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July 4, 2007 The Intriguing Story Of The Indian Farmer's DaughterIn This Issue: Feature Article: "The Intriguing Story Of The Indian Farmer's Quick Tips: "3 Tips For Avoiding Time-wasting Meetings" Fast Facts: "The Infamous Dunning-Kruger Effect" * FEATURE ARTICLE * “The Intriguing Story Of The Indian Farmer's Daughter”By Anonymous(When I received this story from a friend, I just knew I had to share it!) Many years ago in a small Indian village, a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a village money- lender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer's beautiful daughter. So he proposed a bargain. He said he would forgo the farmer's debt if he could marry his daughter. Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the proposal. So the cunning money-lender suggested that they let providence decide the matter. He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag. If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father's debt would be forgiven. If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven. But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail. They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the farmer's field. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag. Now, imagine you were standing in the field. What would you have done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you have told her? Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:
Take a moment to ponder over the story. The above story is used with the hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral and logical thinking. The girl's dilemma cannot be solved with traditional logical thinking. Think of the consequences if she chooses the above logical answers. What would you recommend to the girl to do? The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles. "Oh, how clumsy of me," she said. "But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked." Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had picked the white one. And since the moneylender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one. Moral of the story: Most complex problems do have a simple solution. We just don't usually think them through to achieve an answer. * HIGHLY RECOMMENDED * “Free Video - An Internet Business That's Hard To Beat”Check out this free video for a sneak peak into how to run a successful membership website. ==> Free Membership Bootcamp Video The guys behind the video are earning as "low" as $4,479 per month from one of their membership sites... ... and as high as $208,958 a month for one of their other membership sites! It's a terrific business model - and one which I'll be putting into practice in the not-to-distant future. If you're interested in launching a membership site... or are just plain curious (could this be the Internet business for you?) check out this video now: ==> Free Membership Bootcamp Video * QUICK TIPS * “3 Tips For Avoiding Time-wasting Meetings”Let's face it - time-wasting meetings are the scourge of the business world!Here are 3 tips for avoiding them... 1. Instead of agreeing to a formal meeting, suggest that the matter be dealt with by email, phone or in a quick one-on-one chat - whichever is most effective and efficient. 2. If it doesn't significantly impact you... don't attend the meeting! While everyone else is flittering away their time, you can use it to get your work done without interruption. Chances are someone will give you the key outcomes of the meeting later anyway. 3. If #2 isn't an option (e.g. because the meeting directly concerns you) let everyone know that your time is limited e.g. you only have 30 minutes. Once everyone knows there's no time for chit-chat or going off on tangents, the real business can probably be done in the allocated time. * HIGHLY RECOMMENDED * “How Insiders Get The Jobs They Want... And You Can Too!”Studies show that 50% of all new jobs go to "Insiders"... Not just existing employees, but people who BECOME insiders by taking a somewhat different - yet much more effective - approach to getting the job they want. Despite this, most books, career counselors and recruiters keep telling us to apply for a job using the conventional, "Outsider" approach! Fine... if you want to join the long queue of people waiting to get in the "front door." But if you want to slip in the "side door"... and not settle for any old job... but land the job you REALLY want, here's how: ==> The Insider Secrets Of How To Really Get The Job You Want * FAST FACTS * “The Infamous Dunning-Kruger Effect”I've always thought that the combination of arrogance and ignorance is a deadly combination.What I didn't realise was that ignorant people are often arrogant and vice versa! And in fact, it's been documented. The "Dunning-Kruger Effect" describes that all-too common phenomenon of incompetent people thinking they're much more competent than they are. Studies by Justin Kruger and David Dunning, of Cornell University, found that:
Meanwhile, people with true knowledge tended to underestimate their competence! In 2000, Kruger and Dunning won the Nobel prize for their work. Hmmm... did I ever tell you how brilliant I am at making chocolate dipped strawberries? (Don't ask!) |
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