Archive for October, 2009

Forget the “Quick Fix”—Go for the Slow Burn

Sunday, October 25th, 2009

A few recent headlines:
No quick fix for ER overcrowding
No quick fix: Redskins have problems across the field
No quick fix to coastal erosion issues
No quick fix expected for Illinois budget quagmire

In sports, politics and in life, there’s no such thing as a “quick fix.”
Then why do the heck do we all continue to look for it when we buy self-help books, audio and video products?
I help create personal development products, products that I think are tremendously great and smart and helpful. And above all else, if used properly, can transform your life.
My friend (we’ll call him Brad to protect the innocent) mentioned to me that he had listened to our latest series of products, and “had gotten nothing out of them.”

Me: How many times did you watch them?
Brad: Uh, once.
Me: The audio?
Brad: Maybe once…
Me: How many times did you read the companion workbook?
Brad: Didn’t…

Now he has every right to watch or listen or read something just one time. But science shows us that to get the maximum results out of anything we need one simple piece: repetition.

I’ve written about my friend Mike, who credits personal development programs to getting him out of the gutter and into a multi-million-dollar business. But Mike didn’t listen to the programs one time and call it a day. He listened to those programs religiously day in and day out. Dozens of times. Until he learned what he needed to learn to change his life. Mike went for the slow but effective learn, or as I like to call it: The Slow Burn.

The Slow Burn brings with it its own set of challenges, including boredom (I gotta watch this AGAIN??) and lack of time (who has 80 hours to re-listen to audio??)”>. But if you knew the burn would bring you the lessons and distinctions you need to change your life for the better, isn’t it worth your time and attention?

So I dare you to read that article again. Or give that DVD another look, or that audio a second, third, fourth try. And I double dare you to take notes, and really let the material sink in. Because we’re not done until we’ve got every lesson that’s going to get us the results we want.

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