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The Secret to Getting Anything You Want
by Linda Larsen, CSP
© Copyright 2003
Have you ever wondered why immigrants to this country are four times as likely to become millionaires as people who are born here? I have. And I think I've found what may be one of the reasons why.
I believe it's because people from poor, underprivileged countries with few rights, no resources and little hope, think that they have died and gone to heaven when they get here. They come to a country where they can work and earn money. More money than they have ever dreamed was possible. They see that if they work hard they will become a very important asset to their company. They may then begin to realize that they could start their own business and work that hard for themselves if they wanted to.
Then they begin to focus, perhaps for the first time in their lives, on having a life of joy, happiness and abundance for themselves and their families. They see it, they can feel it, they can almost taste it…and then the real reason they succeed kicks in.
They begin to want it. Badly. Really badly. They have experienced poverty and hunger where there was little hope of anything better - and they now see that they are within arm’s reach of living a very rich life. They will then do whatever it takes to have that life.
See, we may not have things so great – but we don’t have them too bad, either. Remember, psychologists tell us that we are basically motivated to take action for one of two reasons: It’s either to pursue a pleasure or to avoid a pain. And, the research shows, we will do more to avoid pain that we will to pursue pleasure.
Ahhh, my friends. We just don’t have it bad enough. And – we don’t want something better – badly enough. My friend, David, calls it his “Big Tack Theory.” When you sit on a small tack, it may be uncomfortable, you may not like it, but it’s not SO bad that you’re willing to do anything to eliminate it.
Then, let’s say, your small tack becomes a slightly bigger tack. Now, things are really beginning to get uncomfortable. You start to complain and gripe about your tack to anyone who will listen, but, it would seem, you’re still not willing to expend any energy to get off the tack.
Finally, your medium size tack becomes a really big tack. And now it hurts – a lot! You’re in big time pain. In your heart you know that you absolutely cannot take it any longer.
This is the point when you are willing to do whatever it takes to get out of pain.
I think that many immigrants have already experienced the pain. They had it so bad that they were motivated to take drastic action to change things. Having done that, they are now free to pursue a tremendously pleasurable outcome. And, once again, they want what they now know is possible, really, really badly.
Here would be my suggestion. We either shut up and learn to live with what we have, or we figure out what it’s costing us to stay attached to our medium size tack. Because, make no mistake, there is a cost. And when you examine the cost, really walk it out into the future and see what your life will be like if you stay put. That picture will make everything very clear.
The bigger the tack, the greater the odds you’ll get up and get into action.
The bottom line? The secret to getting anything you want in life lies in how badly you want it. Whether it’s that you don’t want the pain – or you do want the pleasure. And isn’t it great to know that YOU are in charge of making that decision?
Word count: 635
Tag line: Linda Larsen, CSP, helps individuals think strategically, communicate effectively, and celebrate success. She is an international keynote speaker, trial consultant and author of the book, True Power, and the best selling audio program, 12 Secrets to High Self-Esteem. She can be reached at www.lindalarsen.com or 941-927-4700.
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