And, because the very term itself brings with it different definitions based on an individual’s belief system, I also wanted to make sure “I was answering what he was asking.”

Knowing me well enough by now to know my belief that we must have a correct premise in order to reach a logical conclusion…you may have guessed (without intuition) that I looked the word up. Indeed, I did and found the following definitions:

 in·tu·i·tion

1: quick and ready insight 2a: immediate apprehension or cognition b: knowledge or conviction gained by intuition c: the power or faculty of attaining to direct knowledge or cognition without evident rational thought and inference

It seems as though – as the term, “intuition” is used today, and in the context of his question, that definition 2c is what was being asked.

So, with that in mind – and again, the fact that I have never given this topic serious enough study to come from a position of authority – I would say that we’ve been built (in my opinion, by our Creator, but that of course is another topic) and programmed so that our subconscious bases its decisions/warnings/feelings on two things:

#1 The sum total of every experience we as individuals have ever had; thus, given certain signals from present data, it is able to calculate future conclusions on the sum total of all past events in our lives. I feel pretty strongly that is the case.

#2 The sum total of every experience anyone on earth who has ever lived has had, thus the same as above (this one I’m not too sure about but suspect it might be true. I will say that I’ve seen this reference to “Collective Consciousness” (thanks Randy, for identifying the correct word for me!) in many of what are regarded as the top personal development books of all time).

So, with the above two points in mind, I would say that if some people have a stronger “intuition” or intuitive sense of what is going to happen, despite there not being “evident” rational inference, these people have either worked at developing their intuition or they have (dare I say) “intuitively” tapped into it.

You now know my rather undeveloped thoughts on this topic. Here a brief post on one aspect of this by Randy on his blog  that I didn’t read until after I wrote this post.

Question: what do you think? Is there such a thing as intuition? Is it logical to believe it exists? Is it logical to believe it doesn’t exist? Does everyone have it or just some people? Can it be developed if one doesn’t have it and/or developed further if one does have it? Let us know your thoughts.

Hmmm, intuition. I think I’ll just “go with my gut.”

—–

We all seem to realize that children have an intuitive ability to effectively persuade – what I call, “Win Without Intimdation” – and attain their desired results. After all, unless their parents are extremely permissive, it’s difficult for the typical child to get their way solely through forceful intimidation (i.e. ranting, raving, screaming, manipulatively crying) or through passive manipulation, such as being extra nice and/or cooperative, but with an agenda. Thus, they must be able to get what they want through persuasion; not intimidation.

While speaking at an event in Rock Hill, South Carolina recently, I heard two stories of children which were wonderful examples of the Winning Without Intimidation philosophy. Please allow me to share one of them with you today.

One of my clients, Don and Hannah King, have a granddaughter named Christa, whom I believe is either nine or ten years old. A year or so before the following conversation, Don and Hannah had promised to “some day” take her to Europe with them on one of their many overseas business trips.

In early May, Hannah received a telephone call. I will, in parenthesis, provide my commentary.

Christa: “Grandma, when are you going to Europe?” (First, she didn’t ask “if”- she asked “when.” By phrasing her question with assumption – also known as “positive
expectation” – she is increasing the odds that what she wants to happen will happen. I realize that, in this case, that probably wouldn’t cause Hannah and Don to go to Europe if they weren’t going anyway, but it’s still a wonderful principle to follow.)

Hannah: “In June.”

Christa: “Is this the year you are taking me with you, as you promised?” (I don’t believe any commentary is really necessary here however, if it were, I’d say that what she was communicating was, “Grandma, whom I love and respect so much; is this the year that you’re going to show me that you are a person of your word who would never break a promise to her granddaughter whom she loves so much and for whom she wants to set an example of honesty and integrity?”)

Hannah: “But honey, it’s only a month away and you don’t even have a passport.”

(Well, that ended that conversation. Two weeks later, however, Hannah again answered her phone, only to hear the following)…

Christa: “Grandma, I’ve got it.”

Hannah: “You’ve got what?”

Christa: “My passport. I’m ready to go to Europe with you and Grandpa.” (Christa lived in the “solution” – not the “problem.”)

Hannah: “Well, you realize that Grandma and Grandpa will be in a lot of meetings, so sometimes you’ll have to have a babysitter who doesn’t even speak English.”

Christa: “I can handle it.” (Is this kid awesome, or what!? Grandma gave her an objection. She answered it.)

According to Hannah, Christa did great, and was a pleasure to take on the trip. (In other words, Christa lived up to her part of the bargain, proving that when she persuaded, she could also come through and do as she promised, thereby making her next attempt at persuading Grandma and Grandpa easier in advance.)

The principles Christa taught all of us in this story bear review many times:

- First, ask in a way that assumes the answer you want.

- Secondly, give the person something admirable to live up to.

- Thirdly, if there is a problem, find the solution.

- Fourth, answer any objections. And…

- Fifth, live up to the promises you made, making persuasion
with that party easier the next time around.

Well done, Christa!

All of these are certain to be true…and presenting our case like this is exactly the WRONG way to win the hearts and minds of those we are trying to persuade.

Instead, we must communicate the issue at the very heart of this matter and which – as far as I can tell – no one; including any of the usual “Pro-Economic Liberty” pundits, are explaining.

In fact, the Pro-Universal Crowd has done a brilliant job of framing a false argument:

“Do we stick with a Free-Market Healthcare system which is not working?”

or…

“Do we at least do something to try and help; for example, go to a system of Universal Healthcare?”

And (anti-Constitutionality aside), that question would make sense, except…

WE DON’T CURRENTLY HAVE A FREE-MARKET BASED HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. (Sorry for shouting but has nobody noticed that??!!)

Actually, we haven’t had a market-based healthcare system in over 50 years. When we did, it worked magnificently well for everyone, including the financially disadvantaged. Only after government first inched its way in and then eventually controlled nearly every aspect of it did we find ourselves in the predicament we are currently in, with the masses now asking the government to solve the very problem they created (I can’t think of anything more nonsensical).

While I explain all this in my five-part series, Check Your Healthcare Premises, it hardly matters if we don’t effectively communicate this faulty premise to those who advocate Socialized (i.e. Socialistic) Healthcare.  

We must “control the frame” and re-direct the argument from a choice between a current “free-market” system (which it is not) that doesn’t work (and it doesn’t) and a socialized system of healthcare that will be absolutely disastrous…and offer a third choice; indeed, the only choice that can work, and – even better – has proven to work; a healthcare system based on the free market.

The next time someone presents the argument as the false choice of two, simply tell them (with no defensiveness): “We don’t have a free market healthcare system.”

They will say, “Of course we do; how can you say that we don’t?”

You respond: “There are 133,000 pages of health care regulation in the U.S. Federal Register. Please tell me why you would consider that to be free market.”

You have just reframed the debate. Now, he/she must explain why today’s system IS market-based instead of you explaining that our current government-controlled system works just fine (which it doesn’t, and everyone knows it doesn’t and it doesn’t do anyone any good when anyone tries to say differently).

They might, in desperation, say, “but something has to change.”

You respond: “Absolutely healthcare needs to change. Wouldn’t you agree that the right change is to the system that worked before; the free market? After all, you are genuinely concerned that people who truly need medical care get it, aren’t you?”

Again, you’ve reframed this to highlight the benevolence of the free market rather than an “I don’t care about others” attitude that they wrongly believe.

Important: Once the person recognizes (or, your reader or listener understands) that the free market is not to blame for our current healthcare woes, you can offer a third alternative; that we get government OUT of our healthcare system and go back to the excellent system we once had (either read my five-part series or utilize information you already know that provides the benefits of a free-market healthcare system).

The key is that – once you set the correct premise and offer the third alternative, you must remain totally disciplined to not get “sucked into” arguing their false dilemma and continue to bring it back to the correct premise.

If we can do this consistently, and teach our fellow lovers of liberty how to do the same, then not only will we not be saddled with a socialized system of healthcare that we’ll never be able to reverse, but we’ll provide everyone; including the children, the elderly and the financially disadvantaged with the benefits of the one healthcare system that truly works…the free market.

“I remember working in the warehouse of a retail store. I worked hard and got to ‘3rd Key’ where it paid more, managed others, etc. It was refreshing and it felt great after all that hard work. Stand out, get noticed, take risks, and you’ll have a better chance of getting advanced.”

Other times, however, it won’t happen. Perhaps your immediate boss (or even company culture) works from the competitive mindset that believes in keeping people down. Or, the right people are currently in the right place and “they ain’t movin’ anytime soon.” Life is life and either of the above scenarios are certainly possibilities.

You mght feel the time is right to find a new company to work for or even to go into business for yourself. In either case, however, the answer remains the same…be “larger than your present place.”

 In their book, The 12 Factors of Business Success, Dr. Kevin Hogan, Dave Lakhani and Dr. Mollie Marti advise:

“As long as you are in a job, learn while you earn. And, while you’re doing so, be a huge asset to your company. Make it so that when you leave your company they will have a very hard time replacing you for the same money. The mind-set of people who are eventually going to move from employment to building wealth is to create as much success for their current employer as possible. Be loyal to your company, help a division grow, train an awesome sales team, and so forth. Then take those skills and knowledge into your own adventures.”

Excellent advice. And, it sounds similar to a personal story related by Kimberly Catanzaro, who now owns her own business as a Virtual Assistant. She wrote:

“…I worked at our local sanitation company and was put on phones 1/2 day each day. To some it may have seemed a menial task, but it was exactly what I needed at the time and I truly embraced it and ‘loved’ every person that called in. What resulted was many unsolicited calls to my boss to say ‘what a wonderful girl you have answering phones’. It was very rewarding for me. I have since moved on to owning my own business and truly love what I do.

Kimberly actually lives in my town of Jupiter, FL and I know she has a very successful and thriving business.

So, regardless of whether you want to advance within your company heirarchy, move upward to another company, or begin your own enterprise, be larger than your present place. It works, and brings with it a sense of personal satisfaction that is hard to beat

While I’m sure there is lots of excellent advice to be provided in this regard, unfortunately, most of it is beyond the scope of my knowledge. I know of only one method of advancement.  While I believe I understood this method rather intuitively by observing my Parent’s personal work ethic as owners of their business, the concept was crystallized for me the first time I read Wallace D. Wattles’ 1910 classic, The Science of Getting Rich.

He advised being “Larger than your present place.” In other words, in the same way that new species are formed only by organisms having “more life than can be expressed in the functions of its {present} plane,” by providing more in value than what you’re being paid to provide, opportunity will open up. Perhaps not in that company (though it often will), and probably not immediately, but it is much more likely to happen than if you simply “tread water.”

Recently I watched a major-league pitcher being interviewed. He is what’s known as a “middle-inning reliver. Perhaps the least glorious pitching position in baseball, it contains neither the adrenaline rush nor the glory of the roles of starter or closer, and it’s even a step below late-inning set-up. (Still, in my opinion, there are perhaps worse jobs on earth.)

His attitude was terrific. He simply said that while in this role he’ll do the very best he can to add value to the team and that, “When I prove my worth to the Manager, I’m sure I’ll get a shot at Closer.”

It reminded me of a local woman I know who is head-teller at her bank with aspirations for further advancement. She began as a regular teller but continually made herself available to take on extra assignments and help out wherever and whenever she could. And, she didn’t wait to be asked; she sought out the opportunities. As soon as the current head-teller left, she got the shot at “Closer.”

Has something similar ever happened to you or someone you know?

In Part Two, we’ll see what the best course of action is if, while you’re “stuck” in your present position, you’d either like to get a job somewhere else or even begin your own business.