You Can Reach For The Stars Of
Financial Success If You Can Avoid
The Willful Abuse of Positive Thinking.

by Esther Smith

Here I am again with another story. I was reading about Admiral James Stockdale, highest ranking officer in the "Hanoi Hilton" in Viet Nam as written by author Thomas Barnett. Stockdale spent eight years as a prisoner of war in Hanoi and was tortured numerous times by his captors. Four of his eight years were in solitary.

Mr. Barnett writes: "Stockdale tells the story of the optimists who never survived their time in Hanoi simply because they clung far too much to their dreams of release and in doing so couldn't handle the brutal realities of what it took to survive the day to day."

He goes on to explain how they tended to cling to the hope that they'd be home by the next holiday. When that day came and went, their spirit sank to a new depth. Over time, they died because their courage had been done in by the reality of their present circumstances. Stockdale believed that while you must always believe that you will prevail in the end, it should not be confused with current reality, whatever that might be.

Suddenly, I paralleled Stockdale's theory with Internet entrepreneurs; the extreme optimist. We are prime targets for zealous salespeople who promise residual slam dunks to starry-eyed prospects. While the result won't be unspeakable torture in our quest for wealth, it's sad to realize that ninety-five percent of us will fail simply because we never anticipated the obstacles.

If we are what we think, then most of us walk into a competitive program with "success" stamped on our forehead. We've already witnessed our sponsor turning his bank account into a "cash machine" - it can't be that hard, right? And when you think about it, today a million bucks seems more like a living wage than a small fortune. Millionaires are a dime a dozen: nearly 5 million households in America have a net worth of at least that much.

The most powerful drive in our country is the desire for more. It has become the DNA of democracy and therefore inherited by every American. Brainwashed in guru-jargon that claims nobody wants to be a nobody, we begin to believe the dream "nothing can bring me down". I'll run with the big dogs, join the new wave, use this "can't miss" strategy.

Consumed with "positive thinking" the decision path begins: I've done this before. This one pays more. I can do this. I can begin now. I will do this. Say it again and make it your own: I can. I will. Let's dance.

Fast forward a month or two, and Stockdale's theory materializes. No progress has been made in spite of the fact that this new kid on the block was well versed in return on Investment (ROI), understood the importance of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and had written his own Articles on the hidden order of MLM du jour. Spirits drop. Attitudes go sour. He puzzles which should come first; getting it right, or getting it going?

Out of ideas, out of a plan and out of money, common sense now seems to get suspended. He falls into a Marketing Coma and the rest is history.

Winners are really losers who got mad. Get mad or stay employed.

© 2006 Esther Smith

You can’t get back your hours but you can stop giving up more of them.  Start young, retire early.

Download My Free eBook Now
"Invitation To Internet Success"
Be sure to bring your party pants!

This invitation is extended to the 95% who have failed to find any real wealth on the Internet. All of your efforts have been a long line of dream stealers and the road has been tough, I know. Solo all the way and more often than not, the training you were promised was in poverty and patience.

But bless you – you’re one of the few people who is willing to do more, be more and get more out of life. You hang on to the belief that it can’t be all Internet lies because you’ve seen too many success stories. Like me, you get A+ for persistence!

If you’ve been caught in mere existence and true wealth has existed only in your imagination, everything is about to change. We will use a sort of “Velveteen Rabbit” principal; a guide to becoming real. To do this you must break out of the time-for-money trap because linear money (pay earned for hours worked) will never make you wealthy.

Stay close beside me as we do some me-and-you marketing and make yourself some really, really awesome income. We’ll do all the hard work upfront, and then as we move into leveraged income I’ll teach you how to coast.

Leveraged income is like remote control and you will clearly see how easy it is to make money work for you. This knowledge is no different than learning to ride a bike, or use a keyboard – once learned it is yours. You own the knowledge. No one can take it from you. Period.

This time you will do everything right.

This time you will have a plan, a clear view of
success and how to get there.

This is your "Invitation to Internet Success." 

This time you will join the 5%
all wearing party pants!

Esther Smith
Author/Publisher of "The Permanent Venture"

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