What Do You Want?

Even after 25 years of private practice I was always amazed at the patients who never really wanted to get better. Enjoying the attention they received for their infirmities far more than they believed they would enjoy the health which could be theirs if they would; eat better, exercise more often or just simple get adjusted on a regular basis. These “sick” patients really thrived on the attention they received talking about their medications, their surgeries, their doctors and their symptoms. But to get well…well that would take away what they are really wanting…attention.

It always made me think about what Jesus asked the blind beggar who kept shouting after him! “What do you want?”[i]

Today as here at Life Benefits, Inc. as we coach folks on becoming their own banker so they can become wealthy, many folks call and or write asking questions about what we can do to help them. But the question we have to know the answer to is the same one that Jesus needed to know. What do you want?[ii]

Some want to retire in five years when they haven’t made any efforts to retire prior to speaking with us. Others want us to magically rid them of all their debt or show them how they can afford to buy a new home or purchase that new car. Yet they haven’t been making any effort to discipline themselves to obtain these goals prior to calling or speaking with us.

I’m a big Zig Ziglar fan. And I love what Zig says about positive thinking: “Positive thinking won’t help you accomplish anything. But positive thinking will help you accomplish everything better than with negative thinking.” That’s true about becoming you own banker too. Becoming your own banker won’t get rid of your debt, buy a new car or house. But becoming your own banker will help you get rid of you debt, buy that new house or retire faster than if you were not your own banker.

Too many folks like to just talk about their finances. They like to talk about retiring early or being debt free or about their dream car or home and the vacation of a life time. But they never really plan or set up objective goals on how to fulfill these wishful daydreams. And so they satisfy themselves with just talking about these things. Or worse yet complaining and envying others who have accomplished what they have only dreamed about.

Now there’s nothing wrong about dreaming. In fact dream big because as you “think in your heart so you are.” Remember seeds that have been planted will someday grow. This is just as true for the good seeds as the bad seeds. Be careful of what you dream about as those seeds will produce a harvest. Sadly many have only dreamt about the end product and not the process of getting there.

The blind beggar of Jesus’ time knew exactly what he wanted and had actively pursued his objective even to the ridicule of his peers. “I want to regain my sight.” And immediately he did! That is what it takes to become instantaneously successful. You have to know what you want, and have had to be pursuing it staunchly. And it’s no different with becoming your own banker.

By Tomas McFie

[i] Luke 18:41
[ii] Proverbs 23:7