The Second Amendment or the Second Commandment
Lately, I have been reflecting on the second commandment and the second amendment as it is written in the Old Testament and the US Constitution, respectively. The second commandment says, Thou shalt have no other gods before me. The second amendment reads, A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. My purpose in fabricating this is to stimulate thought and avoiding any desire to preach. I will also explain how this applies to attracting the right prospects and generating more referrals as we continue life’s journey.
All too often as I walk, drive, turn on the news, or pick up a newspaper I find that we have come to idolize technology. It includes i-Phones, extreme television entertainment/reality shows, and the takeover by Hollywood of our moral compass, which is the reason there is so much turmoil in the world. Recognizing that we love “things” more than we love each other allows our moral compass to spin out of control. On top of this we add the gun violence to the mix coupling destruction with airplanes, delivery trucks, and cars becoming bombs, I encourage myself to wonder “why?” In days passed, we looked to family, friends, clergy to help us cope with war, poverty, and homelessness. Today we look to Hollywood, Silicon Valley, and Las Vegas to relieve our hurting souls. Our ability to feel safe has been demonized due to the uncertainty of our surroundings. Going into a crowd for holiday events, concerts, and the such have us all on alert rather than in a relaxed state prepared to enjoy the event. We are told to be ready, be alert in our surroundings, and if you see something, say something. I often wonder how much time we are spending in the movie theater, on our i-Phone, or television for stress relief versus spending time as a volunteer lifting up someone in need. When was the last time you made the opportunity to pay it forward? When we help others we help ourselves.
Long ago I lost the concept of when you do selfless acts or when you do good for others that is all that matters. I get a mountain high every time I help a presenter make their presentation better by giving them some requested advice. Making myself available to speakers in need in three different organizations allows me to give back. So many that gave to me without even knowing they were giving have made it possible for me to give to others. All they did was put themselves in a place where good was happening. That is what I am asking for from you. Putting yourself in a place this season for doing good for others will create a warm glow for you, which in turn will deliver prosperity.
I wish I had the answer to these two Seconds and maybe I do. In SoCal I would gather with my Jewish, Muslim, and Christian friends and we would wonder aloud why it was that we all got along so well. Why is it that there is so much turmoil in our world in the name of religion? Someone recently told me that they have no religion because all religion does is cause wars. That is just a poor excuse. We could make a similar statement around the idea that the crops in Iowa did not produce enough corn this year by saying, “I am going to war because the crops did not produce enough.” We have to want to get along with others. I choose to trust in my fellow Muslim, Christian, and Jewish brothers and sisters. I want to impart the same values as they do towards me.
When it comes to attracting the right prospects and generating more referrals we need to put ourselves in the places where good can happen. Technology, the movie theater, spending time watching television, or listening to music on a headset limits our ability to interact with other people. It still amazes me as to how rich our lives can become when we decide to put ourselves in places where good happens. This applies to being an employee, self-employed, retired, young, or old.
Other examples for me are highlighted below from our recent move to Arizona: living here for six months I have extended my hand in friendship to our neighbors. From that:
- I have had a young family bake me cookies. As I returned their plate, I baked them cookies.
- My neighbors who are seniors needed a modification to an end table, which I gladly did for free.
- One neighbor needed her dining room table refurbished, which I did for free. She gave me a $50 gift card.
- Recently, I invited our realtor and her husband to Toastmasters. She plans to join in January.
- My new neighbor came to a yard sale and bought El Camino car parts. Yesterday I helped him unload a U-Haul truck.
In summary, I believe that doing good for others will pay us all well when it comes to attracting the right prospects and generating more referrals. This is how the two Seconds tie together. Gun violence goes away when people in need of mental support have someone to talk with about the right way to deal with anxiety. When we have faith that our brothers and sisters all are inherently good, we can join arms and live in peace. Please consider the above using your own reflections, and how much joy you are getting from being able to do good. You might sit with a piece of paper (or in front of your laptop if you must) writing a list of good you can do above the norm. As the author Napoleon Hill wrote, it is time for you to “Think and Grow Rich.”
Gerry Rose runs INTEGRITY Networking Solutions in Marana, AZ. He works with people in business who want to attract the right prospects and generate more referrals. More than 10,000 businesses have been presented the INTEGRITY Networking Solutions system in San Diego, Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange counties, California and now in Arizona.
Gerry’s stimulating presentation Unlimited Prospects, Unlimited Referrals is ideally suited for small business owners, home-based businesses, and independent professionals who want clearer direction and want to attract more prospects, develop dynamic systems, and strengthen their companies’ accountability. Gerry does one on one consulting, conducts a range of keynote speeches from thirty minutes to full-day education workshops. His book series, Unlimited Prospects, Unlimited Referrals, are available on the website, www.integritysd.com.
Gerry has more than 20 years’ experience directing business owners how to grow their businesses. He is a networking dynamo. Those who know him will assure you that he does a great job of bringing people together—which is why he started INTEGRITY.
Involved with networking organizations since 1984, Gerry is a Distinguished Toastmaster, a member of Toastmaster International, and has chaired numerous chambers of commerce and non-profit organizations.
Are you truly committed to attracting the right prospects and generate more referrals? If so then contact INTEGRITY Networking Solutions for availability and information. You can contact Gerry by mail at 5107 W. Wild Burro Spring Drive, Marana, AZ 85658. Direct dial (760) 439-4623; e-mail to gerry@integritysd.com. For more information, go to www.integritysd.com
