Self Confidence

[tourbi]

The business executive was deep in debt and could see no way out. Creditors were closing in on him. Suppliers were demanding payment. He sat on the park bench, head in hands, wondering if anything could save his company from bankruptcy. Suddenly an old man appeared before him. "I can see that something is troubling you," he said. After listening to the executive's woes, the old man said, "I believe I can help you." He asked the man his name and wrote out a check. He pushed it into his hand, and said, "Take this money. Meet me here exactly one year from today, and you can pay me back at that time." Then he turned and disappeared as quickly as he had come. The business executive saw in his hand a check for $500,000, signed by John D. Rockefeller, then one of the richest men in the world! "I can erase my money worries in an instant!" he realized. But instead, the executive decided to put the uncashed check in his safe. Just knowing it was there might give him the strength to work out a way to save his business.

With renewed optimism, he negotiated better deals and extended terms of payment. He closed several big sales. Within a few months, he was out of debt and making money once again. Exactly one year later, he returned to the park with the uncashed check. At the agreed-upon time, the old man appeared. But just as the executive was about to hand back the check and share his success story, a nurse came running up and grabbed the old man. "I'm so glad I caught him!" she cried. "I hope he hasn't been bothering you. He's always escaping from the rest home and telling people he's John D. Rockefeller." And she led the old man away by the arm. The astonished executive just stood there, stunned. All year long he'd been wheeling and dealing, buying and selling, convinced he had half a million dollars behind him. Suddenly, he realized that it wasn't the money, real or imagined, that had turned his life around. It was his newfound self-confidence that gave him the power to achieve anything he went after. As nice as this story is, I doubt if it is actually true. However, like a lot of fables, it makes a great common sense point about career and life success. If you believe in yourself and your success, you are likely to find ways to make that belief come true. Think about it.

[Pravin Kumar]

Dear Torbi,

This is very good one. It again reminds that if a person worries unnecessarily then he cannot think clearly. I remember a number of incidents in my life when I was trapped in a difficult situation and could not even think what to do. At just that appropriate moment my mind failed me and the worry vanished. It was as if I had submitted to HIM. Out of nowhere the solution presented itself and I came out of difficult situation as if nothing had happened.

I was stuck up in the middle of night outside a small city in the North East. The driver of the bus refused to enter the city as he wanted to go bye pass. It was drizzling outside and absolute no sign of life anywhere. No help for my transportation anywhere. I had to get down from the bus and started walking with my luggage towards the city.

I had just walked 100 metres when I saw a big petrol pump which was totally sheltered on the top. I went there and first got protection from rain. The very next minute a rickshaw pedal driven by a man with a customer came to that petrol pump as if out of nowhere. This gave me hope but had I boarded that rickshaw he would have taken more than 50 minutes to take me to where I had to go. Just then another tourist bus came to the petrol pump to have a refill. The bus was packed. When I approached the helper of the Driver inside for a lift he refused stating that there is no room. I approached the Driver who first refused saying there is no room but subsequently on my requesting he asked me to board the bus if there is any room. This driver dropped me ultimately at a place which was hardly 100 metres from my Hotel and he  did not have to go out of his way too. Just on his way. And then he refused to accept any money. He felt so happy giving me a lift and I cannot forget him.

You would say he was an angel or a guide or what. I say that when you are left with no option and leave it to HIM the solution presents itself. For he creates situation so that we remember HIM and if we accept it we are protected.

Pravin Kumar

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