Principle or preference
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If you’ve followed my musings for any period of time you will recall I often talk about principled living.
I endeavour to live my life by a set of principles that don’t change. I believe in certain things dearly and deeply so my circumstances don’t change those principles. If they were easily changed they would be preferences.
It is both sad and fascinating to see this in operation in the wealth creation industry at the moment.
I was speaking to a well connected US industry professional recently who said he couldn’t believe the alliances people were entering into in the USA because they were “desperate to sell stuff”. Never mind that they may dislike each other of think they are crooks, as long as they had a decent database they were suddenly friends.
In NZ one of my competitors is spamming it’s database almost twice a day.
Another local industry organisation is ruck making over a competitor because of declining memberships.
And as I have mentioned before my inbox is inundated with ‘the greatest thing ever” emails as companies try every trick in the book to make money, never mind how harebrained the idea is.
In other words, they are showing that their preferences are not principles and they can be bought, quite cheaply in my opinion.
I truly don’t understand this world view. As an educator I find myself saying that I’m not sure exactly what people should be doing right now so I’m not going to run an event just to make me money when I don’t know what is the best advice for everybody. My commitment to excellence in terms of quality education constrains me. I would have to be untrue to myself to do that.
Does that make sense?? It is the difference between a principle and a preference.
In my business and in my life I choose to deal with people whose principles I connect with.
Of course people fail, I know I do, but a principled life will remain through difficult times, financial hardship, whatever life throws at us, whilst our preferences are blown away by every adverse wind.
I pray today that you will choose a principled life.
Stay Safe ~ Dean Letfus @ www.MassiveAction.co.nz
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3 Comments
March 1st, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Hi Dean, I often wonder about how we pass on a principled life to others? As we begin to get life dialled to a measeure for our individual selves, it seams an unsubmountable task to then transfer this accomplishmnet to others who are often not wanting to engage like we had to, to accomplish the things we did.
As an educator Dean how do you view the progress (or lack) the people you are helping?
March 1st, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Great question Matt. Our principles are the result of so many things. I try and model principled living in my life. As an educator I can’t teach principles, they are not something related to information or education. I try and explain the value of them and any info I teach is guided by MY principles. There are many strategies I don’t teach and try and keep others from because they are inherently dishonest for example.
My personal observation of many thousands of people over my years in helping others and more recently in property is this:
Most people without a strong spiritual life, ( Christian or otherwise), do not live principled lives. This kind of makes sense because if you don’t really believe in or stand for anything then why have principles. You might as well have preferences and change them to suit your surroundings.
I am open about my spirituality but I can’t, and don’t, insist that all my clients become Christians. If people are paying me for help then they deserve my respect and best assistance without me trying to convert them to my principles.
March 3rd, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Good answer Dean, you hit the nail on the head with ” people have preferences and change them to suit their surroundings!” Even as a committed Christian this is challenging when you’ve you’ve totally agreed to something and want to change your mind, for exanple: You agree with a friend to sell them your business and the very next day get a much larger offer from a stranger, its a dilema but you know in your heart what you’ve committed to. Best to honour you first agreement or you’ll reap what you sow at some point, either now or later in life…………..