Arthur Webster   Just plain honesty
Hi, Mattias,

Another good post but one that I will disagree with, slightly.

Before you can believe in what you are doing, you must believe in yourself.

You must be able to look at a task and KNOW without a shadow of a doubt, that you can complete it. Many people start things THINKING that they can complete them - often because their own self knowledge is clouded by exhortations and expostulations from those who do not know them at all. (eg. A brain dead monkey in a strait jacket could do it! - Hey, thanks for insulting my inteligence!)

I am not a great one for all these wierd and wonderful psycological theories of cause and effect but to see what I mean, look at one of our beasts of burden - the Ox.

A very strange creature, is the Ox. It has enormous power and huge reserves of energy but, attach it to a load that is too heavy and it won't even try to move it no matter how hard the drover might try to make it do so.

People can learn a lot from this aspect of oxen - especially not saddling themselves with something that they cannot do.

It doesn't matter how much they believe in what they are attempting to do, some people simply cannot perform - the wisdom is knowing when to NOT start.
Feb 4th 2008 10:28   

Mattias Kroon   
Alright, you must have selfconfidence, of course.

I prefer to be an eagle rather than an ox =)

Wisdom and knowledge goes hand in hand with belief, of course.

Thanks for your comment, Old Cool(wisdom).

Mattias
http://poetry.apsense.com

Feb 4th 2008 13:54   

Jenny Stewart   
Good comments Mattias,

And unlike Mr. Webster I will not disagree with you slightly. LOL

Many people do waste far too much time on things that dont work on the internet and for some reason do not seem to know when to stop. People seems to be very reluctant to do their due diligence on their online business opportunities, both at the beginning and as it goes along. And that is basis for deciding when to go in and when to get out.

I am convinced that if people did this properly, they would avoid more than half the mistakes and scams.

I will accept that you must believe in what you are doing, but only after you really have done your homework and looked at ALL aspects of the business you are going to stick with. And I would prefer to think of it as being practical and realistic and something you enjoy, rather than "belief" as such.

But as for limiting yourself in an ox like fashion or flying like an eagle, i think I prefer the Serenity Prayer

God, grant me the Serenity
To accept the things I cannot change...
Courage to change the things I can,
And Wisdom to know the difference

The ox and eagle only seem to deal with the first two lines! LOL


Feb 4th 2008 14:29   

Arthur Webster   Just plain honesty
Hi, Jenny and Mattias,

"Many people do waste far too much time on things that dont work on the internet" - because they do not have the wisdom to know when NOT to start.

It's a bit more than due diligence although that is the greater part of the knowledge. Many start things that they simply cannot afford to do properly but they believe the stories of massive incomes from the 'free' option.

Others start things because someone gives them the raw materials but not the means to make them fit together and stay fitted.

Yet others start because they have succeeded so many times in discovering what they cannot do that they don't have time to discover what they can do.

Belief in what you are doing can be helpful but far better is realisation of the benefits that accrue to yourself or others. Nothing is more satisfying or motivating than to obtain a benefit by your own efforts or to see someone else benefitting from them.

Oxen have the great wisdom NOT to start with a load that they cannot handle - as do eagles not try to fly off with prey that is too heavy - instead, they will gorge themselves on the best parts and leave the rest for scavengers.

"Courage to change the things I can,
And Wisdom to know the difference"
Doesn't that infer exactly what I am saying - Know yourself well enough to know when NOT to start (trying to change the things you can't).
Feb 4th 2008 15:09   

Mattias Kroon   
Thanks Jenny!

Enjoy your good business and do it for fun!

We learn to avoid the scams, yes.
Feb 4th 2008 15:12   

Jenny Stewart   
Arthur,

That is a very cynical point of view. The Title says "You are what you believe" - but that doesnt mean that you can't try to be optimistically realistic in what you believe about yourself and try to achieve your maximum potential - and using all the tools you have avaiable to do so.

There is nothing wrong with having a more adventurous attitude than an ox, in life and work. And I think that if people did their homewwork, due dilgence or research into what is available on line, they might choose more wisely and find things that are worth learning how to do well. Due diligence can also cover the aspects of making sure there is adequate training along with the business you choose to work at.

If you do this thoroughly, then you may well end up with something that is worth working at enthusiastically and with self confidence (or belief or what you want to call it)

And your use of the quote can equally be applied to

"Courage to change the things I can,
And Wisdom to know the difference"

When you know that you can change things for yourself, you must have sufficient belief in yourself to carry out the changes.
Feb 4th 2008 15:28   

Arthur Webster   Just plain honesty
Hi, Jenny,

If you are what you believe you are - that precludes any possibility of self improvement and also limits the sort of procedures you might be presented with as options.

I believe that there are no limits to what I can achieve but, not because I believe that I am an achiever. I can achieve anything because I do not acknowledge that I know enough about myself to actually have the conceit to think that I know who or what I am.

Every day I learn something new about myself but, if I had a belief system about myself, this would not be possible.

If I lived in splendid isolation and did not interact in any way, with the world around me nor the world around me interact with me - there might come a time when I would be able to think that I knew myself.

The world isn't like that.

Every day we are all faced with new decisions, new stimuli and new circumstances. It is this constant flood of new information and the way it is incorporated into the person that is me that defines WHO I am.

I might think I am the person that I believe I am (although I don't) but I have to be honest enough to accept that the opinions of every single person who knows me, as well as my own belief, collectively define who I am at any given moment in any particular set of circumstances.

Like all of us, I am many different people.
To my wife I am, fortunately for me, the man she loves.
To my children I am that remote relative that makes their mother happy.
To some of my clients I am a regular p.i.t.a. because I have been there, done it, wear the (let's say) tee shirt and won't take no for an answer.
For some of my local friends I am the nut case in a straw hat who should not be allowed out alone.
To my dogs I am a source of affection and food.
For the debating society I am the voice called in to play Devil's advocate with a nasty habit of carrying the day.
For my students - well, least said about that, the better!


Feb 5th 2008 06:47