Author Archives: mindpersuasion

The Virtue Of Profits

Coming Out Ahead Is The Prime Directive of Life

Always Come Out Ahead

One way to control people is by changing the meaning of the words they use.

This was one of the central ideas in “1984” by Orwell. Slavery is freedom, war is peace, etc.

Governments have even tried to do this in recent times. Taxes are really membership fees. Political parties are families.

There’s a common metaphor of a bunch of crabs in a box. Most of them are too lazy to do anything about it, even though they know they’re probably going to be eaten at some point.

One crab decides to escape, but instead of helping him, or copying him, they all climb on and pull him back down.

Now, they’re probably not trying to pull him down. Rather, they’re too scared to try on their own, but they don’t to get left behind, so they just grab on and hope he pulls them ALL to safety.

As you can imagine, this happens in society ALL the time. If you’ve ever tried to break out of your financial rut for example, you’ve realized you need to do things differently.

Maybe save your money instead of blowing it every weekend with your buddies. Maybe you’ve made the “mistake” of telling them your plans. 

And instead of supporting you, like you’d hoped, they may have said things like, “What? Are you crazy? It’ll never work! Just come hang out with us and forget about starting your own business!”

Just like the crabs, they’re not hoping you’ll fail. But they’re terrified of being left behind.

After all, if you try, and succeed, what does it say about them?

They’d rather pretend it’s impossible, rather than try, take a risk, and succeed.

One of the most “changed” words is “profit.” Governments tell us it’s evil. People tell us companies are evil because they “chase profits.”

But consider this. Every single living organism MUST live profitably.

Consider a “biological balance sheet.” If any organism “spends” 1000 calories a day, but only consumes 800 calories, they are running at a net loss of 200 calories per day.

Which means they’ll be dead soon.

On the other hand, any organism that spends only 500 calories, but eats 1000 calories has a surplus. One that allows it to lounge around and relax in the sun. Find some other sexy organisms and use that surplus to make baby organisms.

Organisms, people, societies, all work the same way.

Profits are simply essential to survival. You can’t eat more than you produce. It’s mathematically impossible.

But the idea that “chasing profits” is bad is also impossible.

That’s basically the same as saying “staying alive and building a surplus” is bad.

Who says nonsense like this?

Those crabs who are too scared to be left behind, and power hungry types that want to keep you stuck.

If you’re ready to give those guys the finger, check this out:

Taking, Receiving, and Achieving

Don't Be This Guy

Are You Begging For Free Stuff?

There’s a lot of things we want, and a lot of things keeping us from getting it.

You could say that’s due to the ever present laws of economics.

A bunch of people with unlimited wants, surrounded by things in limited quantities.

However, this isn’t necessarily true. Sure, there’s the win-lose model, where people think in order to get something, it has to be because somebody else DOESN’T get something.

And as you may have suspected, these types of people tend to have a funny way of ending up in charge.

Those of that are more enlightened realize that there’s plenty of ways where EVERYBODY can come out ahead.

Not necessarily at the same rate, or to the same destination. But it’s DEFINITELY possible (and has happened plenty times before in human history) where EVERYBODY ends up getting more than they did, individually, before.

Then there’s the theory that those things we want are hard to get because it’s in the process of getting them do we go through the necessarily self-growth that is required before enlightenment.

If all we had to do was to show up and “receive” then life would be pretty boring, and everybody would be pretty lazy.

It’s only when you dig deep, and overcome those internal issues (that we ALL have), can you really appreciate the beauty that life has to offer.

Think about some of the things you’ve achieved, vs. some of the things you’ve simply “received.”

Sure, those things you passively “received” felt good, but that feeling didn’t likely last. If you were to look at something, now, that you “receive” a year or so ago, that good feeling  might be gone. (Unless, of course, it has special meaning and came from a loved one that’s no longer with us.)

On the other hand, think of something you’ve achieved. Something that took work, effort, and time.

Something that you’ve achieved many years ago. Chances are, when you think of that now, it brings to mind considerably more profound feelings than free gifts that were passively received.

Now, imagine something that you may have “achieved” but it was at the expense of somebody else. 

If you DO have something like this, it creates a completely different feeling. Perhaps one of fear. Fear of being called out, fear of having it taken away, fear of somebody doing to you whatever it is you did to get whatever it was. (Real or if you’re just playing along in your imagination.)

Clearly, things you’ve achieved, on your own, based on a win-win model creates the best, the most profound, and the most lasting positive feelings.

Not just in you, but in everybody involved.

Imagine if EVERYBODY on Earth was doing the same thing!

Tap Into The Global Brain

Picture

The Meaning Of Super Conscious

A few years ago I took an improv acting class. It was nothing like I’d expected.

We did all kinds of “in the moment” exercises, where we had to come up with something, on the spot, up on stage.

There were about 20 people in class. One of the exercises was the professor would shout out a shape, and all 20 of us would have to form that shape as quickly as possible, WITHOUT talking.

It was amazing how quickly we made some pretty complicated, 3D shapes. (Doghouses, planes, rose bushes, etc.)

It seems that humans are hard wired on a very deep level to communicate without words MUCH more effectively than we believe.

Studies show this is true as well. Up to 93% of the meaning of your communication is NON-VERBAL.

Facial expressions, voice tone, body language, subtle energy that they haven’t figured out how to measure yet.

All of this is so humans can communicate effectively. Clearly, we are VERY social creatures.

But we aren’t social just so we can hang out and pass the time.

We are social so we can do stuff. Build stuff. Create stuff.

There’s an idea in economics called “spontaneous order,” where you’ve got a bunch of diverse people, with diverse backgrounds.

You drop a problem into this group of people and they’ll figure out how to solve it. Pretty quickly and pretty effectively.

All WITHOUT some self important “leader” telling everybody what to do every step of the way.

The opposite of this is one of the main reasons why the space shuttle blew up back in the 80’s. A bunch of self-important NASA scientists who refused to share their power. Consequently, they ignored plenty of potential problems. One which ended up killing people.

All of the great inventions of human life haven’t been because some goof in charge decided to invent something.

They were invented because problems came up, and individuals working together figured out how to solve them.

Now, this is a hard concept to swallow for many, but none of these inventions (pretty much everything that exists today) would have happened without money.

Nobody sits around inventing things or solving problems just because it feels good.

All humans deeply want to be recognized for our accomplishments.

And the BEST WAY to do that, is to get paid what you are worth.

And when you overlap the deep powers of communication, your natural creativity, and seven BILLION people all with unlimited needs and wants, and you’ve got a MASSIVE and continuous growth of wealth.

Right here, right now, it’s never been easier to get in the game, and get some.

Metaphysical Life Force

The Ancient Power Of Life

The Ancient Power Within

Bees and ants are pretty interesting. They both are colonies, made up of individuals, but can also be treated as a standalone entity.

A brain center, flow of energy, waste disposal. When they get big enough, they split off and form two separate colonies.

Almost like a cell dividing and dividing until a whole new organism is formed.

All our DNA is the same. Meaning a DNA in one area will turn into an eye, while the same DNA in another area will turn into a finger.

The DNA somehow knows what to become, based on a myriad of environmental factors.

Many believe that human life on Earth is like one big organism. Certainly looked at on a meta level, it sure can look like one.

Many believe the “super conscious” is the collective unconscious of all “individual” entities on Earth past, present and future.

One really mind bender is if you consider the very first organism that crawled out of the sludge many, many eons ago.

It replicated, again and again and again, until we have the massive diversity of life that exists today.

All life seems to be imprinted with the same “prime directive,” which is to make more copies of itself.

In order to do that, it has to interact with its environment, interact with other like elements, and just keep on building.

Richard Dawkins wrote an interesting book called “The Extended Phenotype.” A genotype is the biological outcome of our genes. Brown eyes, black hair, etc. A phenotype is a non-biological outcome of our genes. Like a snail’s shell or a beaver’s dam.

He postulated that everything we have on Earth can be thought of as the “human phenotype.” All of our artwork, medicine, music, jars of peanut butter and sofas.

Which means making things is part of our DNA.

But not just making them, but making whatever we can, and then trading them for what we want.

The energy that connects all this, of course, is money.

Without money, that free flowing river of creative inventions simply wouldn’t exist.

It’s that metaphysical energy that connects people of different languages, different cultures, and different beliefs.

As soon as ancient cultures came in contact with each other, they started trading what they had, for what they wanted.

Luckily, it’s easier than every to participate. There’s an explosion in human need, as well as an explosion of ways to satisfy those needs.

All you’ve got to do is get in the game, and start playing.

Why Do We Need Money?

Do You Really Want To Do This?

Would You Rather Dig For Food?

Many people follow a philosophy that says in an ideal world, we shouldn’t need money.

While it would be nice, not having to worry about money, we’d also be without most of the stuff we have now.

There’s a lot of popular writers and philosophers that say without money we could simply barter for what we wanted, but the cold harsh truth of economics tells a different story.

To begin with, all creatures must work to get food. The idea that some animals just kind of lounge around all day, and find food whenever they need it, isn’t entirely accurate.

Most animals both eat and are eaten. Most animals live in a significantly decreased population. And most animals know nothing other than survival instincts. Fear,  hunger, pleasure.

The reason money exists in the first place is because so many people are capable of making so many different things, that it’s impossible to simply trade what you’ve got for what you want.

Money is really a potential energy. A potential energy for ANYTHING you can do.

Whatever your contribution to the global economy, that which you put in, you get back money.

With which you can buy anything you’d like (legally, of course!)

The harsh truth is that most people have jobs they most certainly WOULDN’T go to if they weren’t getting paid.

Sure, it’s a nice thought to think that doctors would still be doctors, police would still be police, teachers would still be teachers, but in reality, if they stopped getting paid, most of them would stop working.

Is this wrong? No. Is this bad? No. Is this evil? No.

This is simply how humans interact on Earth. All doing what they can, getting paid, and buying what they want.

Without money, the whole system would collapse.

If you want more money, all you’ve got to do is figure out how to contribute more. Add to your skills. Interact with a wider diversity of people. Expose yourself to different ideas.

The vast amount of fortunes took lifetimes to build. But building your fortune is why you were put here.

Because in building your fortune, you necessarily must figure out what people want, and figure out the best way to provide it.

If EVERYBODY on earth was busily figuring out how to best build their fortune (instead of stealing it or gaming the system in their favor) we’d all be better off.

No matter who you are, or what your experience is, you are in the perfect place to start.

Because there’s no where to go but up.

Are You Chasing The Dragon?

Stop Chasing A Fantasy

Always Be Creating

Many people claim to be seeking happiness.

They think it is some kind of destination, and all they need to do is figure out how to get there.

If they get that dream house, they’ll finally be happy.

If they get that job, they’ll finally be happy.

If they finally meet their soul mate, they’ll finally be happy.

However, if you can think back to getting all those “things” that you thought would make you happy, you may discover something.

Sure, they felt good. But that feeling suddenly wore off.

People become serial monogamists because they get addicted to that wonderful feelings that come with new relationships.

As soon as it becomes normal, and loses its luster, they seek another partner.

Perhaps you’ve been a victim of such “monogamy.”

The truth about any feeling that’s dependent on a thing, is that feeling only lasts as long as the thing is new.

As soon as you start to expect it to be there, even taking it for granted, it loses it’s “happiness” feeling.

From a purely biological-evolutionary standpoint, it’s easy to see why this is.

Tribes of ancients humans who were “happy” to sit around in the same place eventually ran out of food.

Those that had their “happiness” contingent upon always finding new and better hunting grounds tended to do much, much better. They passed on a lot more of those “happiness is always fleeting” genes to their kids.

As I’m sure you know, early humans, at least the most successful ones, were nomads. Out of Africa, and all over the world.

So, does that mean happiness is always short lived?

Nope.

As humans with conscious brains, and logical planning capabilities, we can engineer our circumstances so that happiness is a way of life, and not contingent on getting the next shiny new object.

And that is to embrace your nature as a creator, not as a getter.

The act of creation, life long creation, is what creates real, lasting happiness.

We’re most happy when we are making something HUGE that will define our lives.

Even after you’ve found your soul mate, you still need to work on your relationship. To continually build it with your partner as you both grow and change and learn.

The same goes for your job, your health, and your spiritual life.

This is why the greatest entrepreneurs of all time were ALWAYS creating and building and providing new and better products and solutions.

Few people ever got rich with one magic invention that made them billions.

What do you want to create? What will your lasting impression on the world be?

Build Your Crew And Get Started

You Are In The Perfect Place To Get Started

You Are In The Perfect Place To Start

In many “Hero’s Journey” movies, the young hero has to get a crew.

Even in non-traditional hero movies, people usually get a crew.

Dorothy got her buddies (Scarecrow, Lion, Tin Man), Harry Potter got his buddies, Luke Skywalker collected his crew. Even the major part of Ocean’s Eleven was about building a crew.

This, of course, models pretty much every aspect of our lives. New schools, new jobs, new families. All involving building  a group of friends. To help each other, confide in each other, and to watch each other’s back.

Henry Ford was famous for building his empire the same way. He surrounded himself with people smarter than he.

Napoleon Hill, in his famous work, talked about the “Mastermind Group” for the very same reason.

Study after study shows that even a small diversity of talent has brain power FAR SUPERIOR than even the smartest person on Earth.

Meaning even a tiny Mastermind Group of 3-4 people will be much better at solving problems, and coming up with creative solutions than any one person.

Look at any success story, and you’ll find a tight knit group of helpers, supports, and confidants who were there the whole time.

Luckily, in our huge and continuously exploding global economy, you can build a network of business associates all over the world.

Even if you aren’t the “brains” of the operation, you can participate. There are endless types of freelance sites and places to sell your skills.

Giving you experience, networking, and access to a whole range of ideas you never would have thought of on your own.

Even if you aren’t sure where to start, just checking out the available jobs on these sites will give you an idea of where you CAN start.

Then it’s just a matter of getting started, and never stopping.

Henry Ford started out as a dirt poor farmer. Einstein started working in a government office. Zuckerberg was a college student.

Wherever you are, you’re in the PERFECT place to get started.

All you’ve got to do, is do the starting.

Conjure Your Inner Magician

Blast Away False Fears

How To Vanish False Fears

One thing that humans hate is risk.

One history book I read said that the story of man is one of a frightened, lazy people. All of our inventions were made to keep us safer, and make it easier.

You may even say that all of our instincts are geared to the same end.

Safety in numbers, all kinds of mind triggers and biases to cut down on thinking power.

However, something happened to us humans along the way.

We developed this MASSIVE capability to imagine the future. Not only that, but we somehow came up with language to describe that potential future.

This folded in greatly with our deep need to stay safe and not work too hard.

We could explain to each other where all the great hunting grounds and orchards were.

Elders could spin fascinating tales of mysterious monsters beyond the hills, in an effort to keep youngsters from straying too far from the pack.

However, oftentimes in life there’s something called a “mismatch.” Meaning you’ve got a couple things that work great on their own, but when you mix them together, it’s kind of crappy.

Chocolate pizza, Wasabi ice cream, chicken liver filled valentines candy. None of these would be a great marketing idea.

Similarly, our ability to imagine a potential future, mixed in with our tendency to stay safe doesn’t always help us.

We tend to imagine horrible things that have a very low probability of happening. But they seem so real when we imagine them, we don’t budge.

While our imaginations can help us to create magnificent works of art, medicine, technological wonders, they can also conjure up some pretty frightening events.

Suddenly, walking over and talking to that interesting person seems scarier than jumping out of an airplane.

Starting a small business seems more dangerous than jumping into the tiger cage at the zoo.

Expressing a novel but interesting idea to your boss seems about as safe as sticking your hand down into a running garbage disposal.

Only those that realize that NONE of these fears are real, and push right through them know the truth.

That on the OTHER SIDE of those false fears lies greatness.

YOUR greatness.

Money, wealth, relationships, they’re over there, on the other side, waiting for you.

Are you going to let those ancient fears from your birthright?

Or are you going to PROVE to yourself that those fears are a hallucination? That when you step right through them they will VANISH.

Are You Fooling Your Subconscious?

Momentum Is Crucial

Momentum Is Essential

It’s always easy to start off slow, and then increase your momentum as you move forward.

If you’re starting a running program, for example, it might be a good idea to just get outside and go for a walk every morning for a couple weeks.

If you’re intending on creating a million dollars, you’ve got to start small. Often times one single dollar is enough.

The idea is convince yourself that you’re moving in the right direction.

It’s tough to think this way, especially when we’re surrounded by promises of instant everything right now.

But the idea of starting slowly and consistently has been around a lot longer that we have.

Confucius’ thousand mile journey and Aesop’s Tortoise are but two examples.

Most people would love to do something new, but don’t know where to start.

But if you have a history of success, then doing just a little bit more is easy.

Consider saving money. Even if you’ve only got fifty cents left over at the end of the month, it’s a really good idea to stick that money in a special place.

Then tell yourself NEXT month, you’ll save a dollar. Sure, this sounds slow. But you’ll be doing something VERY POWERFUL on a subconscious level.

You’ll be PROVING to yourself that you can save. That you can plan for your future. That you aren’t thinking ONLY of today.

Once you’ve established that idea, firmly in your subconscious, then it’s only a matter of degree.

And once you’ve PROVEN to your subconscious that you’re serious about building wealth, you’ll start to think differently. See things differently. 

Sure, plenty of people PRETEND to “manifest” money. But they never really do anything differently.

Since their subconscious figures all they’re going to do is wait around for the money fairy, they don’t change the way they think.

But if you spend just a couple weeks saving even a dollar, and going to the trouble of actually putting it someplace where spending it is NOT ALLOWED, your subconscious will get the message.

Only then will your subconscious filters change, and you start to see REAL OPPORTUNITIES for money.

Naturally, this doesn’t work only for money, it works for everything.

Relationships, health, spirituality. Take small steps, and KEEP TAKING THEM, and you’ll suddenly see the world change before your very eyes.

Because once you’ve started, it’s merely a matter of keeping on doing what you’ve been doing.

And success is inevitable.

Who Decided Money Was Evil?

Is Money Really Evil?

Must You Sell Your Soul To Get Rich?

If you’ve ever had a serious discussion about money, it’s usually not fun.

Most of us have tons of conflicting ideas and beliefs about money. We’re told it’s “evil,” or you have to somehow do “evil” things to get it.

We see people that have a lot of money and it’s clear they’ve not been the heroes of community service in order to get it.

Maybe our mixed up beliefs about money have been passed on through the generations, by people who never seemed to have enough.

It’s certainly hard to want something, not be able to get it, and yet be told at the same time it’s bad, or wanting more of it is bad.

When it comes to inner-conflicts, we humans sure have enough of them!

Which is why this little exercise is very helpful.

It’s based on the idea that money is really just potential energy. Potential energy for stuff. Wealth. Higher order stuff that has been made from lower order stuff.

Back in the old, old days, you made stuff, and then traded it for other stuff.

Then money was invented, so you could trade stuff for money today, and trade the money back into stuff later on.

The more money you had was just a measure of how much stuff you’ve made (or helped to make) that other people wanted.

When I was a kid, we’d trade stuff at school. Mostly our lunches. But sometimes marbles, baseball cards, and other stuff.

Nobody told us how to do that. We just did it. You might say that trading stuff for other stuff is in our DNA.

Money just makes it easier.

Anyhow, here’s the exercise.

Before you buy something, imagine the money is just a representation of stuff you’ve made in the past, and the stuff you’re trading the money for (or buying) is something somebody else has made.

Put yourself in that little kid’s mind. Where you’ve got something, they’ve got something, and you want to trade.

Actually visualize this in your mind when you “pay for” whatever you are getting.

Appreciate the trade. Appreciate that what they’ve done is valuable to you, and what you’ve done is valuable to them.

Fully feel that appreciation when both of you say, “Thanks.”

The more you practice this, the more you’ll start to feel a natural, normal affinity for money, and all the cool stuff you can trade it for.