After going to see Game One of the World Series with my son last week – I got a couple hours of sleep – then boarded a plain for Beijing, China.
Upon my arrival I turned on my iPhone and found amongst the many emails forwarded to me – one in which a reader advised me AGAINST telling anyone that I am enjoying myself while so many others are in pain due to the depressing economic news.
At first I saw the man’s point. Not saying I agreed with it – but I did SEE IT.
Then I looked at reality.
I was one of TENS of thousands of fans at the World Series. And as much as I could see, hear and feel – no one at the game was crying about the economy or the political con game going on in Washington, with the help of the media.
Nope. The focus was on baseball, hot dogs and many other things – like t-shirts, caps, jackets, pennants and a host of other totally unnecessary purchases.
It’s funny, but in a ten-day span I attended two pro football games – each with sold-out crowds of more than 60,000 fans – and one World Series game – also sold out.
I did not do a “luxury” check of everyone sitting near me or anywhere else in the stands – but I am sure of one thing: I was neither the poorest or the wealthiest person in the stands – financially speaking. I also believe that many of the fans tapped into their non-luxury pocketbook to attend the game – regardless of whether or not they had a job to earn more dinner or dinero the following day.
As for my trip to China – I was almost as snobby as Sarah Palin is being accused of. How dare she have a $150,000 wardrobe in these times – as if it would be A-OK with the media if it were good times – forgetting of course that many of them ALSO wear clothes they don’t pay for – and none of them are donated to charity after being used.
Lucky for Sarah that her clothes are donated to charity after she wears them – otherwise it would be a sin of the highest order – that every POPE commits.
Ah, how dare the Pope wear Gucci and Prada shoes made from crocodile skin – as well as name brand sun glasses as he rides around in his bullet proof mobile.
Doesn’t he understand that everyone on this earth is supposed to be the SAME.
We’re all supposed to be at the same level – especially when it comes to trinkets and toys. Everyone should have a house – even if no money to pay for it.
Ouch.
Not only that, no one – and I mean absolutely NO ONE should be happier than anyone else -or healthier. And if you are, shame on you. Don’t you know you’re supposed to dumb yourself down in order to be liked by people who don’t love you and never will.
Don’t you know your mission in life is to be everyone’s friend. To never stand out. To make sure that no one ever has hurt feelings because of your success.
Dumb yourself down, mate. Be the same as everyone else – then you and everyone on this planet will be happy.
HOLD IT.
Something is wrong with this picture.
Visualize it for a moment.
Imagine over 6 billion people on this planet all looking the same and having the same amount of money, the same clothes and the same level of fitness and education.
Go read Dr. Seuss’ book on the Sneetches and you’ll quickly see that SAME is not equal. It’s a disaster. And trying to create it is evil.
Karl Marx was wrong. And being I was born on the same day of the year that he was – I feel it’s high time I put together the Fureyist Manifesto.
Here is a slice of it:
If there is a mission for you in this lifetime – it cannot take place unless, first and foremost, you are true to yourself. If you are addicted to other peoples’ approval MORE than fulfilling your goals – then you are NOT true to yourself and you cannot ever be truly happy.
Happiness does not come from friends, or from making sure you dumb yourself down to be liked. Happiness doesn’t come from m-oney, either. It doesn’t come from good or bad economic times. It doesn’t come from going to the World Series or flying first class to China. And it doesn’t come from what you wear or have decorating your home.
Happiness comes from being willing to live life with gusto and enthusiasm while pursuing goals that matter to you; goals that also benefit your fellow man.
You don’t make yourself or anyone else happy when you dumb yourself down. All you do is pay homage to the adage, “Misery LOVES company.”
Be ONE of US and all will be okay, the masses say.
No it won’t.
What is the world without examples of people rising to great heights despite all the cat-calls and attempts to stifle you to a life of mediocrity. What would the 2008 Olympics be without a Michael Phelps winning 8 gold medals. Imagine no medals at all for achievement – and there won’t be anything worth cheering about – in any endeavor.
Being sad or depressed because someone else is doing well is no way to go through life. A far better choice is to celebrate others’ success and to set a goal and create a plan that will help you do likewise.
That’s what I did long, long ago – when I had nothing but an imagination to steer me toward where I am today.
I never sulked when I was broker than broke – nor have I ever treated anyone with disrespect because he happens to be where I once was – or worse. Instead, I’ve made it a mission to do my best to help lift others UP. That’s what I try to do with every book I write; with every email I send.
And if talking about being at the World Series – or flying to China is the ticket to expressing what I have to say on the subject of success, I’m going to say it.
When my children come home from school and show me their report cards – I want to know where they stand. I want to know how to make them better. And if they ever have a teacher or coach who wants them to be average – to dumb themselves down so that no one else feels bad – then that teacher or coach will be fired – immediately – and I will not care if this hurts the teacher’s feelings.
Never pride yourself on poverty. Never melt toward mediocrity.
Rise UP – in every sense of the word.
Rise up personally. Rise up professionally. Rise up spiritually.
Be MORE than you think you can be. Stretch yourself to new limits.
Regardless of what is going on before you – you can still choose to be BIGGER than your circumstances.
That’s what I teach in 101 Ways to Magnetize Money – and if you follow what I have written for you – your life will get better. That’s all anyone with an imagination and a pulse ever wants. Constant improvement – in good times and in bad.
Make a choice to prosper in the best of times and the worst of times.
Can this be done.
Of course. And history proves it.
Rewrite your future NOW. Get a copy of 101 Ways to Magnetize Money and prove to yourself and every one else that you CAN prosper will everyone else is complaining.
Matt Furey
