Nuggets For The Noggin

THERE WAS A TIME

By Jim “Gymbeaux” Brown, July 29, 2016

Epitaph:  “Sadly he (or she) would have been so much more successful had he not spent so much time checking emails, wasting time on Facebook, text messaging (instead of eye-ball-to-eye-ball conversations) and otherwise wasting time on his (or her) tablet, notebook and computer on non-productive crap or trying to solve all of the world’s and other people’s problems.”

There was a time when I diligently and constantly worked on my attitude.  How many people do you know can honestly say that?  Can you say it about yourself?  I remember reading Jeffrey Gitomer’s book, The YES!Attitude for the first time.  I say first time because I have read it at least 8 times (and will now read it again), I have also bought the book as an eBook so I would have it on my iPhone and other devices when I travel and I have bought it on CD and listened to it several times in the car.  I have also purchased copies for my children.  Before Gitomer’s book, it was a cassette tape set titled Creating Teamwork by Lee Shelton.  Both are about your attitude or lack thereof.  Gitomer asks the question: When was the last time you saw a course on attitude offered at the college level – the answer – NEVER!

There was a time when people told me that they would call me when they were feeling down because they knew I would always be up or at least “seem” up even when I wasn’t feeling all that up.  I learned to fake it, to be “up in advance” as Gitomer explained.  That was then; this is now!

Since I retired in December 2012 I find that I am no longer up nor am I faking being up and frankly I don’t like it.  Gitomer writes about the feeling you get when you cross the finish line, sink the putt, make the sale as the YES! Attitude®  He writes about teaching yourself to create attitude habits and constantly reminding yourself how to attain and maintain that YES!Attitude® feeling.  He suggests reading something positive every morning for at least 15 minutes and the same at night before you turn in.  He also suggests turning off the TV and NOT listening or watching the news (almost 100% of which is negative depressing crap).  I use to do all those things and even included them on my Daily To Do Lists.  The book was written before Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and the many other web sites that have become so popular.  I am certain he would suggest that unless you use those sites for business purposes (making sales and developing networks), you should turn them off as well.

This morning I realized just how negative Facebook has become and how much negative news is being broadcast even on the local news programs.  When I was a real estate broker it was essential that I check my emails several times a day but certainly first thing in the morning and last thing at night because it could mean the difference between making a sale or helping an agent solve a problem.  It was a habit I created and unfortunately now that I am retired I am still doing it even though there are no more sales to be made or problems to be solved.  I have also discovered that I am wasting far too much time on Facebook.  I seriously doubt anyone would send me an email that required an immediate answer, not even my doctors - still, I routinely checked my emails throughout the day; but why?  I would then go to Facebook, all of which could take an hour or even two.  If ever there was a bigger source for negative and oftentimes biased and false posting of “stuff”, I have not as yet found it; not that I am looking.

Therefore, today, I have made the decision to terminate my Facebook account and will check my emails once a day unless I am specifically waiting for a response from someone.  It definitely will not be the first or the last thing I do every day.  It would be fun to know how many conversations have you recently started or heard that began with the words, “Did you see on Facebook the……..”  People are addicted to Facebook, Instagram, Text Messaging, etc. most of which is pure unadulterated negative crap.  No more, I am freeing myself from this negativity as of now.  To my over 2700 Facebook friends we can still be friends, just not on Facebook.  To my family and friends, if you want me to see your pictures, email them to me; I’ll check it once a day. 

There will always be stupid people on the planet and nothing I will ever say or post on Facebook will change one mind or cause anyone to do anything they otherwise might not say or do so why try?

To my friends in sales, especially real estate sales, at the risk of sounding immodest, I have a wealth of knowledge that took over 33 years and over 1000 books to acquire.  I welcome you to tap into that knowledge any time you wish; just not on Facebook.  You can email me at JimBrown@gymbeaux.com.  Negativity is everywhere and this is the start of a new life by ridding it from my life as much as possible as I had always done before and will now do again.