by Zig Ziglar
Obviously, you know you should deal only with the positive teller, but can you and will you? The natural tendency is to make your withdrawal from the latest deposit in your mind, regardless of whether it was powerful and positive or critical and negative. I emphasize that you have a tendency to withdraw the latest deposit. Obviously, the total deposits in your mind will dominate the withdrawals.
Questions, please: Have the deposits been predominately honest—or dishonest? Moral or immoral? Conservative or liberal? God-directed or self-centered? Wasteful or saving? Bold or cautious? Lazy or industrious? Positive or negative? Free enterprise or socialism?
This I stress. Lots of negative garbage is being and has been dumped into your mind, but a lot of good, clean, powerful deposits and affirmations of “you can do it” have also been injected into your mind and more are on the way. Now we get into the specifics on how to bury the negative with even more positive deposits so that your positive teller is always armed with positive answers when you approach him for a withdrawal.
GARBAGE ON THE FLOOR VS. GARBAGE IN THE MIND
If I were to come into your home with a pail of garbage and dump it on your living room floor, we would have problems—fast. One of three things would happen. You would either whip me physically, call the police to have me arrested, or get your gun and say, “Now, Ziglar, I’ll just bet you can clean that garbage off the floor.” I’ll just bet I could, too. As a matter of fact, I would probably do it so well there wouldn’t be a trace of garbage left. Interestingly enough, however, you would probably continue to tell your friends and neighbors about the guy who came in and dumped garbage on your floor. For months you would probably say, “I started to shoot him and now I kinda wish I had.” You’d make a big deal of the garbage on the floor.
What do you do to the people who dump garbage into your mind? How do you respond to those people who come along and tell you the things you can’t do as they build ceilings over your capability? How do you respond to the people who say unkind things about your product, your community, your church, your country, your family, your boss, or your school? What do you do to those people who dump their negative garbage into your mind? Perhaps you just grin and say, “That’s right, this isn’t really going to hurt me. It doesn’t bother me to dump the garbage in.” Let me tell you something, my friend, that’s where you’re just as wrong as you can be. If you dump garbage in, garbage will come out. The person who dumps garbage into your mind will do you considerably more harm than the one who dumps garbage on your floor, because each load of mind garbage negatively impacts your possibilities and lowers your expectations.
Every thought that goes into your mind has an effect, to some degree. For example, exhaustive research concerning the common cold has resulted in almost no reliable data on either the cause or the cure for the cold. However, it has been conclusively established that you are far more likely to “catch” the cold when you are emotionally down or depressed. “Stinkin’ thinkin’” does cause problems, doesn’t it?
On the other side of the ledger, “positive thinking,” like Dr. Norman Vincent Peale spoke of, produces positive results. In 1969, Charles Ritter of Sac City, Iowa, had cancer and one kidney had to be removed. Three months later a malignancy was discovered in each of his lungs. Since Charley was physically unable to undergo surgery, the doctors at Mayo Clinic asked him if he would be willing to try an experimental drug. With nothing to lose and a life to gain, Charley Ritter agreed to give it a try. This particular drug apparently works only on people over sixty years of age and it only works in about 10% of the cases. It worked on Charley. He lived six more years and then died of a heart attack. The autopsy revealed no trace of his ever having had cancer. Incidentally, the doctors at Mayo Clinic have discovered that the cancer victims on whom the drug works have two things in common. They all have a tremendous desire to live and they all believe the drug will work on them.
THIS IS RIDICULOUS
I’m constantly amazed at the inconsistencies concerning our thinking about the relative value of what goes into our minds. It is the unanimous opinion of serious students of progress that education is important. They quote study after study that “proves” the value of an education and they present irrefutable evidence for their case. They “prove” that what you learn, what you put in your mind, does have an effect— a positive one. Ironically, many of these same people will vehemently argue that we shouldn’t worry about pornographic filth being printed and circulated or shown on TV because this material that you put in your mind couldn’t possibly have any effect on you. I hope you agree that thinking like this is a little inconsistent. Obviously, you can get information from the printed page, the spoken word, or the TV screen, that inspires you to greater heights—or negatively affects both motivation and morals.
I hasten to add this is not an opinion. In 1972, the Surgeon General of the United States, after a two-year study, declared that evidence showed a definite causal relationship between televised violence and antisocial behavior. An ABC Network study found that homicide rates doubled 10 to 15 years after television was first introduced into specific areas of the U.S. and Canada. In a survey of 10- to 16-year-olds, 62 percent said that sex on television influences their peers to have sex when they’re too young.
Dr. Albert Bendura of Stanford and Dr. Leonard Berkowitz of the University of Wisconsin produced studies which show that people who see violence portrayed are nearly twice as likely to behave violently as people who have not seen it. Presentations of violence can cause anyone to become more aggressive. Children, being more suggestible, are even more vulnerable. According to Dr. Berkowitz, “It’s pretty certain that people who watch sex movies are going to be sexually active afterward.” Since the average American youngster spends approximately 17,000 hours watching TV by the time he graduates from high school, what he views will definitely affect his thoughts and, hence, his actions.
PLANT NEGATIVES—REAP NEGATIVES
Unfortunately, because of our negative environment, most people expect the worst and they’re seldom disappointed. They plant the negative, so they reap the negative. Here’s an example. Tomorrow morning when you report for work, imagine you see a note on your desk from the boss saying, “See me as soon as you arrive.” You head for his office, but his secretary intercepts you and explains he is on long distance for a few minutes, and you’ll have to wait. Now the thought process starts, “I wonder what he wants. Could he have seen me leave early yesterday? I wonder if he knows about Joe and me having that argument in front of the staff? Or is it . . . ?” On and on the thoughts go. It’s true, we plant a negative seed and all too often reap a negative harvest.
Let me give you another example. Little Johnny comes home from school with a note from his teacher suggesting a conference. Your first thought is, “I wonder what the problem is?” Perhaps you ask, “I wonder what he has done this time?” It’s unfortunate that we put so many negatives into our minds, because whatever we put into our mind is going to come out of it. Example: Teresa Jones of Wilmington, Delaware, had a serious kidney infection. An operation was scheduled to remove one of the kidneys. After they put her to sleep, they ran the final test and discovered that the operation was not necessary. They didn’t remove the kidney, but when she awoke the first thing she said was, “Oh, my back. Oh, I hurt. Oh, I feel so bad. Oh, it hurts.” When Teresa was told they had not performed the operation, she was slightly embarrassed. Obviously, she went to sleep expecting to wake up hurting, and that is exactly what she did. In her mind, her pains were just as real as if the operation had been performed.
Whatever you put into your mind becomes a part of the total you. For example, had you been born in China, spoken the Chinese language, and listened to Chinese ideology all of your life, you would in fact be Chinese because you are the sum total of what goes into your mind. The statement, “If you do not live the life you believe—you will believe the life you live,” is far more than just a cliche. Every action you take and ev
ery thought you put into your mind is going to have its effect.
THE WORLD’S MOST DEADLY DISEASE
When I was a child, polio was a dreaded disease that took a heavy toll each year as it wreaked havoc in the form of crippled legs, twisted bodies, and untimely deaths. Then Dr. Jonas Salk and his colleagues developed the Salk vaccine and polio’s devastation was largely curtailed. However, there is still an occasional incidence of polio when parent or guardian, for whatever reason, does not get a youngster inoculated against the disease. When this happens, and thank God it is a rare occasion, many people shake their heads and wonder why anyone would neglect so simple a thing when the procedure is almost 100% safe and effective. Incredibly enough, however, there are approximately 20,000,000 youngsters today who have not taken the Salk vaccine and some health officials believe there is a real danger of a new outburst of the disease.
Unfortunately, here is another disease that is quite prevalent and in many ways even worse. It affects people of all ages and crosses all racial, creed, and color lines. It causes more physical and emotional problems than all other diseases combined. It sends more people to an early grave, breaks up more marriages, orphans more children, causes more unemployment, sends more people to the welfare rolls, creates more drug addicts and alcoholics, and causes more crime than all other diseases combined. Additionally, it is the most contagious disease known to man.
This dread disease is “hardening of the attitudes” and it’s caused by “stinkin’ thinkin’.” Fortunately, there is a cure for the disease if you already have it, and the cure is effective for both mild and very severe cases. And that’s not all. We have now developed a vaccination procedure which reduces to almost zero the possibility of acquiring this dread disease if you don’t already have it, and completely cures it if you have already contracted it.
Now before we proceed, let me ask you a question. What would you think of a person who is in daily contact with a deadly disease but refuses to take the vaccine to protect himself against the disease? Remember now, the vaccine is free, painless, and available, and the “boss” has promised him a raise if he will just take this simple step to protect himself and his fellow workers from this highly contagious disease.
Careful with your answer because I’m obviously setting you up and “leading” you. However, it’s not “down the primrose path,” it’s up the stairway to the top.
Realistically, you’d probably be pretty critical of that person, wouldn’t you? You might even say he was crude, thoughtless, and not exactly a mental giant.
Now for the next obvious question. What would you think of the person who refused to vaccinate or protect himself against ‘hardening of the attitudes,” despite the fact the inoculation was painless and fun, adding that it would not only protect his mental and physical health but would also improve it? Furthermore, it would increase his job performance and guarantee a raise, while improving his zest for living and his relationship with friends, family, associates, and even strangers. Just what would you think of anyone who refused such a vaccine?
You probably smiled gently (if you are not already afflicted with hardening of the attitudes) and in essence said, “A person would be doubly foolish to refuse such a treatment.” I hope that’s what you said because you are now going to be given an opportunity to say yes to the vaccination that will eliminate the stinkin’ thinkin’ and help you avoid hardening of the attitudes.
This treatment is really an insurance policy which is unique in every way imaginable. It costs no money, is guaranteed renewable, and benefits increase in direct proportion to the number of times you use it. It is a personal policy since the benefits are personal, but it is also a “group” policy since you can extend the benefits to other people and increase your own benefits at the same time. If you’re concerned about what’s involved, let me put your mind at ease by assuring you that time, effort, and dollar cost are all less than zero. Every moment invested is returned many fold in increased effectiveness. The financial investment will be so small it could not possibly affect your standard of living, while the results will change your way of life and bring substantial financial returns. Every ounce of energy you “spend” on this policy will be returned in greater energy, enthusiasm, and zest for living.
I will state without equivocation that if you will “buy” the policy and follow the formula for just 21 days, all the benefits I’ve discussed and promised will be yours. Direct question: Will you buy the policy and accept the benefits with no strings attached? If you answered “yes,” then I’m certain you would be willing to sign the following policy. (Remember, from the beginning I assured you that this is an action book which requires commitment if you are going to get results.)
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LIFETIME INSURANCE POLICY
Eliminating Stinkin’ Thinkin’ To Avoid Hardening of the Attitudes
Being of sound and ambitious mind, and having an intense desire to live a long, happy, useful, productive, fun-filled, rewarding life, I hereby agree to accept all the joys and benefits of this Lifetime Insurance Policy which is designed to eliminate stinkin’ thinkin’ and avoid the deadliest of all diseases—hardening of the attitudes.
Because I am a mature and responsible person who wishes to live until I die, I understand that by accepting the benefits I fully expect to “enjoy the premiums” by accepting the opportunities and responsibilities that are an integral part of the policy.
Since I know the skeptics and critics are neither secure, happy, nor even welcome in most places, and since faith is the cornerstone of happiness, I hereby, in faith, affix my signature, which guarantees that I will follow through on the procedures Zig Ziglar is going to outline so that I might enjoy all the benefits herein described.
IN FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE
Date:
Your signature:
I guarantee the validity of this policy if you follow it exactly as we suggest. It will work regardless of your age, sex, creed, size, or color.
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Now that you have signed the policy, I must confess that along with all those promises there is one thing I “forgot” to tell you. (Now, dear reader, please slow down to about twenty words per minute for the rest of the paragraph.) After you read the preceding sentence and saw that I had “forgotten” to tell you something, what was your instant thought? If it was along the lines of “Just as I figured, there’s always a catch,” then I’m going to really urge you to be especially careful in following through on every phase of the formula because you have a need which this formula can fill.
THE FORMULA—POLICY—VACCINE, ETC.
If you want to get enthusiastic about anything, whether it’s life, a job, a sport, our country, etc., you dig in and get some information and knowledge about the matter. It’s generally true that people are down on the things they’re not “up on.” Learn something about the new town, your neighbors, or the sport in which your son or daughter is interested. This is a starting point, but let’s see how we can develop enthusiasm for all that life has to offer. Psychologists have long known you will be enthusiastic if you act enthusiastically. Assume a trait or characteristic, and later you will possess it. You grab it—and then it will grab you.
This formula will not only enable you to develop instant enthusiasm and the right mental attitude, but it will be “on call” 24 hours every day. It will result in your being so charged up, motivated, excited, and turned on you will be able to multiply your effectiveness. Now let me warn you about something I touched on in the last paragraph. Enthusiasm gets to be a way of life, and it’s tough to be enthusiastic about just one thing. You’re going to discover that as you generate enthusiasm you are going to have so much fun, attract so many good things, and accomplish so much more, that you might have some happy financial problems. Good things and good people will be attracted to you and you’ll have more fun and achieve more total success.
Not only will you receive substantia
l benefits—some of which will start the first day—but your friends, associates, relatives, and even complete strangers will benefit. I realize I’m making some strong claims, but literally thousands of testimonials all say the same thing. It works.
STEP ONE— REVERSE THE WAY YOU GET OUT OF BED
If you want to develop enthusiasm and the right mental attitude about all life has to offer, you’ll need to reverse the way you get out of bed. No, I’m not talking about getting out of bed backwards, I’m talking about reversing the way most people start their day, which is either in neutral or in reverse.
When the opportunity clock sounds off, they moan a bit, slap their faces and say, “Oh no, don’t tell me it’s time to get up already—I feel like I just lay down.” Many people start each day like it’s going to be another yesterday—and they didn’t like yesterday. With this kind of start, is it any wonder one “bad” day follows another bad day? There is a better way to start your day, and it will produce dramatically better results for you. Follow this procedure and you’ll acquire enthusiasm as a permanent way of life.
Now I want to give you some bad news and some good news. Bad news first. By following this procedure you’ll probably feel foolish and perhaps even childish. This will be somewhat diminished by the fact that your mate (if you have one) will be the only one who’ll know about it. Now for the good news. First, you’ll get more enjoyment out of life for yourself and for those with whom you work, live, and associate. Then, you’ll earn more money. You might not receive it immediately, but you will earn it, and that means very shortly you’ll receive it. (Seriously now, you would be willing to feel slightly ridiculous five minutes each day if it meant more fun and more money, wouldn’t you?)