12.22.07
Your Philosophy
Your philosophy of life is the way you understand how things work, the beliefs you have about life and yourself, your values and purpose. Your philosophy drives and guides the way you interpret your circumstances and opportunities, and therefore the choices you make and the results you accomplish. What you create in your life is a direct result of your philosophy.
The root cause of your successes and failures, happiness and unhappiness, frustration and fulfillment, is your philosophy. It determines what you believe, and human beings constantly seek evidence to prove their dominating beliefs / philosophy. With this understanding, in order to improve your life, you have to improve or change your philosophy first.
Here’s a simple example. Two people attended one of my Joint Venture Broker Bootcamps. One person retired within seven months, using the information he got at the Bootcamp. Another has attended at least twenty Bootcamps, and never achieved anything. Why? The seeds from the Bootcamp landed in the fertile ground (mind) of the first person’s philosophy and grew like crazy, blossomed and brought forth fruit. The same seeds landed on the rocky ground of the second person’s philosophy and died every time. Same seeds, different philosophies. A socialist seldom succeeds in a capitalist business.
That’s why someone with a good philosophy will turn a bad situation, a rocky relationship, or a failing business, into a success, whereas someone with a dis-empowering philosophy will turn a great opportunity, a successful business, or a grand relationship into failure. It’s all about your philosophy. Ayn Rand said, “Chance, the witchdoctors teach, absolves responsibility”. I quote her, therefore it is reasonable to correctly assume that I follow her philosophy.
People who have the philosophy that they are controlled by their circumstances or other forces beyond their control will make very different choices from people who believe they create their own world. They will accept and reject different information and opportunities. So you have to ask yourself this very important question: “Looking at my life, what I have accomplished so far, and the way I see the future and my options, is my philosophy helping me or hurting me?” Do you want to keep your philosophy or trade it in for a new one?
Life offers us a smorgasbord, a buffet, of philosophies to choose from. Are you happy with the one you picked? Your religion is your philosophy. Is it working for you? Are you happy, optimistic, and excited about the future? When I was younger, I could drink lots of coffee. That was a good philosophy for then. Now I drink more tea - representing a new philosophy. If the sausage is giving you heartburn, Hilda, isn’t it time to change what you eat?
A TV interviewer interviewed two brothers. One was highly successful in every area of his life - a happy family, financial success, well liked, contributed to his community, happy. They other was a drug addict, bum, in and out of prison, bad relationships, bitter. The interviewer asked the loser, “Why are you so unsuccessful?” He answered,”My dad beat us and was always out of work and drunk, and my mother was a prostitute who smoked weed. That’s why I am a failure.” The interviewer then asked the other brother what he attributed his success to. He answered, ,”My dad beat us and was always out of work and drunk, and my mother was a prostitute who smoked weed. That’s why I am a success.” Same opportunities, different philosophies.
It’s never too late to change your philosophy. In the news today, I learned that Tony Blair has just become a Roman Catholic. He has changed his philosophy. You don’t need permission to change. You can have anything you like from life’s bountiful buffet of beliefs. Some will hurt you and some will help you. Some will restrict and imprison you, others will free you and enrich you. It’s your choice.
It’s not about what happens to you or the seminars you attend or the opportunities or challenges in your life’ it’s all about your philosophy. If you want your life to change, you have to change your philosophy. Find someone whom you trust and love, admire and respect, and whose success you wish you emulate, and follow their philosophy. Read their books, befriend their friends, model their lives, and learn, love, and live their philosophy. Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life. 2008 is an invitation to unprecedented success for you. With the right philosophy, you can achieve anything.
Robin J. Elliott www.DollarMakers.com
