If you're reading this without any context, you may want to read this musing before continuing.

Remember the three things I pointed out that I learned from analyzing the con I was a part of in Colombia?

• trust and credibility
• validation
• play on fear
• apply pressure
• show a way out

Over the years, after I finished laughing at myself for being a victim and got Laura calmed down, watched Tom Cruise do the Mission Impossible and road back on the plane...I've realized that the $200 I gave them was the best investment of my leadership development so far.

I kept asking myself, the key to getting something from someone is to get them willing to give you what you want, without asking.

Anytime you see this happening, it's the form of a con. Now, some I'm sure will rail at the fact that I'm suggesting leaders con followers. Yet, let's look at how most leadership is done:

• trust and credibility is formed through authority
• validation is confirmed when people pay you
• fear is constantly in the background because deep down we fear loss of some kind
• There is always pressure, everywhere you look
• The way out is to over time, if not now, conform

Our families do this, yes? Our partners do this, yes? Our friends, our boss, or if you're an independent leader like me, your clients and customers!

You see, it's mostly a con framework.

"We, the willing, led by the unknowing. Are doing the impossible for the ungrateful, and have done so much, for so long, with so little. We are now Qualified to do anything with nothing..."

Or so the story sort of goes.

There is a key point I want to make, and it's probably a deeper dive than the pond has water, but here goes anyway:

Because we don't really know ourselves, we are constantly under pressure to make choices that are in most cases leading us in the direction least likely to be good for us.

In life, how many times have you seen people, just bail out, to get off the merry go round? You know that if you stay any longer that you'll go insane--expect different results from doing the same ole thing over and over?

The moral of the story?

If you don't know who you are, the you'll probably get conned into someone you're not.

The ancient gurus are clearly in the lead here...know your self.

To Self-Knowledge!

Still time to reach my inner circle….

Purchase my new book in private launch: http://www.cprforthesoul.com/private 

mike