>> Have
you ever watched ABC’s hit TV show Lost? My favorite
episode was titled “Walkabout”. In it, we learn that the
mysterious outdoorsman Locke was actually paralyzed from
the waist down before getting on the doomed 815 flight
which crashed and, somehow, gave him the use of his legs
back.
Locke was actually planning to go on a Walkabout, which
is an outdoor adventure. But the leader, seeing Locke’s
limitation, forbade him to go. Angrily Locke shouted “Don’t
tell me what I can’t do!” We then flash forward to the
plane crash, and see Locke on the ground, slowly moving
his legs. Then stand up. And walk.
You can probably guess where I’m going with this, but
before you write this off as another “motivational”
article, stay with me for a minute.
I’ve had many “Locke Moments” in my life. Although I’ve
never said his line to anyone before, I’ve sure thought
it. When you’re born with the umbilical cord wrapped
around your neck and barely live, you get used to people
telling you what you can’t do.
First, doctors told my parents that if I did live I
wouldn’t be active at all. I’d basically be a vegetable.
They told my parents to put me in a home. They didn’t
listen. “Don’t tell us what he can’t do!”
So, they took me home and it turned out that mentally, I
was fine. I had Cerebral Palsy and doctors said I’d
never walk. Well, they were right… for the first 7 years
of my life I crawled around on my knees. I went through
physical therapy multiple times a week and was quite
determined for a kid. At 7 years old, at my
grandparents’ house, I took my first steps, to
everyone’s amazement, including myself. “Don’t tell me
what I can’t do!”
As I got older, people urged me to get into technical
side of computers and get a good job. I hated that stuff.
I wanted to be an entrepreneur. People warned me about
this. It’s too risky. But I pursued ventures both online
and offline, and I’ve made money in both. In fact, next
month I’ll be selling a 4-acre piece of land. I’ll net
$144,000 on the deal. Glad I took that risk. “Don’t tell
me what I can’t do!”
What about you? Do you get ridiculed by your friends and
family when you tell them about your Internet dreams?
It’s very common. The simple fact is that loved ones who
do this to you have good intentions. They don’t want to
see you get hurt, ripped off, or scammed. They just,
quite honestly, have no idea what they’re talking about.
I’ve long since giving up on trying to explain what I do
online to friends and extended family. Even trying to
explain simple concepts such as email marketing can lead
to comments such as “Oh, so you spam people?” It’s
frustrating, to say the least. It hurts because these
are the people who you’d expect to be on your side.
Don’t let these people get you down. Ask yourself one
question: Do I believe that what I’m doing will
eventually lead to financial success? Whether it’s
creating e-books, doing affiliate marketing, making
content sites, writing articles, or whatever it may be.
If you can honestly say yes, then keep plugging away and
never give up.
The next time a loved one says you’re crazy for trying
to make money online, don’t get mad. Don’t get defensive.
You don’t have to defend anything. You know what you’re
doing. They have no clue. Just think about Locke,
getting up from that crash site and walking, and simply
say “Don’t tell me what I can’t do.”Have you ever
watched ABC’s hit TV show Lost? My favorite episode was
titled “Walkabout”. In it, we learn that the mysterious
outdoorsman Locke was actually paralyzed from the waist
down before getting on the doomed 815 flight which
crashed and, somehow, gave him the use of his legs back.
Locke was actually planning to go on a Walkabout, which
is an outdoor adventure. But the leader, seeing Locke’s
limitation, forbade him to go. Angrily Locke shouted “Don’t
tell me what I can’t do!” We then flash forward to the
plane crash, and see Locke on the ground, slowly moving
his legs. Then stand up. And walk.
You can probably guess where I’m going with this, but
before you write this off as another “motivational”
article, stay with me for a minute.
I’ve had many “Locke Moments” in my life. Although I’ve
never said his line to anyone before, I’ve sure thought
it. When you’re born with the umbilical cord wrapped
around your neck and barely live, you get used to people
telling you what you can’t do.
First, doctors told my parents that if I did live I
wouldn’t be active at all. I’d basically be a vegetable.
They told my parents to put me in a home. They didn’t
listen. “Don’t tell us what he can’t do!”
So, they took me home and it turned out that mentally, I
was fine. I had Cerebral Palsy and doctors said I’d
never walk. Well, they were right… for the first 7 years
of my life I crawled around on my knees. I went through
physical therapy multiple times a week and was quite
determined for a kid. At 7 years old, at my
grandparents’ house, I took my first steps, to
everyone’s amazement, including myself. “Don’t tell me
what I can’t do!”
As I got older, people urged me to get into technical
side of computers and get a good job. I hated that stuff.
I wanted to be an entrepreneur. People warned me about
this. It’s too risky. But I pursued ventures both online
and offline, and I’ve made money in both. In fact, next
month I’ll be selling a 4-acre piece of land. I’ll net
$144,000 on the deal. Glad I took that risk. “Don’t tell
me what I can’t do!”
What about you? Do you get ridiculed by your friends and
family when you tell them about your Internet dreams?
It’s very common. The simple fact is that loved ones who
do this to you have good intentions. They don’t want to
see you get hurt, ripped off, or scammed. They just,
quite honestly, have no idea what they’re talking about.
I’ve long since giving up on trying to explain what I do
online to friends and extended family. Even trying to
explain simple concepts such as email marketing can lead
to comments such as “Oh, so you spam people?” It’s
frustrating, to say the least. It hurts because these
are the people who you’d expect to be on your side.
Don’t let these people get you down. Ask yourself one
question: Do I believe that what I’m doing will
eventually lead to financial success? Whether it’s
creating e-books, doing affiliate marketing, making
content sites, writing articles, or whatever it may be.
If you can honestly say yes, then keep plugging away and
never give up.
The next time a loved one says you’re crazy for trying
to make money online, don’t get mad. Don’t get defensive.
You don’t have to defend anything. You know what you’re
doing. They have no clue. Just think about Locke,
getting up from that crash site and walking, and simply
say “Don’t tell me what I can’t do.” << |
