April 5, 2010 by Max Simon 24 Comments
Let me just start out by saying…
I DON’T WANT TO WRITE THIS POST!!!
…Because I vowed many times before that I had learned this lesson and would not repeat it again….yet apparently, I was wrong… because the Bad News Bears have come back for a repeat visit and this time, they took home the gold.
So let me just tell you now that this letter is going to be about INTUITION….and how ignoring it will cost you time, money, energy, and your sanity.
Here’s the story…
As you know, I am preparing to launch my most EXCITING and POWERFUL project yet…
…It’s called Sold-Out Seminar Secrets…and it’s a super cool step-by-step system to help you put on your own transformational live events that deeply transform people’s lives and make you six-figures in a single weekend (awesome, right?).
And just because I’m super excited about it….let me just tell you that IT’S GOING TO ROCK! (can you tell that I’m fired up?)
Seriously…if you’re into live events….this will be the most comprehensive and rich program you’ve ever seen.
And to launch this puppy…
We’ve decided to try something very different (and unique) just to shake things up…which means that you’ll get a comprehensive VIDEO course chalked full of amazing content, funny stories, and some cool extra goodies about how to put on your own powerful, profitable, and purposeful live events.
…Seriouslly, it’s going to be the coolest thing I’ve ever created for you…especially if you want to deeply impact people’s lives and have a ton of fun doing it (I just LOVE live events).
And here’s where it’s gotten sticky…
Now let me share with you that I’ve never done something like this…
… Meaning, I’ve never created a 4-part video course with all the fancy bells and whistles that’s going into these movies for you (it’s going to be sooo cool).
So like anything new, I’m failing fast, taking constant imperfect action, and making PLENTY of mistakes.
But here’s the thing…
… You and I both know the difference between diving into something new and being a little (or a lot) afraid…
Or having that feeling in your gut that you’re going down the wrong path and that you need to STOP.
You know what I mean?
Well, I ignored that little signal, trying to “make believe” that what I heard was just FEAR, even though I knew damn well that it was actually my intuition flashing the “WRONG” signal loud and clear.
So here’s what happened, specifically…
I’ve been working with a video guy who is a close friend of mine, and someone that I love dearly.
…Yet he is not someone that really GET’S what I do…meaning, we’re not in the same conversation (does that make sense?).
So even though he is SUPER-TALENTED and full of potential, we never see eye-to-eye when it comes to translating the vision in my head into a tangible video that truly reflects the energy of what I do.
Yet I love him…so I keep sending business his way.
So now it’s time to do this campaign and I kept getting that FEELING that he wasn’t the right guy for the job….like I needed someone new.
Yet even though my intuition was sending this message loud a clear, my mind was attempting to rationalize why everything would be OK.
Does that ever happen to you?
I could actually here the conversation playing in my head: “We’ve done stuff together before. He’s a smart guy. What if he CAN do it?”
Furthermore, I noticed a little bit of resistance to “find someone new” because it would take extra energy, time, and strain (at least that’s the excuse my mind made up). Plus, there’s always a little bit of that “fear” going with someone new and finding out they just can’t deliver (vs. going with someone old who you KNOW can’t deliver….haha).
So even though my current guy wasn’t the right fit, and my intuition was screaming to go in a different direction, I decided to “play it safe” and stay with him…
…And as you can imagine, it was a disaster.
…Our shooting location got cancelled at the last second.
… He wasn’t able to get a green screen.
… No tele-prompter
… One of his extra’s accidentally dropped my laptop and it broke the screen.
… the whole experience FELT super draining and challenging
…PLUS, we didn’t get the footage we needed.
Yup…it pretty much sucked.
Sounds fun…right?
Now here’s the thing….
NONE OF THIS IS THE VIDEO GUY’S FAULT!!!
… Because it was ME who asked him to do something he had never done before…
… Because it was ME who didn’t find someone who was an expert in this area…
… Because it was ME to ignored my intuition and played it safe.
And as a result, it was ME who suffered the consequences.
So what can we learn from this?
Now this might all sound like a disaster….and it is (to a certain degree)….but there’s also A TON of good stuff that can (and will) come out of this.
1) We’re now on the hunt to find the PERFECT video guy (or girl) to help us with this campaign and we’re 1000% confident that we will find them.
2) We learned all sorts of things about how to do video the RIGHT WAY…so now, I am that much more prepared to help YOU!
3) It’s reinforce the importance of taking extra time up-front to find the right people so that you don’t have to do things again (which takes more time and energy).
4) It’s made for another great story about how important it is to TRUST your INTUITION….no matter what….period…..end of story.
Because ultimately, you always have a choice when things suck.
… You can beat yourself up, whine, complain, and suffer.
… Or you can learn, grow, and keep moving forward.
I’m gonna go with #2…
If you enjoyed this post…
Do two things:
1) Leave a comment below with a story about when you either ignored your intuition and got bit….or when you followed your intuition and it was awesome!
2) If you think they could benefit from it, share these post with your friends.
Cool….I look forward to hearing from you.
Much love,
Max
P.S. Got a GREAT video guy or girl? Please send them my way (haha)…
So, I have just made a video- that is just for you!...
Perfect timing… Almost did something similar. Hiring an asst. On paper they look perfect. We met once, talked once then had another meeting to go over everything. After I hung up the phone I felt it was wrong. Met with her anyway – 3 hrs later it still did not feel right but looked right.. after I twisted and turned I had to just STOP! get silent – listen (same letters) and then knew it was wrong. Called her told her I need someone who can commit to being here in June and that is wanting to be part of my biz… After calling leaving the message I knew it was better and that I would not waste any more time.
So sorry you went through way more obstacles Max and get it…
xo
Hillary
Great post Max! (and I love the name you chose for the product).
Looking forward to it.
Oh Max, reading your posts is like looking in the mirror!! I’d be a helluva lot further along down the road if I’d listen to my gut rather than my brain!! And since I’m of retirement age almost, this can tell you how much of my life I’ve wasted! Hang in there, I’m sure you’ll be a bizzilionaire soon……….
Oh, Max, wouldn’t it be great if we “got” the lesson the first time it happened? I’d had my fair share and yet still zoomed ahead with a new business opportunity last year with someone I thought I knew really well and who I trusted. When it came time to send funds to move forward, I sat in my car in front of the bank, feeling that “something’s not right” feeling in my stomach. I wanted it to work and I convinced myself I was just feeling fear instead of realizing it was my intuition saying “don’t do it” and I sent the money anyway. In less than two weeks, my partner broke our agreement, I was forced to pull out of the deal because of it, and I never got my money back though it was promised to me. I had nowhere to look but in the mirror since I had ignored the feeling. Bravo to you for sharing your learning, and taking responsibility. From what I’ve seen, every successful entrepreneur has had to learn this same lesson. Love to you, Lisa
Hi Max,
Sorry to hear about your story. Video is a lot more complex than most people realize and there’s a huge range of formats and styles. I have a great crew with green screen and teleprompter and would love to help you make an absolutely fabulous video course. Let me know if you need help. I definitely get what you do…
Take care,
Marisa
Aloha Max … I think of our intuition as the translation box for Spirit …
and the lesson I really ‘got’ this follows:
I went to the post office every night after work to drop off that days outgoing mail… and one night, as I did what I always do – I pulled up to a stop light and heard, very clearly, a very matter-of-fact sounding voice say “turn left here” … well, I argued with that voice — I was going home and the only reason I’d turn left there was if I had to go to the market, but I didn’t .. again I heard “turn left here”, and again I argued. Then the signal turned green and I went straight thru the intersection, and just as I passed the bank on the corner, a Cadillac came out of the parking lot at the rear of the building and broadsided me. I spent a long time in in physical therapy. That was years ago, and to this day, if I start to argue with my intuition, I remember that incident!
Trust your hunches. They’re usually based on facts filed away just below the conscious level. Sometimes I thank god for being a man, for it takes a lot of work to be a woman. Guess I’m lazy. But I am jealous of one thing ladies have, beside the work of art as body, is the gift of intuition. Intuition is the forgotten gift. I’ve made more than my share of mistakes but whenever acted on the little guy in my head it has mostly turned out well I believe that every business should have a woman in the executive position. I’m always paying attention to my intuition; it’s telling me to cut it off. to keener intuition…
Dear Simon,
How true!
I’ve noticed this to be a # 1 stopper for me! And yes, each time I think I’ve learned it; the repetition of it (with increased intensity) reminds me that I haven’t!
And one of the “reasons” I commit this repetitive mistake is I’m so caught up in getting something that is “out there” and “doing it my way” rather than just “going with the flow” and “value what’s within”.
Thanks for the timely reminder!
God bless you!
Raymond
Very important lesson! Thanks for the reminder.
I’ve got a big one. Currently I am embroiled in a very high conflict custody dispute with my son’s father. Having not been available or around for the first 4 years of our son’s life, Dad is now hell bent on getting full custody, filing false abuse allegations against me, spending 6 figures to win at any cost, etc. etc..
We then slip into the vortex of the family court system and come out with what’s called a 730 Evaluator (an “expert” forensic psychologist) who half way through evaluating (read bulldozing through every aspect of our lives for about 2 months) we’re notified this guy was previously convicted of a felony. Bye-bye evaluator, on to #2.
She’s weird, really weird, but she has the most amazing resume. I’m impressed, but I get bad vibes. She says the wackiest things about my ex. I don’t quite understand what she is doing. I keep saying to my attorneys, “Hey something’s wrong with this Dr. It doesn’t feel right, etc.” The replies: “No, no they’re all strange, you’ve spent so much time and money, we’re almost there. You don’t want to appear uncooperative, keep going, etc.” I continue, still getting that bad feeling. After about 3 months, visits to our son’s school, conversations with all of our friends and family members (many of whom indicated they got strange feelings about her), she completes a massive report on us.
And here is where I entered the Matrix. If you switched my name with my ex’s name her report would make perfect sense. My attorney, support team and I are all absolutely blind sided by her recommendation – that I be stripped of my parental rights and be allowed to see my son only one hour a week. Me, the crunchy granola mom, who has been hands on, nurturing and caring for my son for 5 years, taking classes, surviving family violence, taking classes, being a leading edge parent, successful in my life. This can’t be. It was so shocking. After I come up for air, my “team” does a little investigation and TA DA! It turns out this so called expert, a doctor mind you, is an actual fraud! She does not have the credentials or the training to do the complex work she is doing, she’s quite possible insane. She has accomplished removing children (my son’s age) from other mothers, like a serial killer, there is a clear dangerous pattern. It’s bigger than our family crisis, way bigger. Superior Court bigger.
Had I listened to my voice, been able to speak up loudly enough for the authorities to hear, my family and I wouldn’t have had to endure what we did (and are still) because of this horrendous woman. But on the other hand, because I did I was able to connect the dots. We are in the process of making sure she is never, never allowed to do this to another child and overturning the damage she has done to ten families (how many others we are still working on).
Way too many lessons to list here, that have been learned by ignoring my intuition, way too many. Stillness is essential.
No matter how enlightened, we all make those same mistakes. I do more than rely on my gut these days, using other testing modalities such as muscle testing to help through small and big decisions, and I am rarely steered wrong. It still makes it hard to abandon a friend’s service to go elsewhere. I have a friend who I have doing construction for me. While we’ve never had a disaster, I know I could be better served by someone else. It’s just very hard to let someone close go…
Max,
yet again your transparency, honesty, courage and integrity shine through. I resonated with everything you said. I recently ran a workshop with a friend and from the beginning I realised that though he was heart centred as a person, we didn’t share the same vision for the project. It was a battle to get him to understand where I was coming from and my gut was telling me that he was relying on my ability to structure and present information clearly and precisely to put together this project and yet he didn’t believe in me or what I hoped to share.
We eventually got the workshop of the ground after a few false starts and what should have been a joyful experience became one where I felt in competition with him thoughout the workshop. Where I felt undermined and where I felt I was doing far more than was necessary for too little reward.
In hindsight I realised that I felt I needed him because I didn’t have the courage to go it alone (it was my first workshop) I realised I was relying on our connection (and his business connections) and not on my own wisdom and inner guidance. I realised that I ignored the signs of things not being the flow and my feelings of resistance.
It was an important and necessary lesson and I guess I wouldn’t have learned it any other way at least not as quickly! So thanks again for sharing from your heart and I share your excitement for your new venture with you. Go on doing what you do best – transforming those you connect with by owning and embracing who you are and allowing them to do the same. Much love, Yve x
Max, I love this story, it is so spot on! I ignored my intuition about having someone perform at my wedding and boy did that turn into a disaster! I learned my lesson there-ouch, but as you say, moved on! I wish I had a woman that creates video for you, but am confident that exactly the right person will show up. Enjoy and appreciate your lessons in transparency, so very helpful. warmly, Regina
Hi Max,
Great hanging with you in San Diego last weekend.
The video thing’s a pain, but I’m SO PUMPED for your Sold Out Seminar Secrets to be launched.
You’ve got the answers everyone’s been looking for for so long.
Bring it on.
Keep failing fast.
Taki
Max:
Yes following one’s intuition is always SIMPLE yet it is NOT always easy. I had similiar challenge with my former Amazon Herb upline—who gratefully has now fallen off. I had to wait 12 months to get back on track–so I KNOW all TOO well what it can cost when you WANT to use your friend, but your intuition says “don’t do it. don’t do it-you’ll be sorry” Lesson re-learned and new gifts received (a la patience ). I do have 2 OUTSTANDING videographer’s call me or email me Max and I am happy to pass them on to you.
Joy Harmony
Hi Max
It can be a real relieve to read your stories and know I’m not alone in the world. I’m stepping away from a project now and it has been soo hard. I kept thinking I CAN, I CAN whilst my whole body kept screaming I couldn’t. Sadly I waited until I was ill (again!). I will take option 2: move on, grow, put it behind me, notch it up as an experience and learn from it. It isn’t the first time, hopefully the last but even if it isn’t it is important not to beat yourself up and yep, listen to the little voice in your head. Intuition is a great thing.
I’m sure your next video will work out just fine. Good luck.
Bram
Hi Max,
Your are a dynamo, no doubt about it, but the story is not about intuition, it was more about the guy.
Intuition is a personal thing, you follow it, you don’t follow it, you follow it no matter what, you wake up at 2am in the morning, your intuition says, “you have to drive to so an so” and it is 30 miles away and you know in your mind there will be nobody there, but hey ya gotta go. retraining the mind, ain’t it a bitch.
Love your drive, enjoy the island, have you got the replacements ready! Michael WR
Max,
Thank you for your courageous willingness to really be “seen” by all of us so that we get to learn in your sincere reflection.
Bless you,
Jenna
Thank you Max for the wonderful opportunity to qualify to become your assistant / supporter. I have completed the steps which you require, and I have sent my suggestions about the website to the contact info. My thoughts on this matter, from my perception should not be shared by me on a blog. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Namaste,
Deloras Sullivan
In the ‘70s my parents, my two sons and I made it a weekly date to go cross-country skiing every Sunday morning, followed by hot chocolate and a brunch at the sugar shack at the crossing of the cross-country and skidoo trails. The site was a 10 minutes drive from our town and an activity prized by all of us but specially by the boys who saw in their Pappi the father figure absent from our family.
School for the boys and work for my dad and I precluded visiting on evenings in the middle of the week.
However on a wednesday evening I invited the boys to go say hello to their mamie and Pappi as a surprise. My parents were extatic. My father was a bit more quiet than usual which I thought natural as he worked in construction and might be tired. An hour into our visit he showed sign of distress which put my mother in a panicked state. She is a dear talented artist but accident or illness destroy her capacity to act. I called the ambulance and left the boys with my mother to follow my dad to the hospital. He had an attack during the exam for blocks in his arteries. He did not reawakened from his by-pass operation the next day. He died 7 day later without emerging from his coma.
I blessed the impulse to break routine that permitted me to be on hand when the crisis happened. My mother would not have been able to react to the situation and would have blamed herself for no acting later on. Carrying the guilt for his death.
Francine Ste-Marie, and I take 5, before I visit liver paitent, or write a post.
I take 5 seconds to link myself to my inner source. You would call intuition I guess. I call it inspiration. When it comes on me, I type as fast as I can. Then I review to make legible. I am on GratitudeLog and follow this MO always. I often receive some reply that what a coincidence that …..
I dont think so. I think that I am guided to write what someone needs to hear.
I did listen:I’m in the pink of my form. And yes making a commitment to change can move things along. Once I had a despicable boss. At staff report time he had to ask me -what was my long term goal in the Bank. right away I said
-Bank manager to which he said
-Even I could not be that.
- If you want to put those limits on yourself its OK but I believe I can do it.
He had to write it down because he needed for me to sign off on it. The next day the HR dir.called me in to tell me of an appointment in H.O. for the Personal Loans officer training program. The meeting went well and I returned to work in a confident frame of mind. 2 days later my boss called me over and offered me a transfer of department within the same building, which I refused. He insisted saying that if I passed this, by it might be a long time before another opportunity presented itself. I continued to say no. You see I had such a good feeling from the PLOT that I stayed firm. That night there was an employee party on the premises. The HR came to me wondering that I was so calm.
She had expected me to go to her office to plan my transfer. When she saw the look on my face she got very angry that he had not told me of my promotion.
To finish I did very well & I became manager in time (15 years) of learning teaching organising while I brought up my 2 sons on my own. It was an adventurous, exhilarating and very satisfying odissy. So dont give up if faced by meaness. You cant give a mean little person like that, power over you.
Must take in consideration intuition./inspiration. an act of faith:as parachuting. first you jump trusting that the parachute will open. Pull on the string to get it opened. Ha! I hope you get a video guy/girl that’s not afraid of heights , love your meditation. XXO
JOY in the doing, confidence in the act of realisation. Francine XXO
Hi Max,
I just want to say thanks for the confirmation. I have just invested in someone who really knows what they are doing – for my email marketing – setting up my email database and such. He is awesome!
AND he has made suggestions for my online store – and pointed me in new directions and opportunities I hadn’t even thought of.
Here was me, doing it all myself. Pride always comes before a fall… and fall I did. I realized I couldn’t do it all myself – to get to where I needed to go.
So I invested in myself – and it is paying off. It is freeing my time to do the work I love – inspiring, uplifting and empowering people.
Thank you Max. Your teachings have inspired my creation.
Arohanui (big love)
Jacqui
Hi, love the Madagaskar movies, awesome movie!
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