DON'T FORGET....THE FAVOUR BANK!!

LESSON ONE:  THE FAVOUR BANK

This is the hardest lesson of all to learn. Punting is not about money! Money in and of itself has NO VALUE. It is what you can buy or what you receive that may or may not have value, and I don't mean value in dollar terms! A VERY old concept that holds true is that of the FAVOUR BANK.

Did you ever do anyone a FAVOUR?  Of course you have! If you think really hard, you will see that you actually gained from theis favour, probably much more than you could ever possibly LOSE from giving the FAVOUR. Our minds are stuck in a false paradigm that when we GIVE we LOSE something, but this is simply not true. When you give a FAVOUR (join LIONS, help a mate, do meals on wheels for the elderly, have a cup of tea with someone lonely) you build your FAVOUR bank.

Let me explain a bit more in a discussion with YOU:

'What is this the Favour Bank?"

'You know. Everyone knows.'

'Possibly, but I still haven't quite grasped what you're saying.'

'It was an American writer who first mentioned it. It's the most powerful bank in the world, and you'll find it in every sphere of life.'

'Yes but I come from a country without a literary tradition and very mixed culture. What favours could I do for anyone?'

'That doesn't matter in the least. Let me give you an example: I know you are an up-and-coming punter in life and that, one day, you'll be very influential. I know this because, like you, I too was once ambitious, independent, honest. I no longer have the energy I once had, but I want to help you because I can't or don't want to grind to a halt just yet. I'm not dreaming about retirement, I'm still dreaming about the fascinating struggle that is life.

I start making deposits in your account - not cash deposits, you understand, but contacts. I introduce you to such and such a person, I arrange certain deals, as long as they're legal. You know that you owe me something, but I never ask you for anything.'

'And then one day...'

'Exactly. One day, I'll ask you for a favour and you could, of course, say "No", but you're conscious of being in my debt. You do what I ask, I continue to help you, and other people see that you're a decent, loyal sort of person and so they too make deposits in your account = always in the form of contacts, because this world is made up of contacts and nothing else. They too will one day ask you for a favour, and you will respect and help the people who have helped you, and, in time, you'll have spread your net worldwide, you'll know everyone you need to know and your influence will keep on growing.'

'I could refuse to do what you ask me to do.'

'You could. The Favour Bank is a risky investment, just like any other bank. You refuse to grant the favour I asked you, in the belief that I helped you because you deserved to be helped, because you're the best and everyone should automatically recognise your talent. Fine, I say thank you very much and ask someone else into whose account I've also made various deposits; but from then on, everyone knows, without me having to say a word, that you are not to be trusted.

You'll grow only half as much as you could have grown, and certainly not as much as you would have liked to. At a certain point, your life will decline, you have got halfway, but not all the way, you are half-happy and half-sad, neither frustrated nor fulfilled. You're neither cold or hot, you're lukewarm, and as an evangelist in some holy book says: "Lukewarm things are not pleasing to the palate."'
 

The first lesson in becoming a successful punter is about getting VALUE in life. It is a simple philosophy but THE most pwerful tool on earth. Build your contacts by doing FAVOURS. Your FAVOURS will automatically lead to a fuller life and your FAVOUR BANK builds rapidly and before you know it this BANK is very influential. You can give parts of this bank away and your bank will just grow, it overflows, it makes you very rich.

Rich????

You still don't get it do you? Come back and read this a few times. Decide on doing some favours for others who may be in need this next month, then come back and read Lesson One.