There is no shortcuts to success
I was restless watching TV the other night and I was shock to see that they still run a lot of infomercials on TV. But I realize that in our society, nothing ever changes; they just get recycled. People will always have deep emotional desire to get rich quick, or be saved from their financial and social issues. That’s where the charlatan comes in; the word Charlatan is another word for con man. The name con man is the shortened version of the phrase, confidence man. These charismatic charlatan always seduce people by telling you how messed up the current system is (to anger you). Then they tell you about their system and how successful it is (a blueprint to money and redemption). Finally, they show you the fruits of their success (to play on your fantasy of a successful life).
Then, when you purchase their product, that’s when you get bombarded with material and people trying to coach you. But that’s what separates the men from the boys. Some will rise to the occasion and learn the system and become successful, while others will feel overwhelmed and tap out, feeling butt hurt. But one thing is for sure, they already have your money. This has been happening for centuries, but is frequently repackaged. These charlatans offer you free vacation, love, money schemes etc…And all they need is your trust, then your money.
The same principles apply for the lottery system; all you’re paying for is hope. You can’t invest in hope; it’s not tangible or strategic. But yearly, people invest billions into lottery system, thinking their hope will get them millions of dollars. But one thing that is guaranteed is the billions of dollars generated by the government (that’s very tangible). I can proudly say that I haven’t bought a lottery ticket in my life. But I have an uncle that has bought lottery tickets religiously since 1974 (and he’s still waiting for the winning ticket). Even the other day, he was telling me he had a dream of the winning numbers, but he forgot his debit card when he was at the convenience store. Now, he’s in his early 60’s, and I really wonder who has a larger net worth, him or my 18-year-old niece. But I’m not mad that people invest money into a crooked pastor’s building fund, or the people think that by buying a pill, they can shit their way into getting a 6-pack.
But one thing that is for sure is that there are no shortcuts to success; you have to study and figure out the system, politics, career etc. Then there’s the apprenticeship (trial and error), to figure out what works and how good you are. Then there’s the phase where you become an expert in your field. That’s when you have total confidence in your ability and yourself. The only way it works is not by scratching a lottery ticket. Even LeBron James; we all marvel at his ability, and think he’s a great natural talent and a physical specimen. But we don’t see how hard he works off the court in the weight room or gym. We don’t see the team around him that helps brand him; his success wasn’t over night or a fluke lottery ticket. So next time, if you see a charlatan trying to sell you their “get rich quick” scheme, remember there is no microwave solution to get rich, and no emotional hasty financial decision will get you rich.