40+FAB Blog
Avoiding counterfeits
November 20, 2020 - 40+FAB Blog
It is never a good feeling to invest your time or money in something that you later discover is a fake. I learnt something about the way FBI agents are trained to identify counterfeit money with a very high degree of accuracy. The simple technique used is getting their agents to see, touch and feel, and study loads of bona fide currency notes. After spending so much time with the real thing, the counterfeit becomes quite obvious to them.
The same is true with anything else in life, if you want to avoid the counterfeits, then you must become very conversant with the original. A lot of times, we focus on what we do not want, the counterfeit, and not enough time on what we do want, the original.
I caught myself months back always telling my boys what I didn’t want them to do, and then it struck me that I was never defining what they should do. It is hard enough for anyone to deal with their own self doubt and inhibitions of doing anything worthwhile, so they do not need us to reinforce those things with our ‘don’ts’, as this keeps them back in a state of the counterfeit.
If we can focus on the real deal and what we truly want, then we are more likely to move away from what we do not want.
Spend time with the wealthy in person or through their stories and you will discover that their wealth has roots, which take time to grow, and this will help you recognise the fallacy of get rich quick schemes.
Spend time with those married successfully for decades and you will realise that marriage is more than good looks, possessions or charm.
Spend time with successful leaders and you will realise that leadership is more than position and self seeking.
Decide on what it is you want and where you want to be and then follow this up daily by spending time with what that looks like and not focusing on what it does not look like.