Gullibles Travels

A journey by a web-footed gull through a sea of sharks.

Definitions:

Gull - a dupe, a fool; vulnerable to deceive; to trick; to defraud.

Shark - voracious marine fish; swindler; rapacious fellow; an expert. Shark-skin - stiff, smooth-finished!

As a gull with newly acquired webbed feet, I set out to test them on new waters. My new webbed feet allowed me to surf on waves I had never seen before, soaring high with excitement and sometimes being overwhelmed by the shear size of the waves. The waters I am discovering are vast and diverse, stretching out in all directions, some hot, some cold and some luke warm.

Diverse are also the fish in these waters. Some small and tasty but not big enough to satisfy my hunger. Others are big and juicy offering more than enough to feed on, but rather difficult to get my teeth into. This needs perseverance and a tough stance, refusing to let go. The longer I hold on the more I can bite off, and eventually the easier it will be to share with others and help them get their teeth into this big fish.

There are however, I am discovering, dangers in these waters. Surfing the seas with webbed feet attracts some other fish who are hungry to dig their greedy teeth into my flesh, and eat up everything I have. These are sharks! Stiff, smooth looking creatures, who lurk in the waves, just below the surface, out of clear view, just visible enough to be mistaken for a big meaty fish ready for feasting on.

But watch out! You other young gulls with your new webbed feet. These sharks are out to get you! They will lure you into a corner and snap at you grabbing all they can get, and leave you squirming in the foam helpless and lost and robbed!

The sharks will use any means possible to draw you towards them. Some wave fancy banners, rather similar to those banners pointing to where the good etable fish are. Still other sharks will attract you with dummy fish, which look like the real thing. But beware! Such fish are never so easy to catch and these false offers are just too easy to be true. They are traps. Try to grab one and the shark will have you.

Yes! The World Wide Web of Surfing is a dangerous place. It is an INTERwoven NETwork of goodies and dangers. I have learned to be cautious while SURFing these waters, not to be so gullible, and watch out for the many SHARKS.

Here are a few tips for young gulls.

1. Test the waters before you plunge in.

2. Never believe what you are told without first checking it out.

3. Ask some of the bigger gulls, who have evolved with experience to become dolphins. They will tell you who are the sharks to avoid.

4. A sure sign of a shark: "Come to me and I will give you plenty - immediately!" Stay clear of such ones.

5. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

About The Author

Jim Murdoch is new to network marketing. Read what he has to say about "Why you need your own home business" in his autoresponder: mailto:whyahomebusiness@upward-path.com His web site is at http://www.upward-path.com?64

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Coaching Information:

Related Articles

It's All To Do With The Way You Wake Up
Do you start your day with anger, frustration and annoyance at the alarm and the need to get up? Do you wake up hoping the day will go away and you can get back to sleep? Have you lost the fun? The confidence to have a go at things. Are you struggling along? Are you just going through the rituals of life? Are you just doing enough at work? Doing what is necessary because you think you 'ought, should, must do this for the sake of others? Do you feel all washed up and no one is interested in you? Do you feel devoid of vibrancy, and sense of purpose, an aimless victim buffeted by the winds of change? It's all to do with the way you wake up.
Bringing Forgiveness Down To Earth
What does it mean to forgive?One of the first things we typically think when we hear the word "forgive" is that it is a spiritual concept that is mostly out of reach for us mortal human beings. The bible talks about it, pastors implore us to forgive, we might believe that it is something that we "should" do but for the most part, most of us find it very difficult, if not impossible, to accomplish.
Assertive Communication: 20 Helpful Tips
Most of us know that assertiveness will get you further in life than being passive or aggressive. But few of us were actually taught how to be assertive.
Sorry Dr Maslow, I Think You Got It Wrong
In the 1950s Abraham Maslow published a book entitled " Motivation and Personality" in which he outlided his now famous Hierarchy of Needs. Over the years since its publication Maslow's work has gained wide acceptance as a tool in understanding human motivation.
More Money & Less Stress?
At 2pm last Wednesday, I got a call from one of my clients. Before I could barely utter my "hello," she launched headlong into her story - "I am so frustrated! I have this client who has been dragging her feet at every stage of our project.
What The Buddha Says About Coaches
There is a Buddhist saying that goes like this: "If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill it." This means to kill any concept of the Buddha as something apart from oneself.
We Are the Five People We Associate with Most
Last month I was invited to participate in a charity golf tournament in Las Vegas to celebrate the life of the late dancing legend Gregory Hines. The event was held to raise funds and awareness of the tragic disease that took this entertainer's life.
How Does Sports Coaching Differ from Corporate Coaching?
Athletes Versus EmployeesMost athletes are young, open to improvement, eager to learn and anxious to receive what a coach can provide. For the athlete, there is a defined season and something tangible to compete for.
How to Get More Business Without Even Trying
Why are you in business? Hopefully you enjoy what you do, however is it because you want to make money so that you can have, be and do more in your life?Who pays you? Your clients do and never forget that. Unfortunately many people do.
The Magic of Hearing
I'm working on a coach training certification, and one of the "proficiencies" I'm expected to have mastered is "engages in provocative conversations." Now, that really got me thinking.
Solution-Focused Therapy
Most types of psychotherapy involve exploring feelings, being validated, finding explanations, exploring wishes and dreams, setting goals, and gaining clarity. Every therapist has unique ways of working with clients, based on his or her personality, training, and views of how people change.
Do You Make These Common Mistakes When Talking to People?
Many moons ago. Talking to people was something I avoided where possible.
Things Are Good Because I Say They Are
The subject of positive self talk regarding our goals and dreams reminds me of the childhood story, The Velveteen Rabbit. The boy loves the toy so much that a magic fairy comes and turns the toy bunny into a real rabbit.
God, Grant Me Patience.....And, I Want It Now!!
Are you facing a difficult time in your life? Do you feel like a fish out of water? If today was a fish, would you want to throw it back in the river? If this is your situation, make no negative destructive decisions. Be Patient.
Do you know WHAT MAKES ME MAD?? It makes me SO MAD I just want to...
Sound familiar? If you want to manage anger, the only way of doing so is to listen to your self-talk. This doesn't mean listening to yourself talk.
You Have A Choice
I'm a relationship coach and, unlike most, I deal with those 'other' relationships. Of course, I make love happen without wings and an arrow, but I really make a difference with business relationships, family relationships, community relationships, old and stale relationships and all the rest that we take for granted, lost or forgotten.
How to Adopt a Losing Attitude
We have all heard the expression, "Where your heart is?, your treasure will be also." Allow me to modify this tried and true wisdom, to create an equally valid point: "Where your thoughts are, your hips will be also.
Whats Next Syndrome
Terms like Postpartum, Post Traumatic and Post Gulf War are all well-known Syndromes - mysteries no longer to the medical community or even those of us who count ourselves among the great unwashed. We hear and read everyday about the negative outcomes from life-threatening trauma.
Top Ways to Maximize Your Talents at Work
Are you maximizing your strengths and promoting your talents at work? If you have sharp analytical skills, have you sought to apply those skills to your current job? I know it sounds crazy to ask for more work when you are already overloaded, but any assistance that you can provide now will ultimately help you advance in your present position or in a future one.You have gifts and talents to offer the world.
4 Underused Hot Spots for Your Personal Branding Iron
I'll never forget what my mentor told me: "Don't communicate in any way to any person without the stamp of your personal brand."Everyone has a personal brand, whether they know it or not.