Over the last couple of posts, I have talked about selling my time and knowledge.  Yet this post is going to delay that happening.  It might seem strange timing, but this is something I have wanted to do for some time and now seems to be the perfect time.  I will explain all now.

As I have said, I don’t have an issue with making money.  I have an issue with making money in ways that I feel are manipulative or in some other way put barriers between people.  

We are all equal.  All of us struggle with the same issues.  The difference is only in the degree to which they appear in our life.  The difference between a serial killer and someone getting angry at an inconsiderate driver in front of them is only in the intensity and persistence of their hatred.

There is a difference in how quickly we evolve, however and it’s based on how committed we are.  It’s really about emotional willingness.  Every problem has a solution.  It’s just the extent you are willing to go to resolve the issue.

 

photo credit: degreezero 

 

The reason why it sometimes takes people one, ten or even twenty years, to overcome certain issues is because they are only dipping their toe in.  Reading a few pages of a book here and there creates slow progress.  

Back when I was learning Neuro Linguistic Programming, we had to model someone in the class with a certain ability.  NLP is based on the idea, that you can find how someone does something and learn how to do it yourself.  And this girl came straight over to me to ask to model a certain attitude.  I’ll tell you what in a moment, but first let me set the context.  

The course was over a number of weekends.  And I was so excited at doing it, that when I came home I would find lots of people to practice on.  I wasn’t great or subtle at it.  Many people thought I was extremely odd.  I didn’t care because I was so interested in finding how this worked.  So every weekend when we came back, I would be proficient in the last week’s skills.  

I was shocked to find that almost everyone else had barely tried.  This wasn’t a cheap course.  And no-one doubted the methods.  They all wanted the skills.  However their fear of embarrassment prevented them from trying.  The result was that I picked up the skills quicker.  And it was this attitude of testing it out without caring that I looked a fool, that she wanted to understand.  

So one problem, is the intensity with which people tackle issues.  But there is another problem…

 

photo credit: rick

Overcoming The Sales Bullshit

In this field of personal growth, or whatever you choose to call it, there is a formula for selling.  It works because it fits into what Buyers already believe.  Which is that they are having a problem because they are missing a piece of the jigsaw and if they can just fit that piece in, all their troubles will be over.  Without too much discomfort or effort.  

And so the story told by the Seller is something along these lines;

“I used to be like you.  But then I found this secret scroll (or forgotten book, new technique etc).  And now I’m better than you.  I have a big house, a big car and shiny white teeth.  And if you pay me $X, you too can be like me.”

I don’t like this approach for a number of reasons.

Firstly, there are no secret formulas.  There are certain big level processes that everyone who finds their way goes through.  They all come to live with integrity.  They all find their own inner guidance and so on.  But there is no one universal therapy, philosophy or technique that will work for everyone.  

“If you can see your path laid out in front of you step by step, you know it’s not your path. Your own path you make with every step you take. That’s why it’s your path.” 
Joseph Campbell

The second reason I don’t like this is because it divides people.  It sets some people up as being ‘in the know’.  And so better.  

You see, people usually come across this stuff when they are having a tough time.  However they are emotionally unready to face the real truth of the situation.  So when someone tells them,

“I’ve been there like you.  It’s not your fault.  It’s the Government or a powerful conspiracy covering up the secrets to their success from you.  Here I’ll share them with you.”

They then have a Guide to trust in.  But it’s taking them away from connecting with their own inner wisdom.  

So here’s where I’m at.

My Proposed Solution

I don’t think people’s emotional pain should be manipulated for financial or any other gain.  I will be selling my time and knowledge in various ways.  Because I do believe it has value to some people.  I have spent 20 odd years immersed in this kind of stuff.  I’ve seen people going from having a problem to resolving it over and over again.  Plus I have a weird mind that obsesses over this stuff.  Most people have too much more going on in their life and too much balance to observe and think as I do.  But they can borrow my perspective to get through stuff quicker.

But there’s one thing for someone to recognise the possible alternatives and willingly pay for speed of results.  And it’s a whole other thing to set up a context where it seems you are the Toll-keeper to someone’s peace of mind.

 

photo credit: Jilles

So here’s my proposed solution.

Over the next 30 days I am setting an open Stress Reduction Challenge to you and anyone else who cares to listen.  I pledge to give everything I can, to co-ordinate, encourage and support people to reduce their stress.  

I will be available for people to call in and talk to one-to-one in order to reduce their stress.  We can set up group mastermind type calls.  

I’ll attempt to get other Bloggers and Coaches to get involved for interviews, group conversations and to provide one-to-one Coaching.

Imagine if we can get 5 or 6 people who do this for a living on a conference call, all who are focused on growth and resolving problems, all with different ways of seeing things and then get a group of people who are stuck with issues.  Each person would be able to look at their problem in such a vastly different way that it would be difficult for them to feel stuck again.

Because it is so deeply focused on one issue, it will be the difference between dipping a toe in and being immersed under water.  And once you’ve consciously done it for one issue, you know it can be repeated.  Therefore people can be free of feeling they need someone else to do it for them.

Now for this to work, we’re going to have to do this together.  So let me know, your thoughts.  

Good idea or bad idea?

Are you in?

Can you help out in some way?  Maybe you’re a Coach, or a great organiser or good design skills or you can tell other people who might find this useful?

What else should be in this that I haven’t mentioned?

Tags: Relieving Stress // 9 Comments »