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opinion　which　was　based　on　sound　knowledge　rather　than　
hearsay；　and　which　was　motivated　by　genuine　interest　rather　
than　simple　greed。　At　that　point；　the　individual　could　have　
gone　ahead　and　invested　a　sum　of　money　which　would　not　
have　placed　his　total　financial　situation　in　jeopardy。　Then；　as　
he　gathered　more　information　based　on　actual　experience；　he　
could　have　gradually　increased　his　investment　if　such　action　
appeared　to　be　in　his　best　interest。　

Clearly；　if　our　hypothetical　individual　followed　this　
second　course　of　action；　he　would　still　certainly　be　taking　a　
risk。　However；　one　could　not　justifiably　say　he　was　behaving　in　
the　manner　of　a　fool　or　an　irresponsible　person。　Moreover；　
even　in　the　eventuality　that　this　person　made　a　bad　
〃judgement　call；〃　and　lost　his　money；　that　would　have　been　all　
he　had　lost。　For　he　would　still　have　his　friendship　and　he　


would　still　have　his　own　self…respect；　because　he　would　realize　
he　had　been　guilty　of　nothing　more　than　an　error　in　
judgement。　An　added　benefit　of　this　second　approach　is　that　
the　individual　would　not　automatically　reject　future　
investment　possibilities；　should　they　arise。　

I　am　sure　you　are　getting　my　message　〃loud　and　clear〃：　
risk…takers　are　knowledgeable　people　who　study　situations　
carefully；　have　confidence　in　their　own　abilities　and　have　a　
very　healthy　self…image。　Put　more　succinctly；　we　can　say　risk…
takers；　unlike　irresponsible　people；　are　〃nobody's　fool。〃　

Business　Failures　

Consider　this　…　if　one　were　to　examine　the　statistics　
regarding　the　number　of　business　failures　each　year；　without　
closely　studying　each　situation　separately；　one　could　very　
easily　conclude　that　going　into　business　for　oneself　is　an　
〃irresponsible　act。〃　However；　that　is　just　not　the　case！　The　
truth　of　the　matter　is；　many　of　the　people　who　have　gone　into　
bankruptcy；　should　never　have　gone　into　business　for　
themselves　in　the　first　place；　either　because　they　weren't　
properly　prepared　for　such　an　undertaking　or　because　they　
simply　didn't　know　what　they　were　doing。　They　lacked　the　
skill；　the　knowledge；　or　the　proper　support　to　get　their　
business　〃off　the　ground。〃　Bear　in　mind　that　although　it　takes　
most　new　companies　at　least　three　years　before　they　are　
properly　established；　some　of　these　individuals　didn't　allow　for　
three　months；　or　even　three　weeks；　to　give　their　business　a　
chance。　

It　is　also　significant　to　note；　that　prior　to　setting　out　on　
their　own；　many　of　these　people　were　those　employees　who　
thought　their　boss　was　incompetent；　or　the　owners　of　the　
company　which　employed　them　didn't　know　what　they　were　
doing。　Obviously；　everyone　who　fails　to　get　a　new　business　
going　does　not　fall　into　this　category；　but　there　are　certainly　
many　people　who　do。　


Nevertheless；　despite　the　woeful　statistics；　there　certainly　
are　many　individual　risk…takers　who　have　succeeded　in　
establishing　businesses　of　their　own。　For　example；　just　
consider　the　story　of　my　good　friend；　Bob　McCrary。　Bob　had　
worked　in　the　electronics　industry　for　many　years　and；　
although　he　had　never　earned　what　one　might　consider　〃big　
money；〃　he　certainly　earned　a　better　than　average　income。　He　
owned　his　own　home；　he　raised　three　beautiful　daughters；　and　
accomplished　all　of　this　while　working　for　someone　else。　But　
despite　his　undisputed　success；　Bob　harbored　a　desire　to　go　
into　business　for　himself　and　I　suppose　fear　was　the　only　thing　
holding　him　back　from　doing　so。　The　truth　of　the　matter　was；　
that　with　all　the　things　he　had　going　for　him；　Bob　couldn't　
help　but　succeed。　Unfortunately；　however；　he　was　unaware　of　
this　because　he　had　never　been　〃out　on　his　own〃　before。　
Moreover；　he　had　been　raised　to　believe　the　〃old　idea〃：　that　a　
person　should　〃get　a　good　steady　job　and　then　work　for　a　
pension。〃　

Still；　the　desire　of　Bob；　and　his　wife　Pat；　to　work　in　their　
own　business　persisted。　It　eventually　grew　to　the　point　where　
they　were　actually　able　to　visualize　their　business　operating　
successfully。　Since　it　is　impossible　to　hold　an　image　in　the　
mind　without　also　expressing　it；　the　end　result　of　Bob　and　
Pat's　imaging；　was　the　birth　of　their　own　company；　〃Pensacola　
Electronics。〃　

That　happy　event　occurred　just　a　few　short　years　ago　
and；　although　both　Bob　and　Pat　have　worked　many　hard　
hours；　and　still　do　today；　they　have　the　satisfaction　of　looking　
at　what　they　have　created　together。　They　gainfully　employ　
numerous　people　and　they　properly　service　hundreds　of　clients　
located　in　various　American　states。　They　have　both　earned　a　
sizeable　income　and　the　net　value　of　their　company　today…if　
they　were　to　sell　it…is　greater　than　all　of　the　money　Bob　had　
earned　working　for　the　other　company；　for　all　those　years。　

Did　Bob　and　Pat　make　the　right　decision？　Just　ask　them！　
Would　they　make　it　again？　You　know　what　their　answer　would　


be！　Are　they　Risk…Takers？　I　don't　think　there　is　any　question　
about　that！　

Bob　and　Pat　McCrary　left　their　jobs　and　invested　many　
thousands　of　dollars　to　do　something　which　they　had　never　
done　before。　They　had　no　written　guarantee　they　would　
succeed　in　their　venture；　but　they　were　not　irresponsible；　nor　
were　they　acting　imprudently。　Were　they　afraid？　Well；　I　have　
never　asked　them　directly；　but　after　studying　human　nature　
for　the　greater　part　of　twenty　years；　I　feel　quite　confident　in　
asserting　they　were。　The　salient　point　for　our　purposes　is；　
despite　their　trepidation；　they　had　the　courage　to　act　in　the　
face　of　their　fear。　For　the　person　who　analyzes　a　situation　
carefully；　prepares　himself　accordingly　and　then　proceeds　in　
the　face　of　fear　with　the　image　of　success　in　mind；　is　a　genuine　
risk…taker。　Furthermore；　as　you　are　already　aware；　risk…takers　
very　rarely　lose；　and　even　when　they　do；　they　usually　bounce　
right　back　to　try　again。　In　other　words；　risk…takers　live　
exciting；　creative　lives；　because　they　are　living　the　kind　of　life　
that　we　are　all　intended　to　live。　

So　put　a　smile　on　your　face；　because　as　of　this　moment；　
you　too　can　become　a　bona　fide　risk…taker！　How？　Simply　by　
doing　the　thing　you　have　dreamed　about…off　and　on…for　
months；　or　possibly　even　years。　

In　the　great　musical　South　Pacific；　Mary　Martin　sang；　〃If　
you　don't　have　a　dream；　if　I　don't　have　a　dream；　how　are　we　
going　to　make　a　dream　come　true？〃　It　is　my　belief　that　
everyone　of　us　has　our　own　dream。　We　all　have　a　vision；　an　
idea　or　a　picture　of　some　great　or　grand　thing　or　
accomplishment；　which　will　float　to　the　surface　of　our　
consciousness　from　time　to　time。　Moreover；　for　a　few　brief　
moments；　we　permit　ourselves　the　luxury　of　enjoying　ourselves　
doing；　being　or　having；　whatever　that　dream　might　be。　There　is　
no　doubt　in　my　mind　that　you　too　〃hold〃　a　picture　of　
something　which　floats　to　the　surface　of　your　consciousness　
periodically；　and　if　the　truth　were　to　be　known；　you　would　
dearly　love　to　execute　that　dream。　


Well；　the　simple　truth　is　you　can。　But　in　all　likelihood；　it　
is　going　to　require　a　considerable　amount　of　courage　on　your　
part。　Remember；　it　makes　no　difference；　at　this　moment；　how　
bizarre　your　idea　may　appear。　In　fact；　you　might　even　regard　it　
yourself　as　being　sheer　fantasy。　Nevertheless；　you　can　begin　to　
turn　it　into　a　reality；　by　making　a　written　description　of　
whatever　it　is　you　would　like　to　do；　have；　or　be。　Write　out　your　
ambition　in　as　much　detail　as　possible　and　in　the　present　
tense。　Do　not　write　it　out　as　something　that　you　are　〃planning〃　
to　do；　rather；　write　it　out　as　if　it　were　something　you　are　doing　
currently。　In　big　bold　letters　write；　〃I　can〃　and　then　yell　it；　say　
it；　sing　it…drill　the　idea　that　you　are　now　going　to　do　this　thing；　
into　your　subconscious　mind。　Then；　choose　a　friend　who　has　a　
lot　of　confidence　in　you…someone　whose　thinking　is　compatible　
with　your　own；　not　someone　who　will　put　you　down　and　laugh　
at　your　idea…to　share　your　idea　with。　Select　someone　who　will　
build　you　up　and　help　instill　confidence　in　you；　with　respect　to　
your　idea。　

Remember；　it　makes　no　difference　whether　your　goal　is　
starting　a　new　business；　buying　or　building　a　new　home；　
getting　a　new　automobile；　a　new　position　at　work；　setting　a　
sales　record；　or　getting　an　honors　mark　in　school。　Whatever　it　
may　be；　you　must　step　out　and　boldly　pursue　it。　Keep　
reminding　yourself　that　you　have　tremendous　reservoirs　of　
potential　within　you；　and　therefore；　you　are　quite　capable　of　
doing　almost　anything　you　〃set　your　mind　to。〃　All　you　must　do　
is　figure　out　how　you　can　do　it；　not　whether　or　not　you　can。　
Begin　to　visualize　yourself　as　a　risk…taker　and　then　start　
telling　yourself　you　are　one。　Become　fully　aware　of　the　〃good　
vibrations〃　you　get　simply　by　virtue　of　practising　these　simple　
mental　exercises。　

But　before　you　proceed　any　further　with　your　quest；　find　
yourself　a　pad　and　a　pen。　Then；　prepare　a　balance　sheet　by　
taking　an　8…1/2〃　x　11〃　sheet　of　paper；　and　drawing　a　straight　
line　down　the　centre　of　the　page。　


On　the　left…hand　side；　place　a　minus　sign；　and　on　the　
right…hand　side　place　a　plus　sign。　Under　the　minus　sign；　write　
out　the　very　worst　thing　that　could　happen