Overcoming the silver bullet syndrome
March 26, 2013 by Karl Schilling
The existence of a magic remedy or a silver bullet keeps scams and fraud alive and well. When you give up this one belief and accept that success is possible only through a structured work ethic, great financial results can be had.
Great wealth for little or no effort, free money, quick returns, overnight success, zero risk, risk-free, guaranteed! This is the rhetoric of the silver bullet syndrome. The one consistent behavior trait that supersedes even cynicism and skepticism is the belief that one can get rich quick. This has long been the implied promise in all scams, fraud and predatory sales tactics.
When you grasp a very simple concept, you can let go of this tragically destructive belief pattern. In fact, the ability to become inoculated and insulated against fraud is built upon a foundation of behavioral change. The ability to change any behavior pattern relies on the foundational change of a belief. Many times, beliefs become deeply ingrained and are subconscious triggers of which we are unaware. When these triggers are launched, the results are a pre-ordained decision-making process which has been built upon the underlying beliefs about any pertinent information.
The simple truth is if you believe the sky is black, then you will make all your decisions based upon this information, regardless of the fact that the sky is blue. You ultimately see what you believe and therefore the sky is black — no amount of evidence will shake this ingrained belief. The old adage goes, “I’ll believe it when I see it,” but the truth is, I’ll see it when I believe it. Now, of course this is a very extreme example, but it highlights how the subconscious process works.
Beliefs about money are just as extreme; every individual has developed certain beliefs about money, and all their financial decisions are made based upon their beliefs. If you have been ordained to believe that money is the root of all evil and that to be wealthy would be destructive, then you are repelling money on a daily basis. All your decisions are made with this simple belief driving your subconscious mechanisms.
With this awareness, you can now understand the common urge to find quick money and shortcuts to success. On a conscious basis, the vast majority of individuals want to believe that there is a silver bullet that will take care of all your needs and get you out of any difficulties. It is simply a natural mindset to feel comfortable with the chance to win the lottery and have all the problems melt away. Of course, the statistical probability of winning the lottery is just a tad above zero, but the chance is the addiction. We are addicted to chance. We want to believe and we want to win with no sacrifice, no risk and yet we want a guarantee that if we fail, we can be made whole immediately.
The reality is that there is no winning without work; there is no success without sacrifice; and there are no guarantees in life. One of the greatest tools in a scam artist’s bag is the impression that there are guarantees and risk-free opportunities to become immensely rich and have everything you ever dreamed of. This fantasy is portrayed time and again in every commercial venture you are exposed to. It is played out emotionally in scams, fraud and predatory sales tactics. So, what is the simple answer to this tragically destructive belief?
There is no such thing as a silver bullet
The mystical silver bullet in any deal, opportunity, marketing proposals, etc. just doesn’t exist. While extra terrestrials, Big Foot, the Loch Ness monster and other myths are good for scientific and intellectual debate, none of these beliefs directly endangers your financial future. (Unless, of course, the scam or fraud is driven around a space trip or a Big Foot excursion).
The existence of a magic remedy or a silver bullet keeps scams and fraud alive and well. When you give up this one belief and accept that success is possible only through a structured work ethic, and that great financial results can be had through the use of solid due diligence, intelligent use of time, capital and rate of return, you can eradicate silver bullet syndrome. Financial success can be had through the oversight of risk profiles and how risk relates to return, and how growth expands when risk, return and chance are properly executed. When you remove the silver bullet, you can think logically and rationally. You can attach your emotional connections to the elements of your life that require strong emotional support.
Money is simply a concept; it is not a living, breathing organism and has no emotional value. Unfortunately, most people have attached an emotional value to money, and it’s this emotionally driven impact that gets in the way of making smart decisions about money. Money can be an ally or a great misery. The choice is up to the individual.
Repeat after me: There is no silver bullet.
