for their recovery is that they BELIEVE they have taken the drug.
If that does not clearly demonstrate the power of the mind I don’t know what does! The implications of this are quite staggering. Just think about it.
What effect do you think the bombardment of bad news might have on you? Or anyone come to that. If you surround yourself with bad news media and people who constantly moan about how bad things are, sure enough, you will come to believe it. It will sow a seed of negative doubt in you that will grow and go on to possibly destroy all your hard work and tear down all of your achievements.
This happened to me in the recruitment business after 9/11. There were so many (perceived) negatives in the market. Sadly, I believed the press and watched my fortune disappear down the bad news tubes. Now I look back on it, if I’d just kept my head, looked for the new opportunities created by the situation, and kept working instead of taking my eye off the ball, I would easily have got through.
It’s a hard lesson to learn.
So, don’t blame the government, the media, the economy or whatever. It’s not any of those things that will bring you down, it’s YOUR thinking that will undo you if you believe all the negative claptrap. If you allow yourself to be sucked in and believe what you think you should you will only have yourself to blame!
When all is said and done, if you have the right business model, really understand your market and control it rather than the other way round, you can ride any economic waves that come along. Interestingly enough,
the media would have us believe each economic wave is a huge tsunami, when in actual fact they are merely small ripples in the great scheme of things!
So, remember, the power is in the belief itself. I can’t remember who said this, but this is so powerful…
“all we have to fear is fear itself”.
Many (and I mean many) years ago, I did Amway. I didn’t do very well,
but I was young! Anyway, they had a great support system of positive tapes (that’s how long ago it was) and books. I always remember one of the senior people talking about this subject. He always talked about having loads of positives around that would build a “Neg Shell” to protect you from all the doom and gloom merchants – what a great idea!
Yes, I know there will always be bad news, but… we defnitely live in good times. It’s less than sixty years since we lost rationing in this country. In 1962 the world stood on the edge of nuclear oblivion.
But…thankfully opportunity is everywhere now. The Internet continues to transform our world and lives…and provides many of these amazing opportunities.
So, forget what the media would have you believe and get out there, put yourself on the line and win.
But, remember, it’s up to you what you think and believe. Your mind runs your life, so look after it, feed it the right stuff and use it wisely.
OK, that’s it for this month. We now have ten hours on a plane. Some might look at that with some trepidation. Not me, it’s still part of my holiday! I’ll have a beer in the departure lounge, do some shopping, then watch a couple of flms and do some reading on the plane. It will be positive stuff to charge me up for getting back into the business “big-time” as soon as I’m back home.
And…jet lag? Pah, all in the mind!!!
As always…to *YOUR* sucess
Cheers now and have fun.
Derek
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