born_rich-第20章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


which　separates　winning　from　losing　was　revealed　in　the　
filming　of　the　movie；　The　Razor's　Edge。　The　cast　for　the　movie　
was　comprised　of　eight　〃principal　actors；〃　and　eight　〃stand…
ins。〃　（That　is　to　say；　each　〃principal〃　had　a　〃stand…in〃　to　do　the　
hard；　grueling　and　tiresome　work　for　him；　while　the　stars　did　
〃the　rest！〃）　After　the　film　had　been　completed；　Life　Magazine　
published　a　story　in　which　the　pictures　of　the　eight　
〃principals〃　were　exhibited　on　one　page；　and　the　eight　〃stand…
ins〃　were　shown　on　the　opposite　page。　

The　stand…in　for　〃the　star〃　of　the　film；　Tyrone　Power；　was　
a　man　by　the　name　of　Thomas　Noonan。　Noonan　was　a　close　
associate　of　Power's　and　they　had　even　attended　the　same　high　
school　at　the　same　time。　Both　men　were　about　the　same　size；　
they　were　equal　in　intelligence；　they　dressed　almost　
identically；　and　they　resembled　one　another　very　closely；　even　
in　their　physical　appearance。　In　point　of　fact；　as　close　a　
resemblance　as　was　humanly　possible　existed　between　each　
〃principal　actor〃　and　his　or　her　〃stand…in。〃　But　in　one　way…and　


one　way　only…the　〃principal　actors〃　and　their　〃stand…ins〃　were　
completely　dissimilar。　For　the　combined　salaries　received　by　
the　eight　〃principals〃　for　the　picture　amounted　to；　what　was　at　
that　time；　a　staggering　489；000。　The　combined　salaries　for　
the　eight　〃stand…ins；〃　on　the　other　hand；　amounted　to　a　paltry　
6；534。　The　〃principals〃　may　only　have　been　slightly　more　
talented　than　their　〃understudies〃　were；　but　the　monetary　
compensation　which　they　received　was　seventy…five　times　
greater！　

As　your　awareness　becomes　increasingly　great　with　
respect　to　〃The　Razor's　Edge〃　concept；　you　will　be　astounded　
by　the　number　of　such　examples　you　encounter　every　day。　As　
a　case　in　point；　just　consider　how　much　kindlier　you　feel　
towards　a　particular　retail　store；　where　the　cashier　smiles　and　
〃thanks　you　for　your　business；〃　and　then　asks　you　to　come　
back　〃real　soon〃；　as　compared　to　one　where　you　are　greeted　
with　a　stern；　〃Well；　are　you　going　to　buy　anything　or　not；〃　
attitude。　

Or　consider　this　illustration…approximately　one　year　ago；　
a　family　attended　one　of　my　seminars　in　Toronto。　They　were　a　
truly　beautiful　family；　but　they　had　a　serious　problem　and　
they　asked　me　if　I　could　help　them　solve　it。　They　informed　me；　
to　begin　with；　that　they　were　the　owners　of　an　automobile　
repair　shop。　But　they　also　explained　their　business　had　gone　
sour；　so　〃sour；〃　in　fact；　they　were　seriously　contemplating　
〃closing　their　doors；〃　and　going　to　work　for　someone　else。　

In　an　attempt　to　assist　them；　I　visited　them　on　the　
premises　of　their　shop　and　I　asked　them　a　series　of　related　
questions。　Then；　I　〃sat　back〃　and　listened　very　carefully　to　the　
answers　which　they　provided　me　with。　It　wasn't　long　before　I　
ascertained；　that　whenever　I　asked　a　question　having　to　do　
with　their　ability　as　mechanics；　they　answered　with　great　
enthusiasm　and　literally　overflowing　with　confidence。　In　fact；　
they　soon　had　me　convinced　not　only　were　they　very　skillful　
mechanics；　but　they　were　exceptionally　hard　workers　as　well。　


On　the　other　hand；　however；　I　also　discerned；　that　
whenever　I　asked　them　a　question　which　touched　upon　the　
public　relation's　side　of　their　business；　they　exhibited　
absolutely　no　enthusiasm；　whatsoever。　In　fact；　an　aura　of　
pessimism　and　despondency　actually　came　over　them。　It　was　
fairly　obvious　to　me；　therefore；　the　only　problem　which　this　
family　really　had　was　dealing　with　their　own　mental　attitudes。　

Once　I　had　identified　the　exact　nature　of　the　problem；　I　
was　able　to　suggest　corrective　action。　I　told　them　they　must　
begin　to　〃visualize　their　shop　full　of　cars　which　needed　to　be　
repaired。〃　I　suggested；　moreover；　that　every　time　they　
visualized　themselves　doing　work　on　a　car；　they　also　visualize　
themselves　vacuuming　the　inside　of　the　car；　washing　the　
outside；　and　making　sure　the　windows　were　spotless。　I　pointed　
out　to　them；　that　because　most　people　don't　really　understand　
very　much　about　the　mechanical　aspects　of　a　car；　the　only　
thing　which　they　would　notice；　was　〃how　it　looked；〃　and　since　
almost　everyone　feels　better　driving　a　car　that　looks　good；　
these　little　extra　touches　would　soon　start　paying　great　
dividends　for　them。　

Approximately　two　weeks　later；　I　received　a　phone　call　
from　one　of　the　family　members。　She　told　me　that　none　of　
them　quite　understood　how　〃something　so　basic；〃　could　make　
such　a　tremendous　difference。　But　nevertheless；　they　had　
become　so　busy　in　the　next　two　weeks　since　I　had　visited　
them；　their　only　problem　now　was　completing　all　of　the　work　
which　they　had　attracted　to　themselves。　The　Razor's　Edge　
difference　that　changed　their　business　from　a　loser　into　a　
winner；　turned　out　to　be　nothing　more　dramatic　than　a　
hospitable　attitude　and　a　few　additional　touches　on　each　and　
every　automobile。　Was　it　worth　it？　Just　ask　the　Jacob's　family　
of　Toronto；　Canada！　

Most　educators　will　admit　…　with　some　coaxing　…　that　the　
average　individual　reads　at　only　about　a　grade　six　or　seven　
level。　The　reason　for　this　is　we　are　taught　to　read　by　the　time　
we　reach　grade　six　or　seven；　and　then　we　never　bother　to　


improve　our　reading　skills　beyond　that　point。　You　should　
realize；　moreover；　that　what　is　true　about　〃reading；〃　is　also　
true　of　most　other　skills　which　we　acquire　in　life。　Once　people　
have　become　proficient　in　the　basics　in　any　particular　field；　
they　usually　choose　to　stop　learning；　and　of　course；　from　that　
point　forward　they　cease　to　improve。　Since　this　is　true　of　most　
people；　it　follows　that　it　is　only　the　small　minority　of　people　in　
any　given　field　who　will　go　on　to　become　the　acknowledged　
experts　in　their　chosen　vocation。　Therefore；　they　are　the　people　
who　can　demand　and　who　will　receive　the　lion's　share　of　the　
income　in　their　field。　（Just　reflect　upon　the　vast　difference　in　
the　incomes　of　the　actors　in　the　movie　The　Razor's　Edge。）　

Taking　this　information　into　account；　consider　the　job　
you　are　doing　presently　and　ask　yourself　the　following　
questions：　〃How　good　am　I　at　doing　it？；〃　and　〃How　much　better　
could　I　be？〃　Realize；　that　if　you　would　study　your　chosen　field　
for　one　hour　per　day；　in　five　years　time　you　would　have　
studied　for　45　forty…hour　weeks；　which　amounts　to　almost　a　
full　year　of　study。　Moreover；　since　you　would　only　be　studying　
for　one　hour　at　any　given　time；　you　would　be　able　to　give　the　
material　your　undivided　attention。　Therefore；　it　would　actually　
be　the　equivalent　of　〃a　full　year〃　of　concentrated　study。　This　
means　that　by　the　end　of　the　first　year；　you　would　already　
have　put　in　nine　forty…hour　weeks　of　invaluable　study　time。　
Although　this　amounts　to　only　one　hour　of　study　per　day；　if　
you　were　to　follow　this　schedule　rigorously；　in　a　relatively　
short　span　of　time　you　would　stand　among　your　peers　like　a　
giraffe　in　a　herd　of　field　mice。　

In　fact；　when　you　really　think　about　it；　you　will　soon　
understand　there　isn't　any　competition　at　all；　because　there　
are　so　few　people　in　the　race；　that　even　the　losers　are　winners。　
Therefore；　you　need　not　do　a　tremendous　amount　of　studying　
to　gain　the　understanding　you　require；　because　again；　the　
difference　between　knowledge　and　ignorance；　may　be　as　fine　
as　〃the　Razor's　Edge。〃　


Let's　get　down　to　specifics　again…as　I　have　explained　to　
audiences　on　numerous　occasions；　I　do　a　great　deal　of　
studying　by　listening　to　educational　tapes　while　I　am　driving　
my　car。　I'd　like　to　suggest　that　you　turn　your　radio　off　and　
your　tape…recorder　on　when　you　get　into　your　car；　as　it　could　
make　as　big　a　difference　for　you；　as　it　has　for　me。　You　should　
be　aware　that　those　people　who　drive　twenty…five　thousand　
miles　per　year　spend　thirteen　forty…hour　weeks　sitting　behind　
the　wheel　of　their　car。　Therefore；　they　are　in　an　excellent　
position　to　have　a　wealth　of　invaluable　information　deposited　
in　their　subconscious　minds；　while　they　are；　otherwise；　
engaged　in　the　routine　activity　of　driving。　Remember；　it　is　
virtually　impossible　to　keep　exposing　your　mind　to　great　ideas　
without　having　those　ideas　expressed　in　your　physical　world。　
Moreover；　it　is　probably　only　one　idea　you　need　to　make　the　
difference　in　your　life。　

Consider　this　illustration…by　merely　moving　an　index　
finger　a　fraction　of　an　inch；　a　person　can　transform　a　cold　
piece　of　metal　into　a　deadly　weapon。　Or；　by　simply　shouting　
the　word　〃Fire；〃　a　person　can　turn　a　room　full　of　happy　people　
into　a　screaming；　panic…stricken　mob。　Obviously；　these　are　
both　very　negative　examples。　Nevertheless；　they　do　graphically　
illustrate　the　important　truth；　that　〃the　Razor's　Edge　can　cut　
both　ways。〃　In　other　words；　since　the　law　of　opposites　is　at　
work　in　every　aspect　of　life；　it　follows；　that　if　you　are　not　
consciously　striving　to　move　across　that　fine　line　to　improve　
the　quality　of　your　life；　you　could　be　inadvertently　moving　in　
such　a　way；　that　your　particular　position　in　life　is　actually　
starting　to　backslide。　

Let　me　elaborate。　A　couple　of　weeks　ago；　I　was　doing　a　
talk　show　on　the　radio。　A　lady　phoned　in　and　she　was　in　a　
fairly　negative　frame　of　mind　because　the　reality　of　her　life；　as　
she　perceived　it；　was　far　different　from　what　she　had　dreamed　
it　would　be　when　she　was　still　a　student　in　university。　
Apparently；　at　that　time；　she　had　dreamed　of　having　an　
exciting　career　as　a　famous　author。　However；　she　felt　her　
plans　had　been　ruined　because　she　married　shortly　after　


graduation　and　now　had　two　young　children　to　contend　with。　
The　children；　she　explained；　were　still　quite　young　and　they　
were；　as　she　described　it；　〃under　my　feet；　most　of　the　day。〃　
She　said　that　due　to　this　circumstance　of　life；　she　was　unable　
to　go　away　by　herself　to　write　and　this　made　her　feel　very　
resentful　towards　her　family　and　towards　life　in　general。　

I　suggested　to　her；　however；　it　was　not　necessary　to　〃go　
away〃　to　write　her　book；　even　though　it　is　quite　true　some　
writers　do　go　off　to　some　south　sea　island；　just　to　write。　But　I　
assured　her；　these　individuals　were　in　the　minority；　and　there　
are；　in　fact；　very　few　authors　who　devote　all　their　time　to　
writing　（or　who　even　earn　a　major　portion　of　their　income；　
while　engaged　in　this　activity）。　Therefore；　I　continued；　there　
was　absolutely　nothing　preventing　her　from　writing　at　least　
one　page　per　day…and　if　she　followed　this　schedule　religiously；　
in　a　year's　time　she　would　have　completed　a　good…sized　book　
（365　pages）；　or　possibly　two　or　three　smaller　ones。　Yes；　just　
getting　out　of　bed　one　hour　earlier　in　the　morning　could　be　the　
Razor's　Edge　difference　which　would　permit　her　to　realize　her　
dream。　Moreover；　she　would　have　the　additional　benefit　of　
having　her　family　near　her　to　provide　〃moral　support。〃　

First　Artificial　Heart　

As　I　am　writing　this　particular　chapter；　the　media　is　
literally　inundating　us　with　stories　about　the　〃first　artificial　
heart；〃　ever　to　have　been　placed　in　the　chest　of　a　human　
patient。　The　Toronto　Daily　Star；　for　example；　printed　one　story　
a　few　days　ago；　in　which　it　quoted　the　chief　surgeon　for　the　
operation；　Dr。　William　DeVries。　According　to　the　new