| A Letter I wrote this week... |
| Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. Philip K. Dick Dear Motivational Person, I am asking to be removed from the "positive quote of the day" email list and also to offer a suggestion. I have given this a lot of thought before writing. It was the positive quote you sent (seen above) that has spurred me to this action. You are right, I cannot ignore reality. Before I begin, let me explain my "anti-positive quote" reasoning with a simple medical analogy... Our body naturally harbors "good bacteria" which helps our immune system fight off bad bacteria. When we are sick, the bad bacteria is too high. The answer is to take an antibiotic which not only kills the bad bacteria but also, unfortunately, the "good bacteria." A danger exists if we take too many antibiotics...we may become immune to them and they will no longer work for us. This is how "superbugs" are created. The same type of cycle may exist with the positive quote of the day. Our mind harbors a healthy amount of negativity. Now, of course, if we are truly despondent, this negativity has reached an unhealthy level and a positive quote may be needed. However, if we are still functioning in society, our mixture of negative and positive thoughts is probably okay. Enter the positive quote of the day, and this delicate balance can become upset. I am concerned that if I read your positive quote every day, I may become immune to the "good negativity" that my mind naturally produces. I am suggesting to you that a kind of "superpositive" bug may come into existence due to the daily quotes you are generating. Let me caution you that I find these bugs very annoying! I suggest you stick with "the bi-weekly positive quote" as this will reduce the chances of superbugs. I would like to be on this kind of mailing list. This way, when I need a positive quote, I will not be immune to them. Better yet, you could mail a positive quote one day, and a negative quote the next...that's a good idea, and I'm giving it to you for free. Because I firmly believe in the "healthy negativity theory," I am offering my public speaking skills...consider it a community service. The next time your organization needs a key note speaker, remember what I can do for your employees. Just imagine the tension and stress disappearing from your workplace as each person views himself as "no different than anyone else." When I hit the road, here are some posters I will be selling. These will help to combat the overdose of positive thinking that is so prevalent. |
When others seem engrossed by what I'm saying, it's probably because there's a piece of food stuck between my teeth. |
| In the Great Machine of Life, I am the non-working, ill-fitting piece that slows down the whole assembly. |
| I cannot change the world. My contribution is to be one of the many, many faces in a crowd. |
No matter how far I travel... I never really escape my problems. |
| This looks like a lot of unnecessary work. |
| You'll never get around to fixing the place up. Who are you kidding? |
| I hope you remember...it takes 100 negative thoughts to counteract one careless, positive remark. Be careful with your words! |
Pass this encouragement on to a friend:
| I only need to worry about 3 things: 1. Money 2. Friends 3. My own lack of power and discipline. |
| Looking at this poster may be the only vacation I ever get. |
| When people look at me, they laugh. |
| Second Place means that you are the first loser. |