The Plumber and Accurate Thinking
by Chad Forschino
“Honey… we have a problem!”
“What’s the issue, Darling?”
“There is water everywhere in the house because the main water line burst!”
“No problem…I will immediately call the cardiologist!”
Not all actions and decisions are good ones. A cardiologist may be extraordinarily competent at open heart surgery, yet in this scenario… it is better to call the plumber. But not all decisions are this absurdly obvious.
Charlie Tremendous Jones famously said:
“Want to know the secret to success?
Good judgement!
Want to know where we get good judgement from?
Experience!
Know where we get experience?
Poor judgement!”
Have you ever made a decision and wondered, “Was that a good decision?” It is easy to default to the accuracy of decision with the immediate results: Good outcome…Good decision! Bad outcome…Bad decision!
However, Principle 10 – Accurate Thinking – has something to teach us about decision making and the ability to properly appraise the merit and value of our decisions.
Mary Kay said, “Ideas are a dime a dozen. People who implement them are priceless.”
Those who think and take action are decision-makers. How well one makes decisions depends upon the capacity and ability to think accurately.
Dr. Hill teaches these simple yet profound steps:
- Separate fact from opinion,
then
- Separate important facts from unimportant facts.
The second step, separating important facts from unimportant facts, is where some trip, thinking all facts are important. They are not. It is difficult for some to embrace a “fact” as being unimportant. All facts in their respected context have importance, but for decision making… important facts are all facts relevant and pertaining to your definite major purpose.
An important fact when water is everywhere in the house, is the correct number to the plumber!
When evaluating if a decision is a good one or a bad one, do not merely esteem the decision based upon the immediate outcome but determine the merit of the decision in accordance with your definite major purpose – the desired outcome.
Make decisions in accordance with advancing towards the accomplishment of that outcome and when you choose wrong (which is a decision that does not advance you towards your goal)…simply re-choose.
We are all learning and growing and as we build an inventory of experiences that have been amassed through poor judgment, we will be better equipped to deploy better decisions: decisions that are in accordance and advance us towards our definite purpose.
Mr. Don Green, the CEO of the Napoleon Hill Foundation, often says, “The greatest investment one can make is in yourself.”
The Napoleon Hill Foundation offers an online course where one has the opportunity to delve deeper into the 17 Principles of Success, an investment of time and money that will yield an immeasurable return. If you have not enrolled and you want to know more about the principles of success taught by Dr. Hill, consider such an investment.
Learning from the teaching of Dr. Hill on Accurate Thinking (Principle 10) will expand the capacity of the mind to distinguish and separate important facts from unimportant facts to apply them to better decision-making.
So the next time we are confronted with the urgency about a busted water line…the decision is simple…
“No problem, I will call the plumber!”