“Life and
nature abhor a straight line”—Anthony Robbins
The word ‘secret’ is one of the most used words in online
marketing. “The secret to explosive sex”,
screams one headline. “The secret to
becoming a millionaire instantly”, beckons another. “The secret to having many followers”, another title would offer.
No doubt these headlines and titles work. Inherently, we think that what works
is hidden from our grasp. So anything branded a ‘secret’ has a potential of
selling. It is true that things of value seldom lie on the surface, sometimes
we have to dig deep to unearth them. It is also perfectly true that for the
most part, what would be diamonds for us is often neglected with this notion of
seeking the ‘hidden secrets’.
That is why many talents are neglected. That is why many personal
gifts are always taken for granted, for they may appear to be as common as
table salt. Indeed, it is true that familiarity breeds contempt! You are so
gifted in writing that you do not know how valuable it is. To you, it just came
naturally and you did not sweat for it. It therefore does not really interest
you as diamond would. We tend to think that that which comes either through
toiling and sweating or through uncovering a secret is what counts. And so for
the most part, we neglect the obvious and follow after the subtle and after the
grandeur.
Next to the word ‘secret’ is another word ‘shortcut’. Well, that
word is not used openly. It has been sugar-coated by other words like ‘simple’,
or ‘easy’, or ‘steps’. You would still find people these days using the word
‘Instant’ to sell. The amazing thing is that many people are attracted to such
marketing drives, a host of them.
“Bullet points, step by step processes that are guaranteed to work
overnight, proven shortcuts...
If it was easy, everyone would do it.
Worth noting that surgeons don't sign up for medical school
because they're told that there is a simple, easy way to do open heart surgery.
It's not that we're unable to handle complicated problems, it's
that we're afraid to try. The Dummies mindset, the get-rich-quick long sales
letters, the mechanistic, industrial processes aren't on offer because they're
the best we can handle. No, they sell because they promise to reduce our fear.
It will take you less time and less effort to do it the difficult
way than it will to buy and try and discard all the shortcuts”.
- If you are taking a shortcut, chances are that you are greedy
- If you are taking a shortcut, chances are that you are afraid
- If you are taking a shortcut, chances are that you are trampling your values
- If you are taking a shortcut, most definitely you are not growing, and chances are you will be back where you started sometime in the future.
- If somebody is prescribing to you a formula for success in which your involvement and control does not matter, you ought to shun it, it is a shortcut.
- If anything or anyone prescribes to you a formula for success that is purely monetary, you need to think twice, it is a shortcut.
- If anything or anyone promises you your wildest dreams ever over a record time, you need to think twice, it is a shortcut.
- If you do not have an intimate understanding of the process that you are undertaking, especially if it is being conducted by somebody else…and you also do not have an intimate understanding of that person, you are short-cutting.
- If you are joining a process just to sort you out on one aspect, and that project lacks vision, you might be short-cutting
- If the project you are involving yourself with does not have any legislation from the government of the day, you are short-cutting.
- Lastly, a shortcut can be seen from miles ahead if it offers to cover all your costs and losses. Only God Almighty has the capacity to do that.
The question you need to ask yourself is this: Am I on the right track or am I short-cutting? Think about that.
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