Rika loves garage sales. It’s a beautiful spring day, and we go for a walk. Along the way, we see… A GARAGE SALE! Suddenly, as we meander along past the tables laden with other people’s trash, we both notice something on one of the tables that once changed our lives.
The Program that Changed Our Lives
Many years ago in South Africa, we imported the Anthony Robbins Personal Power Program from America. Because of the exchange rate and import duties, it was expensive, and it took a long time to receive it. We were very excited and listened to it over and over again. It changed our lives dramatically and resulted in personal understanding and choices and a video program that made us tens of thousands of dollars. We still live by the principles we learned from that wonderful program.
Throwing Away a Fortune
And there it was, in all its glory! The Anthony Robbins program, in pristine condition, with the little workbook and everything, at a garage sale! That’s like putting your most precious, inherited, priceless, irreplaceable family jewels on a garage sale.
I was stunned. Rika and I both reached forward simultaneously to grab the program.
I looked at the character behind the table, early fifties, torn T-shirt, and asked him. “Why are you selling this fantastic program?”
His reply should have been expected, but I was still shocked. “I didn’t even finish listening to it – I don’t believe that stuff – that a 20-something could make all that money – it’s rubbish.”
When I recovered I asked, “So how much do you want for it?”
“I paid $139″, he scowled,”But you can have it for eight – say five dollars.”
On the way out of the garage sale, clutching my treasure, I noticed that the event was held at a Co-op housing place.
Most Never Even Cross the Finish Line
Naturally, I am re-listening to the entire program and loving every minute of it, and on the first tape Tony Robbins mentions that only 10% of the people who invest in the program will finish listening to it.
There’s a reason why that loser lives in government subsidized co-op housing. He was handed the keys to a magnificent mansion in the form of the Tony Robbins program, and he discarded it, probably in favor of a joint and a hockey game on TV. It was “too good to be true”.
Guess when he started scowling? When he saw my DollarMakers ball cap. Bitter and twisted, trapped in his cynicism, and poor.
It’s NEVER Too Late To Break Free
Although I was disgusted at this specimen that devalued something as life-changing as that Tony Robbins program, I really do pity him, and deep down inside I know that it’s not too late for him to break free of his present situation, if, indeed, he wants to break free. Many people have missed the boat, and yet they could still escape their compromised lives if they had the tools, given that they want their freedom from serfdom, mediocrity, and lives of quiet desperation.
As I type this, I have just finished writing my latest book, “Break Free!” and it will soon be available. Perhaps it should be very expensive, instead of the usual $20, since $139 didn’t get the attention of a young man who held his future in his hands all those years ago.
The truth will set you free, and the source is unimportant. When the student is ready, the teacher will appear – even in the form of an old audio tape program at a garage sale. It’s never too late to start living and to break free.
