I do a lot of speaking – probably more than most folks in the professional speaking industry. When I first started doing talks and told people how far out in advance I schedule, the response was, “No one plans a speaking gig that far out in advance…he’s just selling smoke by telling us that he’s booked pretty well into 2014!”
As you can see by viewing the above image (my Las Vegas Meeting Planner), many organizations plan their events so far ahead that looking at 2025 is not unreasonable. So you can understand why I frequently have a funny look on my face when listening to the underachievers out there who will never make it up to the second rung on the ladder of success.
If you DON’T KNOW, then you SHUT UP. You don’t speak out of your ass, and then apologize later on for not knowing, which – as it turns out, is common amongst the CHRONIC FAILURES that I run into from time to time.
When you DON’T KNOW, you ask.
The folks who shoot first and then ask questions later, are the folks who continually have problems with success. Let’s just say that the shoot first mentality is a “secondary condition” that’s associated with someone who is a CHRONIC FAILURE.
Their failures are the faults of others:
IDIOT: “Dr. Marc, I would be successful today if it weren’t for that guy and those people sold me a barrel of dreams!”
DR. MARC: “Soooo…what you’re saying is that, in each case, you have been victimized?”
IDIOT: “Yes, exactly! I guess I should have known better, but I’m way too trusting. If I’m guilty of anything, it’s trusting people.”
DR. MARC: “Wrong stupid! You are guilty of being ‘less smart’ – and then blaming other people for having their way with you. You’re the type of person who actually believes the carnival barker when he says, ‘Step right up! A winner every time!’ You are pathetic.”
Believe me folks, I know a lot of people who are angry at the world (and frequently defensive) as a result of their ignorance and stupidity. As I told the folks at the recent HEADSPACE SEMINAR in Las Vegas, I can look out at an audience and get a sense of who is going to find excuse…after excuse…after excuse. They usually have that stupid snicker on their face – aka the SEG…kind of like someone who just cut a fart in front of another person in line at Costco (not that there’s anything WRONG with that).
The OVERLY IGNORANT are the same folks who always feel like they’re getting beat up by me, when in reality, they are simply frustrated with their lack of movement. Like I said, their anger and ignorance is a SECONDARY CONDITION that is a result of their CHRONIC FAILURE MENTALITY.
Luckily, they can hang up the phone and go back to their husbands and/or wives who will tell them, “Ignore that horrible Dr. Marc! He is a BAAAAAAAAAAAAD man. Don’t you worry honey…we’ve got each other. Now come over here and give mommy a hug. All we need is each other. We’ll be okay (I think). We’ll get there some day (I think).”
The CHRONIC FAILURE loves to pull the following:
FAILURE: “I am going to purchase ____. I just wanted to get your opinion.”
DR. MARC: “My opinion is that it sucks and here’s why…”
FAILURE: “No need to get upset Dr. Marc. That’s why I’m asking!”
DR. MARC: “No stupid – you started the conversation with, ‘I am going to purchase ____,’ not ‘I was thinking about purchasing…’ In other words, you started the conversation with a statement instead of a question, which in my world is simply idiotic.”
FAILURE: “Ooooooooooooo…Dr. Marc, why are you always upset and picking on me when we talk?”
DR. MARC: “I don’t get upset – I just say what needs to be said without putting powdered sugar all over the message. I don’t like people who think they are smart with regard to certain topics, make stupid statements, and then get pissed off because I RESPONDED accordingly to their stupidity. Here’s the solution: I agree not to talk to you anymore. I hope your next 10 years are more successful than your last 10 years (LOL), but I know they won’t be.”
FAILURE: “Waaaaaa….waaaaaaa…waaaaaa…”
The POINT that you can take with you from this post is as follows:
Before you say something to someone who is more successful than you IN ALL AREAS OF LIFE, go take a walk around the block, jerk off, have a sandwich, or do what you must – but DON’T make statements out of ignorance. You reduce your credibility, and in the end, you limit your ride up the ladder of success – both professionally and personally.
Have A GREAT Day!
…Dr. Marc