Do You Believe in Magic?

Do you still believe in magic? Do you think you can pay $24.95 for a mail order program and make $5,000 within 30 days? Do you think you can open a business today and quit your job in 2 weeks? Do you think you can advertise a 1" ad to 1,000 and expect 800 orders?

It's sad that our push-button, do-everything-for-you- society has taken away our ability to climb to the top of the hill. Those of us who do have the stamina have to try twice as hard to "prove" we are not those other types of people.

Let's all stop pretending we're in business and start learning how to make it grow into a thriving, honest and reputable company. It is sometimes hard to be completely honest in everything we do. We could tell a "little white lie" and get that $120 bucks we so desperately need right now. Oh, what we have to give up to be honest.

I never lived in the 1800's but I have studied their life-styles quite extensively. Back then people were not afraid of hard work. In fact, it never entered their minds to be lazy. If someone in the community was lazy, he was considered abnormal and was given a bad name. Even as late as the 1940's, a man who didn't work to support his family was considered to be piece of "trash."

But in the 1990's it seems that the man who doesn't work, lives on welfare and sponges off his wife who works two jobs to make ends meet is considered "cool." The State agencies spent millions of dollars trying to motive him to go out and find a job and work like he is supposed to do.

Employers sometimes contribute to the madness also. Since hard working people are considered "strange" and "indifferent" in today's society, an employer will take a hard worker and pile all the work on them that other people should be sharing in doing. It sometimes feels like hard working people are fighting a losing battle.

But getting something for nothing is NEVER rewarding. Sure, you can cheat the welfare system and get free benefits for awhile, but pretty soon they will track you down. Sure, you can sit on the couch and watch television while your spouse goes out and works 2 jobs, but you'll never have any true financial rewards in life. Sure, you can work 8 hours and spend 6 hours on coffee breaks just to get a paycheck every Friday, but you'll be the first to go when a lay-off is administered. Sure, you can forge credit cards, set up scams, write bad checks and steal innocent people's money, but you won't get anywhere. You only are taking care of your needs at the present time - never building security, pride and respect for yourself.

But hard work pays off. The rewards are not immediate (like they would be if you robbed a bank tonight) but you WILL make lots more money and benefit yourself in the long-haul. Money is NOT everything. Money cannot buy respect and love. A poor person running a business, who is honest has peace of mind. A person who works hard and long hours to give their customers high-quality receives repeat orders.

And when word gets around that you're honest and trustworthy - people start noticing you and telling others about you. Respect is much more important than money because of the repeat rewards it brings you. For instance - when you think of Howard Hughes you don't think of him with respect. Even though he had billions of dollars, does anybody really care now? But think about Martin Luther King or Thomas Edison. Think about some heroes you know. Does it matter to you how much money they had? Don't you remember them for the hard work and great things they accomplished? Isn't contributing to society and the betterment of mankind much more valuable than the money you have in your bank account?

Take pride in yourself. Hold your head up and do an honest day's work. Yes - being honest has great rewards.