A couple days ago, someone wrote me a note apologizing for having been what she called "negative" in a note to me about the gas pills I told you all about last week. In truth, there were four or five notes from people with dire predictions and denials about the efficacy and truth of performance of the product.
I really appreciated her note. It revealed a real concern for me, the person, not me, the "marketer who ought to know all" - which, of course, I do not. She asked me what, if anything, I had to say about the negativity, and how she could have done better.
I think if I had any less regard for myself and my own judgement about things, I'd have been bummed out, maybe even angry, or disappointed that I had picked a product that some people considered a loser - and then I'd have looked to see if what was claimed was true, what else there was to find out.
Most times, I can let communications like that go like water off a duck's back. I liked the item offered, I liked how they marketed it, I liked it that they kept it simple and offered not only cheaper prices than other deals but were ecologically interested, I liked the idea of less gas per mile, and I liked the site. I did a little investigation, and liked what I saw. So I signed up - and I'm still glad I did. Next time, though, I won't say anything until I have experienced the product or service more throughly. I apologize for any inconvenience. Some people did a springboard from that product, did more research and found even better products.
Here's what I wrote her back -
Your - and a few others' - comments about it not being a viable offer didn't phase me. I do appreciate your concern, though, and will tell you what could have been done, instead.
I belong to an organization called IBI - Income Builders International ( IBIGlobal.com ). We meet 5 time a year to network and hob and nob - from biz newbies to multi-millionaires - getting together to share ideas, contacts, investments and more. When we meet, there is a commonly agreed-upon attitude - and I'll take it right out of the meeting guide book:
Be careful to not say anything that would take away from anyone's dream. No "constructive" criticism or negatives are allowed. Everyone works to make sure they are creating a PLUS environment. Everyone is safe. No one feels even slightly threatened, criticized, or down-played. We develop a habit of cooperation and support in Free Enterprise. Suspend any words in any form that would not add to the highest and greatest good of every participant and every dream. This concept can literally save months, and even years.
I had a very potent example of the power of someone's "constructive" criticism, myself, in the past few months.
I was happily creating away, and very successfully holding tele-classes and courses, creating books for people, and holding courses all the way from handling negative emotions, creating prosperity, marketing and other subjects, through my PIGEES.com site. ( Go HERE for the most unique Wealth-Building System Alive!)
I was in touch with someone whose work is absolutely awesome in its effectiveness, and who I respect very highly. We were going to work together to offer a series of courses and tele-classes. One day, as we were pinning down some details, she said to me, "Angela, I don't like the PIGEES name. No one likes PIGEES. Why do you use the name PIGEES?"
Well, the word PIGEES is an acronym for the six categories in the system I show people how to use in order to create financial freedom. But she was hung up on the image of piggies running around.
When she said that to me - and she did twice, quite forcefully, over the course of a couple phone calls - each time I felt as if someone had kicked me in the guts. It was an actual, physical sensation. My breath pushed right out of my body, I felt stunned and deeply bruised, and couldn't even begin to think of anything to say to her.
I started thinking, "Hm, Maybe she's right. I should be doing something more serious, more acceptable to mainstream people." Hear the "shoulds" in there? If I'd been listening to my own inner dialog, I might have caught myself.
I didn't listen to my intuition, which was saying, "Let her go! She just kicked your whole dream in the guts! Why do you listen all year to people who say they LOVE the PIGEES, their happy faces and dancing figures, and now ONE PERSON has deflated your dream?"
No. I took it all the way in, bought it lock stock and barrel. And, as a result, I decided to develop Rich-Radio.com as a platform to deliver the classes and courses I wanted to offer. I liked the idea, and so far, the courses and classes have done OK.
But it hasn't been as FUN as when I was doing it last year. The DELIGHT hasn't been there for me. I don't do any drawings anymore, and I don't hear the PIGEES' little voices in my hear, laughing and having fun as they handle their money and create passive income streams.
So now, as I prepare to go to the next IBI meeting in May, I've been considering what I want to bring with me as a project. And I've decided to refocus on the PIGEES again. They are so much fun, and have such a simple, easy system to offer people of any age - why would I want to desert them????
I have a big dream, and I'm going to go reinforced, now, with more surety and more confidence that I can do it, with the team I will create at the Forum. And I also will let anyone's "constructive" criticism slide off - with due consideration, of course, to really look if what they say has merit.
What I learned from all this is that when someone says something to you that sounds reasonable but FEELS awful - it's a trap. What is happening, behind the scenes, is that THEY feel threatened, somehow, and are passing the buck to you, thinking they are doing you a favor. It's no favor! All they are doing is passing the energy of fear along because they don't want to feel it themselves and want to be rid of it.
So it's up to us to say, "Thank you for sharing." And let it go. Not take it in. Not let it kick us in the guts.
Sure, it could, indeed, be good information they are trying to share with us. But fear only clouds the space, and everyone involved loses clarity, and thus EVERYONES' ability to create a high outcome is diminished.
So. PIGEES it is, for me. I'm fine with my choice of the gas pills, and appreciate it that - even if they are not as effective as they say they are - at LEAST someone is out there attempting to increase the POSSIBILITY of less oil use, and improved environment.
Thanks for asking, and for your sweet apology - no offense taken, and I really appreciate your care for me.
much aloha -
Angela
==.==.==.==.==.==.==.==.==.==.==.==.==.==.==.==
© Angela Treat Lyon 2006 • Please feel free to use this information or article in its entirety as long as you include all contact information. Thank you!
PIGEES.com -
go HERE for the most unique Wealth-Building System Alive!
Rich-Radio.com -
24/7 Listening for your Success in Health, Wealth and Life!
go HERE for The Best of the Best Success Experts
EFTBooks.com -
go HERE for the International Source for the best EFT Books
==.==.==.==.==.==.==.==.==.==.==.==.==.==.==.==
Recent Comments