We had an assignment of reading Chapter 3 from the eBook - "Betting On Yourself".  Many Leaders Only List members responded with their input. Here are the jewels of information they discovered in this lost treasure.

Michael Dlouhy Writes

Michael will have his learnings posted next week or he will read them on the call.

This chapter is about probability vs. superstition is what you believe. I was told that Friday the 13 is a bad day or black day. If you have anything done or if you plan it will come out bad. Had surgery on my kidney on Friday the 13 and nothing went wrong. Their are so many superstitions that I feel are not true. Had people wish me bad luck. I think that it was a bad day for that person and that they could wish it on me and its how you look at it. I create my own luck.

This is the first lesson I have submitted, although the books have really influenced my life.

My first aha - there are more than two choices in almost every situation. We can look at alternatives, negotiations, other paths to achieve the desired result. I have always been considered by some to be a "strong" person; and I sometimes resented it. Many, many times, I would have liked to just give in and allow myself to sink into the abyss. However, I have always made the DECISION to keep on keeping on.
The author states, "The stronger, more knowledgeable and self-reliant you become, the less you will have to fear from being on your own." I have to agree with him. If you have the skills and knowledge of how to deal with the situation, you will just do what has to be done, and not waste time and resources with worry and fear.

"Concentrate on becoming the best person you can possibly be...," is excellent advice. Whatever you do and whatever you think, be the very best you can. Do not allow the negative thoughts to creep in. Take control of your thoughts.

Linda Britt Writes

I was not going to turn in an assignment on this chapter after I read it as it hit me hard in my heart,but I have to in order for me to grow into the person I am suppose to be.

REALITY IS WHAT IT IS.....What a hardcore statement but true. I have a choice of changing my reality and as the author states"to become firming anchored in reality" I must eliminate most of the problems I have in my life. WHY ?

Because I am the one who is accepting, believing, supporting and condoning the problems I am dealing with. That is the Real problem.

I only have one life to live so WHY shouldn't I strive to make my life the happiest it can be? Why do I keep allowing other people in my life to hurt me ? I am the only one who can these negative aspects in my life. Why have I "waited" so long for things to get better? Have things gotten better on their own, as I have waited ? NO...not at all. Fear of being alone has held me prisoner for many years and that's why I have "waited" for things to get better. But it is time to face the fact that in REALITY, things will not get better and I am the only one who can change that. I need to plant that REALITY firmly into my mind.

The good thing is that as I grow and become a stronger person, my fear of being alone will fade away and I can finally realize that I have ME to depend on. When that finally takes hold there will be no stopping ME nor the things I will accomplish in MY life. I will SUCCEED and that I do KNOW.
 

This chapter spoke to me in many ways. It made me realize that we should base our thoughts on Probability not superstition.

When he spoke of statistics, it reminded me when I was a Supervisor in a Copper Laminate Company. I was over Quality Control. One of our problems in our laminates was foreign material. Our laminates were used in circuitry and foreign material could cause a short. It was mostly threads of all colors. Nobody seemed to know where they were coming from. I decided to do an experiment and picked up some dust in many area of the plant. Guess what, the treads were there in all colors. I knew then they were coming from peoples clothes. Sometimes they were worse than others so I decided to do statistics to find out why. My statistics proved on hot, low humidity and windy days, they were much worse which proved that humidity had a play in this problem from static electricity. The company set out to correct the problem but it was statistics that showed the problem and when it happened most. This was in Southern California.

Superstition is just hoping but not factual that something will happen. I have been told that if my hand that I do not write with itches, I will get money. Sometimes it happens and sometimes it does not. Usually the money I get is expected such as a paycheck.

I would much rather live my life on probability instead of superstition. I have a much better chance in predicting the outcome that way.

Your probability is knowledge in predictions not chance. I know that my life has a much better chance of outcome with probability and not superstition.

Mentoring For Free gives you more probability than superstition. It gives you the knowledge and support of others that truly care. The outcome is more predictable than chance.

For many years I have adjusted my lifestyle, so as to be able to get about without the use of Public Transport, or motor vehicles. I am able to use my own energy and I know how to support it. Yesterday, twelve miles away from home, someone else decided they needed my bicycle more than I did, and the bus journey home was interrupted by a huge pile of stymied immovable traffic. I chose the faster route and walked home.

I had locked my bicycle to a lamp post secluded and safe. However, I had not covered it with a mantle of invisibility. I am free to think, or not to think. If I choose not to think, or think unwisely, I can set in motion a whole set of circumstances or events, that must be unfortunate and undesirable for most of us.

This is about how well I cope with things in my reality that determines my success or failure. I was at home in time for the Webinar that I had planned. My Reality exists independent of my mind and emotions. I no longer have access to that bike. I must build another plan.

It does not serve me to continue to bet on the long shot in the future, at the 99;1 chance of winning. The horse will die before then. Will I find enough Networkers willing to be independent to build a viable business based on our health? What are the odds? 1.5% of the population become free. I will not succeed if I am not sufficiently trained, and no-one else will change my life, solve my problems, or give me a million dollars, I am on my own.

I must become the one person in the world I can depend on, to feel more secure than I have ever felt. I must Become more methodical, cataloguing, filing and indexing relationships and material by content and relevance. I must Become more accurate, with a heightened curiosity. I must earn the love and respect I have. It is not given automatically. However, I am more enabled from within my relationship with Rita. Together I will be more. I must be prepared, Applying advanced knowledge so as to attract the good luck, that often eludes me. It is always there for me to find.

First of all I don't believe in luck or lack of luck. In days of old I would have said that you have no control over what is going to happen. It is just fate. Now I have a different perspective. It is said that a person that is accustomed to abuse will find and stay in an abusive relationship. I found this to be true, in myself. When I learned that, I chose to make that a change in my life. I used to be an impulsive shopper not caring about what bill I had to pay. The bill can wait. I now pay more attention, at times it is still hard for me to walk away. I have to think do I really need this? Our behaviors are learned, but like any learned behavior it can be unlearned. It is up to us to be conscientiously aware of what we are attracting to ourselves. In order to make changes within ourselves; we have to care about ourselves enough to want to make a change.

The fact is that most of us are superstitious. We assume that some power or thing outside of ourselves can/will bring us good or bad luck. The reality is that we are the masters of our fate.

The insurance companies are a prime example of being masters of their fate. They rely on probability and statistics and you don¢t see many insurance companies going broke in good or bad times.

We in our lives must learn to follow the example of the insurance companies if we are to have fuller richer more productive lives.

If we can learn to be governed by the reality of the situation and leave emotions aside as much as possible we will be better decision makers and avoid many mistakes. Better decisions in turn lead to happier more productive lives.

Angela Hernadez Writes

Probability? Statistics? I have always hated these terms. I always heard things like "you'll probably be pregnant by the time you're 16" or "you'll probably never get married" or "you'll probably end up in jail like your dad"

And statistics? What are the statistics that a young unwed mother will end up on welfare? Or what are the odds that a high school drop out will never have a high paying job?

I have always tried to defy the law of probability and statistics, which only resulted in my limited outlook on life. I never used the term "superstitious" but I made myself believe that all my misfortunes and bad experiences were a result of a "curse" or "spell" that was cast upon my mother before my birth. In fact, I told myself that lie for over 20 years.

Had I realized that I was the creator of my life, I could have taken the necessary steps to make changes long ago. Instead I held on to my superstitious beliefs and it caused me at times, unbearable pain, hurt and anger.

Only in the past year have I received the knowledge that I am responsible for everything in my life. It was a tough pill to swallow at first, because how can I blame myself for the awful things that have happened to me? But with the help of MFF over the past 5 months. I have learned not only how to accept it, but WHY I have created the life that I have. My reality is the direct result of choices I have made, not the result of some "curse" that was presented to me at birth. And just the fact that I am now aware of this, in all probability, I can now change my life. And that is a probability that I can accept.

Ruth Martinez  Writes

Just because I see things a certain way doesn't mean that they will always be that way. The real problem is when I persist in accepting, believing supporting or condoning something. My thoughts about a situation do not change the reality of that situation.

Once I learn then internalize these principles I will be able to apply them in such a way as to attract the Good Luck that was always there, but which I failed to see because of my distorted view of how things are.

Judit Regev Writes

To believe in what I am, in what I see and all that I experience, is to believe in me. A black cat or a ladder will not affect my actions as I do not Believe in any superstition. I now know for sure that the sun and the moon along with the earth I am standing on are reality. My relationships, my Financial state and success are my doing.

Taking responsibility on my life means to remember always who is responsible for the outcome by the end of a day, me! I am the one to do and there For the one to accept the outcome, whether I like or not. Better yet if I don’t like the outcome I should take actions, I should change my acting if to Expect different outcome. there is no such thing as a bad luck or a good luck, only bad or good decisions that bring out the final outcome of them.

It is me who had to forgive myself to bring myself to a point of believing in me, my abilities my potential which always was in me, only I couldn’t see It. By listening to what people have to say about me, about my life about the odds, I only suppressing my options and success.

I am who I want to be!

Reality is only the surrounding for me!

A black cat is a beautiful animal, nothing else!

After reading this chapter it basically solidified many of the changes I have made and changes I am still making for myself.

We can control what we think and what we are conditioned to believe. A belief is only a thought that is played over and over again in your mind until it becomes your reality. Most of us have let our experiences and our perception of our childhood control how we do things as adults. We still expect the same outcomes that we were conditioned to expect. They don't have to continue to be part of our lives. Everyone can change if they choose to.

To an extent I still consider some things to be a form of "luck" that I will use. Yes, this can be a danger because while believing this way; it takes a 'strong will' of character to get out of this belief and move on to be successful. I feel that this is what's stopping many people from their success.

I think people are superstitious because it's comfortable for them. It's like believing or following a 'god' or whatever a cultures deems to be true. If you don't follower what is handed out to you; all else will fail in your life. Therefore you get 'Superstition.'

Chapter 3 is music to a green’s ears and mind. Speaking mathematical equations to resolve any and all problems, is that possible? Indeed it is. And my spirit soars just at the thought of yet another equation. But this is not the place and time. Even when I was young boy I couldn’t understand why people would believe the things they believe, good luck bad luck, if you do this good things will come to you if you don’t you are guaranty catastrophes. Never made any sense to me and I found myself in trouble more often than enough for mocking such a believes. And today thanks to the internet we see the same ludicrous thoughts floating around. Forward this e mail to 5 10 or 1 million people and all your wishes will be granted. And if you delete this message you will experience many death or worse…. And all along the line we are surrounded by myth and legends and entertaining stories that have no foundation. But people believe just about anything. It is not a surprise that some clever person will find a way to capitalize on the urban legends and make millions conning people into castle in the sky.

In the other hand a more serious believe take place. Believing the crap that we are fed when growing up, believing the lies perpetrated by the people we love, remember the boogie man? It worked for years. And the tooth fairy, or Santa Claus for that matter. But worse than that the words like” you can’t” “you will never amount to anything” I was told by my father once that it was no use for me to try so hard “luck” was not on my side. That was a devastating statement one that I choose to believe for a long time. And every so often the though come back “perhaps he was right”. Isn’t that amazing? Although I never believed the legends, I believe some of the comments and remark that were made back then and carry them right through my life until today and now I am working hard at reconstructing faith in me and sometimes it is hard to work it out but the outcome is worth it.

Debby Riddick Writes

Wow. This chapter has a couple of really eye-opening concepts but I will focus on the first one. Dr. Anthony tells us the real danger of superstition lies in believing that there is something Outside ourselves that determines our fate and fortune. It gives us a way out of taking responsibility for where we are. We can blame our boss, our company, our congressman, our parents, our spouse or our kids. We can say "if only I didn't have to ..." all day long. We can play the victim and have a pity party all day, all week, or all year long. As Dr. Anthony says we can either be 'held prisoner" by our thoughts or be "freed and enlightened" by them.

I have rarely succumbed to the "poor me" card, but I think it happens to all of us at least once in a while. I have always had a good deal of confidence in my ability to handle things as they came up and I am the eternal optimist. If things are going great I expect them to continue to be great. If things aren't so great, I expect them to turn around and go how I want them to because I plan on working until they do. As long as we have the support and systems we need to give us the structure to follow success is very possible for all of us.

I mentioned on a call a few weeks ago that my Dad had abused my sisters and me when we were little. He was a sick son of a gun. But as far back as I can remember I always knew that things would not always stay that way. I always knew that I would get out of that house, that I would have the strength to endure until I could, and that when I did things would be good because I would be in control of my life. That doesn't mean that everything I tried has always worked out, but when it didn't I had faith that the next thing would, and I was always content to be where I was while I was working on improving that situation.

I can't say that my sisters had that blessing. They both suffered greatly and went through depression and many physical ailments throughout their lives. The biggest difference I saw was that I had hope and they didn't. Why? Because I did not believe that someone outside myself had the power to affect me long term. They saw themselves as powerless. I would lock myself in the bathroom and read for hours until my Dad passed out and it was safe to go to bed. They believed in the "superstition" of my Dad as the all powerful boogeyman; and they believed that what happened to them as kids Would affect them for the rest of their lives. I certainly don't blame them. There was just a basic difference in how we saw life, and our control over it and our future.

To get out of there they both went out and found someone to marry that they thought would love them and rescue them at 16. The fallacy was that they were still looking outside themselves for the source of their happiness. There comes a point somewhere in our lives where we have to say "From this day forward I am in control of my future. I will decide to be happy, or complete, or whatever. My past does not have to predict my future." I don't know that either of them ever did feel totally in control of their lives and hopeful about their future.

This is pretty far off the topic of the chapter, but I believe that it is a very good description of what Dr. Anthony is saying in the beginning of this chapter. I have rarely shared that part of my life with anyone. It is not easy to do. But I thank you that you have given us this "family" where it is safe and helpful to share and learn from each other.