Danger!

Wednesday, February 21, 2007
By Walt F.J. Goodridge
Special to the Saipan Tribune


The only way to take control of your life, raise your standard of living and move beyond merely surviving is to create your own unique product or service that you offer to increasing numbers of people in exchange for the things of value that you desire. This simple formula applies to countries as well as people. A self-sufficient economy has its own products or services of value to export to the world. Similarly, a self-sufficient individual has something of value to exchange in the global marketplace. That thing of value is based on your natural talent, skill, or interest—in other words, your passion!

In two previous articles, I first introduced ("The Secret Formula for Everything" 10/11/06), and expanded on (“Emergency” 12/27/06) the concept of the Condition Formulas. This week we’ll explore yet another of these “secret” formulas. First, however, let’s recap a few concepts and definitions that will help you understand the Condition Formulas and their application in your life. It will first be necessary to know that:

1. Every aspect of your life is in a certain state or “condition” of growth.

2. Because of the dynamic nature of the universe, things are either getting better or getting worse. (Nothing ever “stays the same.”)

3. There are things that you did or didn’t do that got you into this condition.

4. There are things you should or shouldn’t do to get out of this condition.

Product: someone or something that has been brought into existence; the end result of a creation. A product is a finished high-quality service or article in the hands of the consumer as an exchange for a valuable. It is not a product at all unless it is exchangeable.

Every person, every group, every organization and every nation should identify their unique product. The Condition Formulas can’t be applied correctly if one does not have or know your product.

Statistics: a number or amount compared to an earlier number or amount of the same thing. It is simply the relative rise or fall of a quantity compared to an earlier moment in time. Statistics refer to the quantity of work done or the value of it in money. Statistics are the only sound measure of any production or any job or activity. They tell of production.

They measure what is done.

The formulas can and do apply to any area of your life. And as you read, you may find yourself thinking about your job, your business, your organization, your family, relationships and even your social life. But for the sake of simplicity, I’m going to refer to anything to which we wish to apply it as a “venture.”

As mentioned, the secret formula is part of a set of formulas that applies to specific conditions. The set of conditions—by name—in ascending order (i.e. the sequence a venture might experience if it starts from scratch and heads toward success) is as follows.

Non Existence_Danger_Emergency_Normal_Affluence_Power

Conversely, if a venture was once successful and finds its statistics declining, it will go through each of the conditions in reverse order on its way back down to non-Existence. So this week, as we’ve already covered Non-Existence and Emergency, we’ll take a step back in the sequence and explore the formula for the Condition of Danger.

A Danger condition exists when the statistics show a continuing steady decline or a steep, steep fall.

To handle a Danger condition in one’s life or venture and get one’s statistic(s) to rise, one must do the formula for the condition of Danger. The Danger formula is:

1. BYPASS HABITS AND NORMAL ROUTINES.

2. HANDLE THE SITUATION AND ANY DANGER IN IT.

3. FIND OUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING THAT IS CONTRARY TO THE IDEALS OR BEST INTERESTS OF THE GROUP OR ACTIVITY AND USE SELF-DISCIPLINE TO CORRECT IT AND GET HONEST AND STRAIGHT.

4. REORGANIZE YOUR LIFE SO THAT THE DANGEROUS SITUATION IS NOT CONTINUALLY HAPPENING TO YOU.

5. FORMULATE AND ADOPT FIRM POLICY THAT WILL HEREAFTER DETECT AND PREVENT THE SAME SITUATION FROM CONTINUING TO OCCUR.

For example, let’s say that the product for your venture is "hotel rooms booked." Let’s say that you booked 100 rooms 2 months ago, 80 rooms last month, 60 rooms this month. Your business would therefore, as a result of this steep decline, be in a condition of Danger.

In its simplest form, BYPASS HABITS AND NORMAL ROUTINES* simply means stop doing what you are currently doing. Now that “doing” could be some specific activity or it may be an inactivity—something you are not doing. Remember, even in the midst of declining market, it is still possible to sell your product and increase sales if you take the appropriate actions. So, if your normal habit and routine is to just sit around waiting for things to get better, then stop it! Be pro-active. Launch your own marketing campaign. Offer discounts to non-traditional markets. Encourage word-of-mouth campaigns, strike your own deals with foreign entities. You are only limited by your creativity and will.

HANDLE THE SITUATION AND ANY DANGER IN IT could take many forms. The “danger” in a situation such as this includes the inability to pay one’s bills, inability to provide necessary services to existing customers, and ultimately bankruptcy. Therefore, “handling” the situation may including reducing services, reducing staff, and other expenses, negotiating for extensions from creditors, or filing for bankruptcy protection.

FIND OUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING THAT IS CONTRARY…. AND GET HONEST AND STRAIGHT—

A certain amount of self-discipline is necessary in order to maintain the belt-tightening, cost-cutting, and austerity measures that might be necessary in order to weather the storm to profitability. The greatest threat to one’s success in getting one’s statistic to rise is the instant-gratification mindset that has people opting for “quick-fix solutions” that may not be in their best long-term interest. Getting honest and straight also means

“REORGANIZE YOUR LIFE…”, AND ADOPT FIRM POLICY…” are unique to each individual, and venture and may require practical assessment of many aspects of one’s situation. For the individual, it may mean finding a new career, moving to a new location, or ending a destructive relationship. For a venture, it may mean diversifying, or simply assessing if there exists a viable business model and market for your venture.

As you can see from the example, none of this is rocket science. However, people often mistake the simplicity of cure as ineffectiveness. The formula, in its simplicity, allows you to focus on what will raise your statistic, as well as cure and prevent the Danger situation from happening again, without wasting energy on ineffective remedies.

Nor does the simplicity of the formula imply that its implementation will be simple. However, the more thorough, creative and disciplined you can be in your execution of each step in the formula, the more success you will have.

The most important part, however, before attempting to apply any of these formulae is to diagnose the condition of your life and/or venture accurately. The next most important consideration is to complete each step in the formula before moving on to the next formula. In other words, if, while working on the Danger Formula, your statistic rises to “Normal,” you might be tempted to abandon any remaining steps of the Danger formula and start working on the steps for the Normal condition. This would be a mistake. Fully complete each step of the Danger Formula before moving on.

By correctly naming a condition, following its formula and getting the formula completed, you can achieve success in any activity!

*Note: a variation of the Danger Formula (known as the “Senior Danger Formula”) needs to be applied if you are the employer who assigns the above Danger Condition to someone under your control—a Junior. The essence of what needs to be done stays the same, but your responsibility becomes first personally bypassing those under your control, and then enforcing that the rest of the formula be followed completely by those juniors. [portions adapted from How to Improve Conditions in Life by L. Hubbard]

Until next week, remember, success is a journey, not a destination!

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