People, on the whole, are pretty honest. However collectively as a society they are lying to you every single day and for the most part you are probably buying into the lies.  This post focuses on the 5 whopping lies that people live under and 5 brutal truths that are usualy swept under the rug. Knowing these 10 things will drastically help you break free in your life. It will take around 10mins to read but is worth it…I promise.

Also before we begin I would like to say that if you haven’t yet commented on the Previous “Non Book Review” Post on “The Leap” then I would definitely recommend it as the Author Rick Smith has kindly offered to answer any questions you leave in the comments. If you have read the book this is a great opportunity and if you are thinking about it why not get it from the Author. Rick has also got a competition running on his blog for a chance to win two signed copies of his book, well worth checking out.

Now if you are sitting comfortably, I will begin.

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The Whopping Lies Society Tells You

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Advertising, Companies, Status Quo, Sheeplike behavior and even governments help these lies to flourish in society and understanding them is the first step to breaking away from believing them.

Slightly less humor in this post because of the importance….as always though there is a joke at the bottom so don’t worry.

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Whopping Lie 1: Work Hard And You Will Succeed

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This lie is summed up in the American Dream. Work hard and you will become rich, don’t work hard and you will remain poor.

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Although impassioned hard work is a prerequisite for a happy life it is not a guarantee of success.

.

Putting aside the fact that each persons benchmark of success will be different, the success of any individual is influenced by an incredibly large number of factors, very few of which you actually have any control over.

.

Circumstance, luck, Divine Intervention, Other People and Cotton Candy etc will all have a far larger effect on your personal success then most would care to admit.

.

Work hard for something that you are passionate about, it will make you happy, but do not work hard for success. If you want to be successful it is better to work smart and hope that you are really really lucky.

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Whopping Lie 2: Owning Stuff Is The Key To Happiness

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The Western World has its values pretty much upside down. We benchmark happiness on the amount of stuff that we own and the amount of money we can accumulate in our lifetime. This is why we are called a consumer society.

.

This value system makes about as much sense as a chocolate oven.

.

Research has proven that after a certain point money does nothing to increase happiness and the accumulation of stuff actually starts causing stress and anxiety. We know this and yet we work harder and longer hours in order to achieve it which really doesn’t make any sense.

.

Buying stuff does of course increase happiness in the short term but its lifespan is less than that of the suicide mosquito that has just landed on my arm.

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Read the post on “Owning Nothing and Experiencing Everything” for a case on a different approach to happiness and stop spending so many hours and so much sweat chasing an idea that you know is false.

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Whopping Lie 3: An Extensive School Education Is Vital To Success In Life

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No, No, No. Education is important but a “School Education” is not.

I went right though the education system from preschool to university degree. I was a geek and I did very well. I was able to regurgitate information with the best of them. Has this helped me out in life? No, not really.

.

I really started to learn and be educated when I left the cotton wool environment of university and entered life naked, much to the shock of casual observers.

.

University and further education help build discipline, teaches you to fend for yourself, creates relationships and helps you to define yourself and find your unique brand. If this works for you then great and enjoy it, I certainly did but do not allow anyone to tell you that it is vital.

.

Life is a more creative teacher than university and those educated under her are far more likely to be crafty, clever, wise and flexible. Think 100 year old Foxy Monk Limbo Dancer.

.

Does anyone wonder why so many successful people did not go through higher education.? It is because they were not institutionalise and therefore they question the status quo, they get creative and they solve problems more effectively then those educated to regurgitate.

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A life education with teach you Cash Flow, People Skills, Creativity, Dogged Determination and more. Higher Education will not.

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Whopping Lie 4: You Are Entitled To More Than You Can Afford

.

Along with many other factors a large part of the financial crisis we are going through at the moment is because of peoples rooted belief that there are entitled to more than they can afford. Let me set the record straight, you are not.

Statistics range but I remember reading recently that people in the Western World might be currently spending 25-30% more than they earn.

.

This is like going into a cake shop and buying a cake and then demanding another quarter without paying for it. And then expecting not to get punched in the nose.

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Apart from being absurd, you really don’t need that extra quarter at the moment. It will only make you sick.

.

Even if your financial circumstance improve this does not automatically mean you should buy more cake, you might not need more cake fatty.

.

Being able to afford something and needing something are two very different things. Not being able to afford something and not needing it but buying it anyway is a luxury we as a society CANNOT afford, no matter what the advertisers tell you.

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Whopping Lie 5: You Need To Play By The Rules

.

First lets think who set the rules. Definitely not you or me and the chances are they are very much not in our favor, chances are they are helping a very small few others get incredibly rich.

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School – Higher Education – University – Pay Check – Mortgage – Pension – Retirement

.

The Rat race rule is definitely one you can kick in the teeth. For some it works, but you don’t have to follow that rule.

There are many rules in life which I won’t go into, perhaps you could mention some you can think of in the comments below. However it is worth remembering,

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In the world where everyone is on train tracks it is the people that buck the train that escape to greener pastures.

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The Brutal Truths That Society Keeps Quite About

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Almost as unhelpful as the lies that society spreads is the truths that it keep hidden. Like Mulder and Scully, I am here to uncover the truth.

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Brutal Truth 1: Most of Life Is Luck

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Although successful people would probably be quick to disagree the truth is that really only a small part of their success can be put down to their own greatness.

.

I have been insanely lucky in life and so have you. Right now you are in the top 10% in the world because you have access to the internet. Smile.

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It wasn’t due to your greatness and you ability or you hard work, you were born into it. I have been lucky to have the upbringing I did, the friends I did, the opportunity to travel, my great readers.

.

I, like most others I would imagine would like to think that I had a larger than most part to play in my small successes to date but if I am really honest with myself I can attribute about as much being down to me as the 59th man in the office conga line .

.

I have soared to where I am on the currents of advantageous circumstance, other people and divine intervention and very little to do with me.

This is not a depressing thing, it is a releasing realisation. I believe you can help manufacture luck by working hard and pushing yourself out there but ultimately just be content with how lucky you are at this moment in time. That should be enough, if it is not then not amount of luck or success is going to make you happy.

.

Brutal Truth 2: You Are Less In Control Of Your Destiny Than You Think

.

You do not know what is going to happen tomorrow. You can set all the plans that you want but they will probably not come to fruition. Just like the luck factor, the infulences of the world outside us has far more effect on the direction of our lives then we would like to admit.

.

In your life boat you have a rudder but against the sea of life it has very little effect on your general direction and sometimes its broken anyway.

.

This again is a freeing feeling. Live in the moment and plan but don’t worry too much about controlling the future. Just go with it.

.

Brutal Truth 3: Ultimately Everything You Achieve Will Disappear

.

Even the greatest amongst us only have a couple of hundred years shelf life after we are dead. Michael Jackson was a great entertainer, one of best, but by the time I die very few people will be talking about him, they will move on. They will move on  over your achievements as well.

.

If you are going to achieve anything in life, focus on the relationships you have in the small sphere of people you can have an influence on

.

If you are religious then you no doubt believe that life goes on after death and so you will always have a different view on life than an atheist. Everything you achieve will disappear but perhaps you will live on.

.

Even Alexander the Great will disappear eventually as the earth will some day die so don’t get too worked up about your achievements. Focus on people instead, achieve something for them.

.

Brutal Truth 4: There Is No Perfect Way To Do Anything

.

If you have been in the blogging field for a while then you will know what I mean when I say “Everyone has an Ebook”

There are many great blogs out there on almost any subject you can think of with talented bloggers showing people how to do and achieve everything. Some are even backed up with personal experience and proof that it works. Mine is no different.

.

These instructions have worked under the unique circumstances of the creator and yours will not be exactly the same and so following the advise to the letter will probably not work for you.

.

Learn to absorb information and advice from others and then put it through your own filtering system of experience and creativity to find out what works for you.

.

It will not be what works for someone else, you need to find your own perfect way.

.

Brutal Truth 5: Life Is Crap At Times

.

I am an advocate of positive thinking and I strongly believe that people who think the best of every situation are more happy and successful in life.

.

However lets be realistic and not pretend that life is perfect all the time. Life can be crap…and sometimes it can be really crap.

.

People die, circumstances change, bad things happen…that is life. When things get really bad society likes you to put on a happy face and pretend that you are cooping well, it helps let everyone else get on with enjoying their lives.

.

Don’t fall into this trap. When life is crap, except it. Get friends close to you and just live it, don’t try to push it out.

.

Now For A Joke

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Yes it seems yet a more serious post but again I think a very important one. However, like is my fashion I will end with a joke so you can pick yourself up from the puddle you have created on the floor and dry you eyes…you may even laugh.

A couple of New Jersey hunters are out in the woods when one of them falls to the ground. He doesn’t seem to be breathing, his eyes are rolled back in his head. The other guy whips out his cell phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps to the operator: “My friend is dead! What can I do?”

The operator, in a calm soothing voice says: “Just take it easy. I can help. First, let’s make sure he’s dead.” There is a silence, then a shot is heard.

The guy’s voice comes back on the line. He says: “OK, now what?“

.

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5 Lies That Society Shouts At You And 5 Truths That It Keeps Quite On
The Lies Society Shouts At You
Work Hard And You Will Succeed
This lie is summed up in the American Dream. Work hard and you will become rich, don’t work hard and you will remain poor.
Although impassioned hard work is a prerequisite for a happy life it is not a guarantee of success.
Putting aside the fact that each persons benchmark of success will be different, the success of any individual is influenced by an incredibly large number of factors, very few of which you actually have any control over.
Circumstance, luck, Divine Intervention, Other People and Cotton Candy etc will all have a far larger effect on your personal success then most would care to admit.
Work hard for something that you are passionate about, it will make you happy, but do not work hard for success. If you want to be successful it is better to work smart and hope that you are really really lucky.
Owning Stuff Is The Key To Happiness
The Western World has its values pretty much upside down. We benchmark happiness on the amount of stuff that we own and the amount of money we can accumulate in our lifetime. This is why we are called a consumer society.
This value system makes about as much sense as a chocolate oven.
Research has proven that after a certain point money does nothing to increase happiness and the accumulation of stuff actually starts causing stress and anxiety and yet we work harder and longer hours in order to achieve it.
Buying stuff does of course increase happiness in the short term but its lifespan is less than that of the suicide mosquito that has just landed on my arm.
Read the post on “Owning Nothing and Experiencing Everything” for a case for a different approach to happiness and stop spending so many hours and so much sweat chasing an idea that you know is false.
An Extensive School Education Is Vital To Success In Life
No, No, No. Education is important but a “School Education” is not.
I went right though the education system from preschool to university degree. I was a geek and I did very well. I was able to regurgitate information with the best of them. Has this helped me out in life? No, not really.
I really started to learn and be educated when I left cotton wool environment of university and entered life naked, much to the shock of casual observers.
University and further education help build discipline, teaches you to fend for yourself, creates relationships and helps you to define yourself and find your unique brand. If this works for you then great and enjoy it, I certainly did but do not allow anyone to tell you that it is vital.
Life is a more creative teacher than university and those educated under her are far more likely to be crafty, clever, wise and flexible.
Does anyone wonder why so many successful people did not go through higher education.? It is because they were not institutionalise and therefore they question the status quo, they get creative and they solve problems more effectively then those educated to regurgitate.
A life education with teach you Cash Flow, People Skills, Creativity, Dogged Determination. Higher Education will not.
You Are Entitled To More Than You Can Afford
Along with many other factors a large part of the financial crisis we are going through at the moment is because of peoples rooted belief that there are entitled to more than they can afford. Let me set the record straight, you are not.
Statistics range but I remember reading recently that people in the Western World might be currently spending 25-30% more than they earn.
This is like going into a cake into a cake shop and buying a cake and then asking for another quarter without paying for it.
Apart from being absurd, you really don’t need that extra quarter at the moment. It will only make you sick.
Even if your financial circumstance improve this does not automatically mean you should buy more cake, you might not need more cake.
Being able to afford something and need something are two very different things. Not being able to afford something and not needing it but buying it anyway is a luxury we as a society CANNOT afford, no matter what the advertisers tell you.
You Need To Play By The Rules
First lets think who set the rules. Definitely not you or me and the chances are they are very much not in our favor, chances are they are helping a very small few others get incredibly rich.
School – Higher Education – University – Pay Check – Mortgage – Pension – Retirement
The Rat race rule is definitely one you can kick in the teeth. For some it works, but you don’t have to follow that rule.
There are many rules in life which I won’t go into, perhaps you could mention some you can think of in the comments below. However it is worth remembering,
In the world where everyone is on train tracks it is the people that buck the train that escape to greener pastures.
The Truths It Keeps Quite About
Most of Life Is Luck
Although successful people would probably be quick to disagree the truth is that really only a small part of their success can be put down to their own greatness.
I have been insanely lucky in life and so have you. Right now you are in the top 10% in the world because you have access to the internet.
It wasn’t due to your greatness and you ability or you hard work, you were born into it. I have been lucky to have the upbringing I did, the friends I did, the opportunity to travel, my great readers.
I, like most others I would imagine would like to think that I had a larger than most part to play in my small successes to date but if I am really honest with myself I can attribute very little to myself.
I have soared to where I am on the currents of advantageous circumstance, other people and divine intervention and very little to do with me.
This is not a depressing thing, it is a releasing realisation. I believe you can help manufacture luck by working hard and pushing yourself out there but ultimately just be content with how lucky you are at this moment in time. That should be enough, if it is not then not amount of luck or success is going to make you happy.
You Are Less In Control Of Your Destiny Than You Think
You do not know what is going to happen tomorrow. You can set all the plans that you want but they will probably not come to fruition. Just like the luck factor, the infulences of the world outside us has far more effect on the direction of our lives then we would like to admit.
In your life boat you have a rudder but against the sea of life it has very little effect on your general direction.
This again is a freeing feeling. Live in the moment and plan but don’t worry too much about controlling the future. Just go with it.
Ultimately Everything You Achieve Will Disappear
Even the greatest amongst us only have a couple of hundred years shelf life after we are dead. Michael Jackson was a great entertainer, one of best, but by the time I die very few people will be talking about him, they will move on. They will move on  over your achievements as well.
If you are going to achieve anything in life, focus on the relationships you have in the small sphere of people you can have an influence on
If you are religious then you no doubt believe that life goes on after death and so you will always have a different view on life than an atheist. Everything you achieve will disappear but perhaps you will live on.
Even Alexander the Great will disappear eventually as the earth will some day die so don’t get too worked up about your achievements. Focus on people instead, achieve something for them.
There Is No Perfect Way To Do Anything
If you have been in the blogging field for a while then you will know what I am talking about when I say that “Everyone has an Ebook”
There are many great blogs out there on almost any subject you can think of with talented bloggers showing people how to do and achieve everything. Some are even backed up with personal experience and proof that it works. Mine is no different.
These instructions have worked under the unique circumstances of the creator and yours will not be exactly the same and so following the advise to the letter will probably not work for you.
Learn to absorb information and advice from others and then put it through your own filtering system of experience and creativity to find out what works for you.
It will not be what works for someone else, you need to find your own perfect way.
Life Is Crap At Times
I am an advocate of positive thinking and I strongly believe that people who think the best of every situation are more happy and successful in life.
However lets be realistic and not pretend that life is perfect all the time. Life can be crap…and sometimes it can be really crap.
People died, circumstances change, bad things happen…that is life. When things get really bad society likes you to put on a happy face and pretend that you are cooping well, it helps let everyone else get on with enjoying their lives.
Don’t fall into this trap. When life is crap, except it. Get friends close to you and just live it, don’t try to push it out.
A Joke
Yes it seems yet a more serious post but again I think a very important one. However, like is my fashion I will end with a joke so you can pick yourself up from the puddle you have created on the floor and dry you eyes…you may even laugh.
A couple of New Jersey hunters are out in the woods when one of them falls to the ground. He doesn’t seem to be breathing, his eyes are rolled back in his head. The other guy whips out his cell phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps to the operator: “My friend is dead! What can I do?”
The operator, in a calm soothing voice says: “Just take it easy. I can help. First, let’s make sure he’s dead.” There is a silence, then a shot is heard.
The guy’s voice comes back on the line. He says: “OK, now what?“