A Walk In The Park (Plaza): Words To Live By   Part 2: Be Honest In All Your Dealings With Others 

By Mayer Smith 

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Be honest in all your dealings with others but, above all, be honest with yourself. Don’t deceive yourself with rose-colored glasses when entering into ventures. Many real opportunities will present themselves in your lifetime. 

“If we are true to ourselves, we cannot be false to anyone.” Shakespeare  

What better way to start this article off than by sharing a story about capturing the biggest case in my life insurance career; It was when I captured an entire (major) school system’s Tax Sheltered Annuity program in 1966. This was at least partially because, in the words of the Executive Secretary for the school teachers’ association, “Mayer, in the four years we’ve been around trying to get this program going, you’re the ONLY agent we never caught in a lie!”  Of course, I had to prepare carefully and be more knowledgeable than my competitors. But had I shaded the truth even once, I’m not sure the result would have been the same.  

Combining the Truth with the Boy Scouts motto of “Be Prepared” is what won the case.  I was also Prepared. 

Now, let’s put the shoe on the other foot.  After becoming successful, I was approached several times with “pie in the sky” deals with people I thought I knew and trusted.  My main reason for becoming involved was to help them.  Each and every time I did that, I lost meaningful sums of money totaling in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Each time, it was throwing “good money” trying to recapture “bad money”. Each time, I had no control over how the money was used.  

Fortunately, the clients in the school system made more meaningful purchases through the years that kept me in good financial shape.  

Bottom line:   

  1. Be Prepared for your Career in Life.
  2. Never Lie.
  3. If you are not versed in the field of the venture and can exercise No Voice in the operation of it, shun it like the Plague.

Sooner or Later, you will recognize an opportunity when it comes along.  

Then… 

  1. Check it out from top to bottom.
  2. Get advice from trusted people in the field, if possible.
  3. Make sure that the results of success will provide a meaningful improvement in your life.
  4. Make sure that failure of the venture will not cause a meaningful downgrade of your life.

If the Opportunity is one that you will control in the form of a personal business venture IN A FIELD FOR WHICH YOU HAVE PREPARED, a few modifications of the rules will come into play. 

  1. Make sure you are adequately financed. 
  2. Make sure there is a market for your service/product.
  3. Plan, plan. and plan again your marketing strategy. There are good marketing companies available to be of service.  Be Sure to pick the right one for you (their past record should tell).