I was listening to a man speak who was referencing Warren Buffet. Warren Buffet had been speaking to a group of high school students when one of the students asked how they could make money and be successful. He answered the question by having the student look around the room. He then asked the student who he would choose if he could earn 10% of their income for life. Who would you pick in this room to be able to earn 10% of their income?
Pretty tough question. It gets beyond their beauty, strength, and good grades. It gets beyond their popularity, whether they have had a good upbringing or not, or whether their family is rich or poor.
He went on to say – “Would you bet on yourself?” If not, why not? You can then begin to identify and change the things that need to be changed to increase what you deserve in life.
It boils down to that phrase we heard our parents say so many times, “You get what you deserve.” Or, “They are getting what they deserve.”
Charlie Munger stated, “The world is not yet a crazy enough place to reward undeserving people.”
Wow! That’s such a huge statement. Consider these two examples:
- If Arnold Schwarzeneger can workout for 4-6 hours a day, and still be flabby, weak, and fat… yet a person who eats fast food every day stays lean, trim, and strong – is that fair or deserving?
- If a person is a surgeon who has studied, done the residencies, and does delicate procedures on the body… does he deserve to get the same wage as a person who stocks shelves at Walmart? Would that be fair?
If the answer is “No,” and it most certainly is “no,” then an obvious conclusion is that life is fair, and we get what we deserve.
Now, understand that when I say life is fair, I am not referring to tragedies, cancer, or the like. I am referring to the fact that we get what we deserve, and that the balance (or lack of) in our bank account is fair, just, and deserved.
When I stand in front of the mirror and look at myself, the shape of my body, my posture, my fitness – I am who I deserve to be. Those cookies, the crap and the Mt. Dew are showing themselves quite well.
It is the reaping/sowing principle – just put into different words.
The Real Question To Be Asked
If I am who I deserve to be – then how to I change what I deserve? How can I deserve more money in my bank account? How can I deserve a better marriage? How can I deserve a healthier me? How can I deserve better father/children relationships? How can I deserve better friendships? And, how can I deserve a deeper walk in my Christian faith?
You see, if you want to get what you want, you have to deserve what you want.
Consider this – let me invert or reverse what was said earlier regarding Warren Buffet’s comments. As you look around the room, who wouldn’t you bet on? That’s huge. When you begin to know who you wouldn’t bet on, you can begin to see some of the intangibles that make up the character of someone you don’t want to model, learn from, be like, or follow.
Would you bet on you? If not, why? What can you change to begin to reverse some of the negative intangibles in your life? Let me give you some of my personal changes as examples:
- It’s time to quit so many games on my phone. They waste so much of my time. They are mindless and I completely disengage. Not a positive intangible.
- I have started running again (finally). If I want the body of a runner… guess what? I need to run 🙂
- I want to lose my pear shape and my propensity toward a life of heart disease and diabetes. That most certainly means removing the foods from my diet that lead me toward a life of heart disease and diabetes and making better food choices
- I am an entrepreneur. I am a teacher. I have much to contribute. But, I have stopped believing that. I have not been acting like what I know in my heart I am. It reminds me of Simba, from The Lion King, where he had forgotten who he was. He is speaking with his father, Mufasa. “You have forgotten who you are and so have forgotten me. Look inside yourself Simba. You are more than what you have become.” He tells him it is time to take his place, and to remember who he is.
- I have been a poor friend. I have let many of my friendships fall to the wayside. I have been so self absorbed (there’s a clue) that I have not taken the time to spend time with my friends.
- I need to read more. Reading is key. At least one book per month on business, success, faith, or some other non-fiction book.
- I need to make more time for my marriage and my fatherhood. I need to date my wife. I need to turn off my devices. I need to take my kids to lunch. I need to listen more. I need to take them on vacation. I need to take them fishing. I need to watch movies, have game nights, help with homework, a road trip, etc.
There is always room to grow. But it begins by being aware of the fact that you get what you deserve, and life is fair that way. You then need to be aware that you can change your “deserve-it factor.” Once you are aware that you can change it, you need to be aware of the things you need to change… and then…
I can bet on me.
I am not competing with anyone but myself. I want to be the person that you will bet on too.
As a final side note (after reading through my post and wanting to clarify anything that may sound faithless) – I am not saying that I am my own and I do not need God. Quite contrary… Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.” Paul was saying that he was a follower of Christ, but he was also a leader worth following.