INTERNET BACKLASH

In recent weeks, there has been a lot of online discussion of the benefits and disadvantages of being online and Social Media, and I figured I may as well put my two cents' worth in.

First of all, I was very impressed with the series of blog commentaries made by one of The New Yorker's top writers, George Packer, which you can link to in this article and also click on a podcast discussing the topic and go to the New York Times article that stirred him up in the first place.

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2010/02/twitter-a-conversation.html

Then, just this morning, my dear friend, Dr. Mary Ann Somervill, sent me the following, which got me to thinking in a new way about this subject.

http://www.dailygood.org/view.php?qid=4016

I particularly liked this comment in the second paragraph of the second story, Be The Change:

We inhabit a world, he says, in which there are "no edges to our jobs" and "no limit to the potential information that can help us do our jobs better."

We all know that children need boundaries in order to feel safe and comfortable and thrive.

But we adults do too. And computers and the Internet have removed some of these traditional boundaries.

So, in a new world in which we have access to millions of new connections, we can use technology to be less connected. And in a new world filled with an overwhelming assortment of new conveniences, life can become more inconvenient. And it's all about "fuzziness", the lack of edges, not only to our jobs, but to every aspect of our lives.

In the past, this had been a challenge mainly for the suddenly rich. Such a person would find themselves flooded with so many more options and choices that choosing became a major activity. And those who didn't take this aspect of their new lives seriously ended up burnt out, dysfunctional, perhaps even addicted.

And now that we all are inundated with the riches of online life, we too are flooded and have to spend more time making selective decisions. And it can be a daunting task. A wonderful time to be alive, for sure, but not if we ignore the risks of becoming less human and much more fuzzy.

Oops, time to close this post, check my emails, order some books from Amazon.com, check my balance at Wells Fargo online, do my daily posts on Facebook and Twitter, and tune into a webinar.

Jerry

Speaking of choosing your input, you might find my latest post at my prosperity blog, www.MoneyloveBlog.com, interesting on the subject of Moneylove Mind Mix.

FAVORITE QUOTES--MAKE THEM YOUR OWN

So on one of my Google Searches on my name, I found two of many quotes of mine that appear frequently online--with a big and essential difference. Appearing on http://www.cashwithatrueconscience.com

No News Is Good News

by Ryan Biddulph

Today’s Headlines

From cnn.com ‘Man sought whose wife, 5 children killed’

‘Terror suspect: Phone call is being monitored’

‘State-run media: Yemeni military’

‘Ex-stripper says priest fathered child’

‘Stricter punishments for passengers behaving badly’

See why I don’t watch the news?

What Good Does The News Do You?

Consider this quote by Jerry Gillies from ‘The MoneyLove Manifesto’:

‘If it doesn’t bring me profit, pleasure, or knowledge, it isn’t worth doing.’

Does reading the news serve you? Try going a week without picking up a newspaper. See how ‘lost’ you’ll be. I’ve heard the ‘head in the sand’ argument. I’d rather have my head in the sand than inhaling toxic fumes. The news thrives on negativity. Fear sells. Stories must be tailored to hit the target audience. This is why positive articles are buried on the last page. The general public thrives on negativity. It gives them something to worry about. The news is mental junkfood. Cut it out of your diet. Any other former news junkies out there who’ve made the decision to go cold turkey?

and I also found this link http://inspired-spirit.blogspot.com/2010/01/you-will-recognize-your-own-path-when.html

The above is a site called Inspirational Quotes Explained, and featured the following:

You will recognize your own path when you come upon it, because you will suddenly have all the energy and imagination you will ever need” Jerry Gillies

I am sure you are aware of how your energy levels change, depending on what you are doing. Are you doing something you enjoy, your level of energy will be high and you will get a lot done. Are you doing something that you do not enjoy so much, both your energy level and productivity will be down. So, as you go about figuring out what your path is in this life, pay attention to what you REALLY enjoy doing.
I can guarantee you that your path is NOT to be doing something that you do not enjoy.
I am not sure where the imagination fits into this, but I will take a stab at it: When you are doing something that you enjoy, you are likely to come up with lots of ideas on how to improve what you are doing or how to reach your goal.

So what's my point? Well, right now if you search my name on Google, or Yahoo, or MSN, you will find thousands of mentions of dozens of quotes by me. And the same is true on Twitter. But just the quote itself appears. The above two examples are what I consider to be a more creative, effective, and interesting approach--to take a quote and expound and expand on it. A parrot can just repeat a single sentence, it doesn't take any real thought or imagination. But to give your own take on an inspiring idea is to make use of it, to absorb and process it, exercising your brain, and making it your own. And it doesn't have to be the ultimate in wisdom, perception, or analysis--just tell what it means to you and what in your life it relates to. Don't fall into the current trend of just being a repeating parrot--in other words, a birdbrain.

Jerry

FROM MONEYLOVE--ANOTHER PROSPERITY TALE

In the preceding post, we look at the trade-offs one has to make in some life situations. The story reminded me of one, with a similar moral, that I had in Moneylove. Interestingly enough, both stories are set on a boat, though I think I prefer the fisherman fable as it provides more elaborate detail. I like it so much, in fact, that I am seriously considering putting it in the revised and annotated edition of Moneylove right after the earlier story. Here then, is that story:

The well-known literary agent Paul Reynolds tells of a boat trip he took at the age of twenty-one. He met an elderly, distinguished-looking gentleman on the boat.

The older man asked him what his aspirations in life were, and Paul responded, "To make as much money as possible."

To this the elderly gentleman replied, "Oh, I can tell you how to make a lot of money."

Paul said, "Tell me."

And the man said, "All you have to do is find a town somewhere in America that is growing. There are plenty of them. Find a job in that town, any job. And immediately start investing 10 percent of your earnings in real estate in that town. In thirty or forty years, you'll be guaranteed a fortune!"

Well, that sounded pretty simple, so Paul asked the man, "Did you do it?"

And the man responded, "No. It wasn't worth it."

That story appears in the chapter entitled Worklove and is used to illustrate the importance of doing work you love, work you can be passionate about, work that brings its own reward in the simple doing of it. Anything else is never worth it.

Jerry

PROSPERITY WISDOM IN A GREAT MODERN FABLE

One of my Facebook friends, Paul Sutherland, passed this story on as a FB post, and I really like it and think it has an important message for all of us.

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

"Not very long," answered the Mexican.

"Then, why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?" asked the American.

The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.

The American asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

"I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. I have a full life."

The American interrupted, "I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat."

"And after that?" asked the Mexican.

"With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City! From there you can direct your huge new enterprise."

"How long would that take?" asked the Mexican.

"Twenty or twenty-five years," replied the American.

"And after that?"

"Afterwards? Well my friend, that's when it gets really interesting," answered the American, laughing. "When your business gets really big, you can start selling stocks and make millions!"

"Millions? Really? And after that?" said the Mexican.

"After that you'll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife, and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends."

And the moral is: Know where you're going in life ... you may already be there.

Jerry

For a lot more on prosperity and my Moneylove philosophy, check out my other blog at www.MoneyloveBlog.com