September 3, 2008

The Ugly Side Of Fairness

In This Issue:

Feature Article: "The Ugly Side Of Fairness"

Quick Tips : "What To Focus On To Get Better Results"

Food For Thought: "Is 'Weather Obsession' Age Related?"

* FEATURE ARTICLE *

“The Ugly Side Of Fairness”

Most of us value 'fairness'. The idea that we should all have a say in who governs us... that we should be treated the same under the law... that we should all have equal access to quality education and health care... that we should have equal opportunities when it comes to getting a job... that we should be rewarded equally for the same work...

...or do we?

Although we may have a concept of what fairness means, and have beliefs about what is and is not fair... our sense of fairness is probably quite subjective.

Do incarcerated felons have a right to vote for who governs the country? Does equal access to quality education and health care mean that it should all be free for everyone? What about user pays - isn't that fairer? Or is it fairer to base access on who can afford to pay?

What does fairness mean when it comes to getting a job? Is it 'equal opportunity'... and what is equal opportunity anyway? Does it mean that a company should be obliged to interview someone for a position even if the company doesn't regard the candidate as qualified (even though the candidate thinks they are)?

And should we really be rewarded equally for the same work? What if some of us live in areas where the cost of living is much greater? Or what if demand and supply are such that some industries end up struggling to fill roles?

Reading through these question, you probably have your own views about what fairness really means - largely relating to your philosophical and political leanings.

But regardless of what your views about fairness are, you would probably agree that, in general, life is NOT fair. Your idea about what is fair in a given circumstance is likely to be broken many times.

And that brings us to the UGLY SIDE of fairness - where our view about fairness gives way to a sense of entitlement, as well as some resentment about what others do or don't have. In other words, a 'scarcity mentality'.

Not only is this an ugly aspect of human nature but it is extremely harmful to our well-being. I have no doubt that feeling jealous and resentful undermines our happiness and closes our minds to the opportunities that are all around us.

What am I talking about? Well, let me give you an example to show how easy it is for us to become gripped by such a scarcity mentality:

• You discover that your favorite clothing store is offering a 25 discount on everything in store. You find a pair of jeans you love and are thrilled to get the 25 percent discount when you buy them.

• A couple of days later you catch up with a friend who also bought the same jeans from the same store. Only they got a 50 percent discount, rather than the 25 percent discount you got. It turns out that the store introduced a 50 percent store-wide discount the day after it ran the 25 percent offer.

Now, before you have time to think, how do you instinctively feel about (a) your friend and (b) the store?

Jealous and resentful that the store gave your friend a better deal than you? A feeling that 'it's just not fair?'

If so... you're human. But hopefully that initial feeling quickly gives way to the realization that:

1. You still got a good deal that you were originally happy with; and

2. The store and your friend were free to negotiate whatever deal they wanted.

It's the first point that matters most - you were happy with the deal you struck... so why be resentful towards the store and your friend because they struck a different arrangement?

Unfortunately, human nature seems to be such that many of us instinctively feel angry when someone else appears to get a better deal than us... even if we are happy with what we have.

And yet, this really is how life is. There are people who ARE stronger, fitter, smarter, better looking, richer, etc than us. But since you are reading this email, chances are there are literally MILLIONS of people who are worse off than you in each of these respects.

I'm not saying we shouldn't fight or lobby for what we believe is fair and in the interests of society as a whole (we absolutely should)... but when it comes to more trivial situations, or situations where we DO have a say over what we get and, indeed, ARE happy with what we get... let's not obsess about 'fairness' when someone else seems to get a better deal.

Such an attitude is ugly, self-destructive and reeks of a scarcity mentality.

Much better to be happy for others who are more privileged than us, and focus on how we can join them, rather than beat them.

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* HIGHLY RECOMMENDED *

“I Quit!”

Is this something you've been meaning to say to your boss?

Yet, right now, it's back to school and back to work for many people.

And back to the realization that there MUST be a better way to make an income and enjoy a more fulfilling life.

Like working at home in a business or job you LOVE.

It's not as far-fetched as you might think. In fact, you CAN work at home, make loads of money, and have the lifestyle you want.

Not through any scams or schemes. But by choosing the right work at home opportunity for YOU. And to help you do exactly that, The Work At Home Bible is a must-read:

==> Claim Your Copy Of The Work At Home Bible

* QUICK TIPS *

“What To Focus On To Get Better Results”

Many of us believe we should focus on the "end result" in order to achieve what we want in life - whether it's achieving better results in our business or career, losing weight, getting fit, and so on.

I agree with having a clear and compelling vision of what we want. Among other things, this provides ongoing motivation and inspiration as we face the inevitable challenges during our journey.

But when it comes to actually "doing it" - making more sales, managing people better, eating the right foods, exercising, etc - we're typically better of focusing on the process rather than the goal.

Why? Because this is where we have the most control. We can't control results... we can only control inputs.

• We can't control whether or not we'll get that promotion. We CAN control how we perform on the job.

• We can't control how much money our business will make this year. We CAN control how and what the business invests in (marketing, product development, etc)

• We can't control how much weight we'll ultimately lose. We CAN control what we eat today.

So rather than spend too much time thinking about the goal... let's spend MOST of our time on doing the right things to achieve that goal.

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* HIGHLY RECOMMENDED *

“WARNING: Read This Book Before You Look For a Job...”

"What a great book! Anna has given me ideas and strategies that I would never have thought of....EVER.

Which probably also means that no one else will have thought of them either. I know for certain that if I follow the principles of this book, I will have a distinct advantage and edge over everyone else.

There are some amazing strategies in this book, such as: changing how you think about what you "want", great resume writing ideas, interview strategies/techniques and how to target key decision makers in ANY company to get that job.

My personal favourite is the "Job Fulfillment Description" on a resume. I had never heard of this until I read this book and I think that most employers would be blown away when presented with this technique.

Thank you Anna for writing such a great book. I plan to keep this book for a very long time and keep it for my children to read when they are ready to enter the workforce.

I recommend this book to anyone who cringes at the thought of going to work or who has a dream job in mind."

-- Cathy Shier, Thornleigh, NSW, Australia

Download Anna Johnson's unorthodox, yet highly effective, job hunting guide, Insider Job Secrets. Click here:

==> Insider Job Secrets Revealed

* FOOD FOR THOUGHT *

“Is 'Weather Obsession' Age Related?”

Have you noticed that the older you get, the more you obsess about the weather? (And I'm not talking about scary weather such as Hurricane Gustav here... I'm talking about the day-to-day weather...)

Kids don't seem to give much thought to the weather. Heck, my kids insist on wearing summer clothes in winter and don't seem to mind icy-cold water when we go to the beach on those just-not- warm-enough-for-me-to-swim days.

And how many kids do you hear talking about the weather, versus how many adults?

So, if it's true, why are we more concerned about the weather - something that affects everyone, young and old - as we grow older?

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