“Just because it doesn’t work for you doesn’t mean it doesn’t work.” So said the Grasshopper early this morning.

Have you ever scoffed at something and wondered how people could be so stupid to fall for something that doesn’t work? Take the email from the far off prince who wants to leave you their entire fortune as an example. “Just send us your social security number and banking information and we will deposit your money within 24 hours.”

That email doesn’t work for me but it’s obviously working on somebody or they wouldn’t keep sending it.

There is another angle to “doesn’t work” that galls me even more. It’s the person who judges something in their head as unworkable without doing the required work. That would be the person who says, “Gyms don’t work for me.” Yes they do, but you have to work at it. You may not like going to gyms, but that doesn’t mean they don’t work. Nothing “works” unless you work at it. Reminds me of a TV show I just saw . . .

My son watches this show while cooking in the kitchen. It’s called “Bar Rescue.” It’s about this bar consultant who goes into a struggling bar, makes assessments, makes recommendations, makes changes, all in an effort to turn the business around and start making a profit.

The consultant is an “in your face” guy that I have a hard time warming up to. He’s loaded with anger and a boatload of know how and uses both of those things to build successful businesses. I may not like him but I can’t argue with his ability to make things work.

I watched this recent episode where he ran into an equally angry bar owner who was adamant that this consultant’s strategies wouldn’t work. The bar owner was so consumed with “doesn’t work” that it got in the way of his business working. He was arguing for his limitations throughout the show and oppositional to anything offered to improve his bar and his bottom line.

Even after the metamorphosis and improved revenues, he still hadn’t matured. He undid some of the changes they made and my guess is that his business will go back to underperforming, all because he stayed with his judgments in his head that had no evidence to support them, instead of sticking with what had proven to work.

If you are holding on to beliefs that aren’t working for you, you may have to go to this guy’s bar and tout all the things “you know won’t work” and refuse to do them, and then the two of you can drown your sorrows together.

Bottom Line: If you’re arguing for your limitations, that doesn’t work.

All the best,

John