On Saturday I witnessed an historic event – two South African Rugby teams playing in a Super 14 final at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto. It was amazing to see the stadium full of cheering Rugby Fans, the cacophony of droning Vuvuzelas, the colourful Makarapas and president Zuma pitching up on the pitch to greet the players before kick-off. For an optimist like me, this was a significant event, one which brought back powerful emotional memories of Rugby World Cup 1995. (Although back then my team won the game…)

Of course the pessimists will say it was a non event, a sham, nothing more than a short lived publicity stunt for political gain. The realists will say it was only a rugby game; South Africa has much more pressing (and depressing) issues to overcome.

Henry Ford once said: If you think you can or you think you can’t – you are right. I think the same applies to belief in the future success of our country – if you think we can or you think we can’t – you are right! It depends upon whether you are a pessimist, optimist or realist.

Right now, the pessimists are having a field day regarding South Africa. Like Karoo sheep they will bleat about Crime, Corruption, Malema, Zuma, The Erosion of Land Rights, Senseless Farm Murders, the Crumbling Justice System, Poor Service Delivery, Nationalisation of Mines, Unemployment and Cadre Deployment et al.

And they are absolutely RIGHT! Every one of these issues is evidence of their being right. We face massive challenges, challenges which the pessimists believe we as a nation will not be able to overcome. They insist that our country, like the optimist who fell off the building, is falling rapidly towards a major disaster. In their opinion it’s only a matter of time before the mango really hits the fan. They repeatedly tell the optimists to get out of denial and start facing the grim reality of what in their opinion is the inevitable decline of another African economy. Just look at the evidence from up north they say, from Mad Bob to Gaddafi and in between, to see where we are going to end up.

The optimists, on the other hand, have to range far and wide (just like Karoo sheep) to find meagre pickings of hope. After some reflection they might mention our Rapidly Improving Infrastructure, Major Intersections Being Rebuilt, Awesome New Airports, The Gautrain, Bus Rapid Transit System, Tax Collection Efficiency, Our Stable Currency, Declining Inflation, Solid Banking System and Our Free Press. Not to mention that we are about to host the biggest sporting event in the world right now. They will ask if you have noticed the side mirror socks and SA flags on so many cars, showing a growing groundswell of support for Bafana Bafana to play their hearts out and make ALL OF US proud.

The optimists may also remind you to take a good look at the overall state of our economy today, compared to 1994, as evidence of how far we have come as a nation.
And THEY too, are absolutely RIGHT. Every one of these points is a real reason to believe, a reason to feel positive that we as a nation can survive, thrive and succeed. Each one of these are real achievements, concrete evidence that we can get things done and make significant progress, despite our many challenges.

And what of the realists? They will most likely take another perspective, a look at the bigger picture and ask 3 vital questions:

1. How is S.A. REALLY doing?
2. How is the REST OF THE WORLD doing in comparison?
3. What sort of shape is our whole PLANET in right now?

Some answers they may give us would be:

1. How are we really doing? Realistically, we are doing OK, with lots to be proud of and lots to be concerned about, in equal measure. It really comes down to a question of what you choose to focus on. More importantly, it comes down to what each of us is actually doing to make things better. Worrying achieves nothing; it simply creates stress, fear and negativity. Waiting for a political solution is a waste of valuable time. Taking action to make a difference breeds real change, positivity and optimism.
2. How is the rest of the world doing? Thailand just had 88 deaths due to Political infighting in Bangkok. Europe is facing a major Euro currency crisis. Greece and Spain (and probably more to come) are in deep financial trouble. So deep that France is threatening to pull out of the Eurozone. Britain has lost faith in their politicians. Every sixth child in Germany is on welfare. Volcanic ash is causing regular mayhem over parts of Europe. A friend recently returned from a 2 week driving holiday in Italy. He tells me that they have numerous, massive potholes which make ours seem tiny by comparison. The USA is facing its biggest oil spill disaster ever. They also found a large, (malfunctioning) car bomb in Times Square on 1st May. And they still owe around US $ 400 trillion to somebody – the world’s largest budget deficit? Australia faces issues like refugee boats, teen pregnancy and major drug abuse among their youth. A recent survey found that the Aussie population feels that their government is interfering way too much in all aspects of their lives. Sound familiar?
3. What about our planet? Right now, she is struggling with a nett population growth of some 200 000 new humans per day – that’s an extra 1 million every five days. We are literally swarming like ants and the impact is showing. So we are seeing global warming, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes and other planetary disruptions. Some even say that the melting ice caps could affect the delicate weight balance and cause earth to shift on her axis – then we will see some major SHI(F)T happen – in our lifetime!

And as I write all of this, I can hear the pessimists bleating again: SO WHAT Mark, two wrongs don’t make a right, get with the program, who cares about the rest of the world when our country is going to the dogs?

Listen ouens, I am only going to say this once: The world is your oyster and you can choose to go and live anywhere you like. The choices are vast. The truth is that WHEREVER YOU GO, YOU TAKE YOURSELF WITH YOU! You will still wake up every day and have to look in the mirror at your optimistic, pessimistic or realistic face. And if you have reason to complain about SA, you will most likely find as many reasons to complain about your new country, your neighbours, politicians, the weather, rising prices, bureaucracy, traffic, systems, language and food et al. Granted you will probably feel safer and more secure regarding violent crime, but will you feel HAPPY? Happiness comes from within and everywhere you go you will still face challenges. Different challenges maybe, but no less difficult to overcome.

And what of feeling secure? Helen Keller said: “Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.”

I am somewhat concerned about the future of our planet. I do not always feel 100% safe in my country right now. But I am 100% happy and confident it will improve. My life has always been a daring adventure. And, most importantly, I am doing something positive to make a difference instead of sitting around waiting for the world to change. Every month, I work with hundreds of my countrymen to improve their attitudes, productivity, optimism, efficiency, profitability, motivation and team work. At the workplace, I see people of all colours, religions and creeds, male and female, old and young, integrating and working together to make things better. I see the shift happening amongst leaders, staff and their customers. On Saturday, in Soweto, I saw that shift begin to happen socially, outside the workplace, in the townships, which is where the real work still needs to be done. I saw the birth of hope.

On selected weekends, I assist groups of brave individuals to take a profound journey deep inside and discover what distorted beliefs are running their lives. I witness “strangers” sharing their true feelings with other “strangers” and thereby becoming friends. I see people dropping their masks and prejudices, being completely authentic with others and thereby undergoing profound transformation, like caterpillars becoming butterflies. I see hope being restored and deep human bonds being formed, regardless of race or age or religious belief. I see the light begin to shine from within, as we strip away the darkness of depression, fear, self loathing and negative conditioning. I see extreme pessimists make a complete pendulum swing through realism to optimism. It is the most rewarding work I have ever done in my life.

All of the above gives me joy and makes my life meaningful. It gives me reason to believe, because I SEE IT HAPPEN. I do not read the newspapers, because they mostly tell me what is going wrong. I remain focused on what is REALLY GOING ON, and find that there is much to be optimistic about. I realise that it is up to each individual to first change themselves and then help others do the same, if we are to have a safer, kinder, more conscious and compassionate world.

Woodrow Wilson said: “You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.”

Our own Johnny Clegg sang: It’s a CRUEL, CRAZY, BEAUTIFUL world. I believe the world appears to be Cruel to the Pessimists, Crazy to the Realists and Beautiful to the Optimists.

Which one are you?

Well it is now 20 years on, and here we are my boet.

And tonight our president will take a break from impregnating the women of our nation to impregnate us with pride in what we have achieved in 20 years. The king of swing will fill us in on what is happening. Apparently he will speak to us in his capacity as head of state not head of government. Security would be advised to check the podium beforehand in case someone is hiding in there to give him some head. Anyway, let’s move ahead.

In case you are unable to tune in at 7pm, here is a brief summary of the state of the nation:

Dear friends

The nation is in a state. A state of change, a state of confusion, a state of emancipation, a state of anticipation. Our roads are in a hell of a state. Some of the Free State is underwater. Let me state categorically that all of these states are merely pigments of your imagination. Here are the actual facts:

• Vehicle hijackings have decreased. However, the whole country has been hijacked by FIFA for a good part of 2010.
• Crime is down but fear of crime has increased thanks to the negative media and UK company Protektorvest offering knife proof vests to soccer tourists.
• The Garden Route is parched and Gauteng is flooded.
• The recession is still causing a fair amount of depression.
• The stock market stinks. The rand is looking pretty grand.
• The gap between rich and poor has increased, as it has in many other similar countries in the world.
• Cape Town has just been voted one of the top 6 most beautiful cities in the world by Forbes magazine.
• We still have some of the bluest skies in the world.
• The new soccer stadiums are magnificent and reason to be proud
• Cadbury’s chocolate is still way better than any imported Swiss stuff.
• Mrs Balls could be the funniest name for a food company in the world.
• We have not lost our innate ability to laugh at ourselves.

What makes our nation so special is that we live life to the full, every minute, every hour, every day. We suck the marrow from the bones of life and seize the day, (because we never know if we will still be alive tomorrow.) Our lives are rich, complex, challenging and interesting. We speak 11 different languages yet strive to be one nation. Somehow, despite the odds, we manage to unite in crisis and support each other. We also try to help the rest of the world, with organisations such as Gift of the Givers making a major contribution in Haiti.

There is something so special about this country and its people. I cannot articulate what it is because it is ethereal, energetic, emotional and indescribable. But those who live here and those who visit us can sense it, feel it, experience it. It is the combined energy of 358 years of history – turbulent, violent, passionate and pioneering. It is the hopes and dreams born in the dusty townships and corporate boardrooms. It is the tremendous, ground breaking innovations and inventions like Heart Transplants, CAT scan machines, Oil from Coal, 128 bit security encryption, the Kreepy Krauly, Vuvuzela and Vuyo’s Wors. It is our honesty, our creativity, our humility and our tenacity that make me proud to be a citizen of this great nation.

This is the state of the nation. We are not the United States but we stand united.

Now that’s AYOBA!

I recall singing the “old” anthem at school with no passion, going through the motions, feeling no emotion at all. I remember how just a few years ago, many South Africans resisted the new anthem, refusing to accept the modified version. And I realise how far we have come, when the nation unites in indignation at the butchering of the anthem by brother Ras Dumisani in France.

I recall the comments that our new flag was too colourful and busy and looked like a pair of Y-Front underpants. Today I see our flag flown with pride at events such as the FIFA world cup pool draw, watched by hundreds of millions of people worldwide. I see a nation, at once troubled and divided, uniting behind our new symbols reflecting unity, diversity and the desire for a better life.

And as the year draws to a close, I feel the fatigue of a long 12 months. My first reaction is to think it has been an “Annus Horribilus” (Latin for Horrible Year.) But as you know, it is in my nature to seek the positives and see the glass as half full. So I take a deep breath and make time to really reflect upon what has been positive and what I am grateful for. It is at first difficult, my thoughts are blocked. Then suddenly, surprisingly, a stream of positives begins to flow through my mind. Briefly, here are some of them:

On a personal note:

• I am grateful that my business has actually improved through the downturn and emerged leaner as a result, ready to capitalise on the upturn when it comes.
• I am grateful to all my loyal customers, who have continued to support me even though their training budgets have been slashed. Thank you so much!
• I am grateful to our IT Guy, who organised our database, redesigned the website and demystified many of our IT challenges. Thanks Francois.
• I am grateful to my Consciousness Coach, who taught me that if we hold an important question in mind for long enough; we will become the living answer to that question. Thanks Michele.
• I am grateful to the founders of World Alive, for designing the most powerful personal development program available in South Africa and electing me to run the Cape Town Office. Thank you for believing in me.
• I am grateful to my wife and family, who have continued to support me in my journey to make a difference. I love you guys so much.
• I am grateful to my peers and colleagues, who continually challenge and support me to reach greater heights of awareness.
• I am grateful to you who read my newsletters, and give me so much valuable feedback. THANK YOU!
• I am grateful that this year has caused me to deeply evaluate what is really important and where to spend more of my quality time.

On a broader scale:

• I am grateful that humanity is realising how urgently we need to make dramatic changes to save this precious planet. I am confident that humankind has the intelligence and creativity to find ways to do this.
• I am grateful that we still have some honest policemen who risk their lives every day, for very little pay, in order to protect us.
• I am grateful for the teachers, doctors and nurses in public service who believe that making a difference and serving others is more important than money.
• I am grateful that we still have some officials and politicians (yes we do!) who fulfil the role of being public servants without greedily stuffing their pockets. Thank goodness for you!

How about you? Have you taken the time to reflect upon what you can be grateful for? Can you identify the positives from the past year? Or are you stuck in the belief that it was all bad?

The trick is to step outside the box, to go deep within and ask the question: What went right this year? For me, my relationships, my personal growth, my business, the country, the planet. What did I learn, how did I grow? What will I do differently next year as a result?

Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude. It makes you more positive and opens up space for you to receive more. It is better to have a little, and appreciate it a lot, than to have a lot and appreciate it a little (or not at all!)

In closing, I wish you and your loved ones a safe, relaxing and joyful festive season.

Please drive safely – enjoy the Ride! Remember that statistically you are 300 times more likely to die in a motor vehicle accident than as the victim of a violent incident in South Africa.

I don’t know about you but it has become patently obvious to me that I am addicted to my inbox. I reckon that I click on send/receive at least 30 times per day. It is a powerful and absorbing thing, this internet and its related technologies. I was planning to book into a rehab centre till I learned that a Chinese lightie of 15 was recently BEATEN TO DEATH whilst attending an internet addicts boot camp. The Skynews article also notes that China has the world’s largest internet population, with almost 300 million users, and that they have more than 200 organisations offering treatment for web addiction. Only last month, the nation banned electro-shock therapy as a treatment for the problem. How’s that for harsh my China?

Anyway, back to Boerewors Country. Almost everyone I know spends large chunks of their valuable time staring hypnotically into their computer monitor. Or Blackberry, or i Phone, or Omnia or Palm or PDA. Or Playstation, PSP, X Box or Wii. Or the blerrie TV. We cannot escape being sucked into the information vortex. But what are we seeing in front of us, what information is really being delivered here? To be honest it’s mostly irrelevant twak, which does very little to enhance our already stressed lives.

Let’s check out the most common items up for grabs on the techno-buffet:

Email:

I am a very lucky dude. Every day I win millions of Euros in the lotto and can easily buy Fake Rolexes, Top Quality University Degrees, Wonderful Weight Loss Products, Sensual Massages, Penis Enlargers, Viagra and of course Niagra (the female version of Viagra.) Based upon the number of mails I have received in the past 12 months, at least 263 897 people believe my male member is undersized. And this is just in my Junk Mail Folder!

In my inbox, I have 6 507 896 365.33 newsletters, invoices, unread mails, awaiting action tasks, jokes and worst of all, soppy inspirational pieces. In fact, if I see one more “pass this on to your 10 worst enemies and you will be eternally doomed”  email involving flowery words accompanied by lame ducks, cute kids, amiable animals, planets, forests, lakes, mountains or flowers, I am going to throw up all over my keyboard. Sies man.

Internet:

I really love Google. They have allowed me to access the world’s largest library with fast, intelligent searching. Internet Banking allows me to manipulate my meagre money matters to my heart’s content. Have you realised that your money has become an illusion floating in cyberspace? Because you never actually get to see very much of it for real.

For buying and selling almost anything gumtree is a truly awesome site. And online airticket and movie bookings have become a breeze. I also enjoy Youtube come to think of it. And have you heard the SA version of Lady Ga Ga’s Pokerface? It’s called Pap en Vleis and it’s really funny.

Of course the energy I spend on all of these sites leaves me no time to waste on the millions of social networking tools like Blogs, Twitter, Linked In, Plaxo and Facebook (OK – I’ll admit I stumble reluctantly into FB about once per month) I also never get to visit the News Channels and Chat Forums and Flash Games and Celebrity Slobberers and Sleazy Porn Sites. Blind ek se!  But hey, here is a Real Newsflash – I just learned that you can now watch the daily news delivered to you by naked people! Yes, if you are over 18, not too prudish and keen for a different angle on the news dangle, click here.

Playstation:

My 9 year old son is already able to kill 2 374 of the enemy per hour. He has thumbs like vice grips. Yet recently, I watched in awe as my wife quickly covered his eyes when a pair of naked female breasts flashed across on our TV screen. I tried to reason with her that our son was far more likely to see real live boobs one day than actually kill somebody, so why not let him have a good look in preparation? Give him a head start so to speak. She told me to shut up and so we agreed to disagree on this touchy issue.

T.V.

I mostly watch rugby, my wife watches movies and my kids watch cartoon network. I tried to watch Ed, Ed and Eddie once but almost had an epileptic fit. None of us watches the news ever, it’s just too damn depressing. Soap Operas are also banned in our household – who wants to stare vacuously whilst drooling at “Days of other people’s lives?” DSTV continues to dish us up miles and miles of nothingness. Why don’t they let us choose our 10 or fifteen favourite shows – allow us to design a custom bouquet which we will really enjoy, for a reduced fee? Catch a wake up you Monopolistic Monolith!

Cellphones:

I smaak the Apple i-Phone stukkend –you can do absolutely anything with it. (Except make a simple phone call.) The Blackberry is now known as the crackberry because it is so addictive. I hate meetings involving people with Blackberrys cause they don’t pay me much attention – their shifty eyes and surreptitious toggly fingers are very distracting. Meanwhile my new Nokia takes photo’s and synchronises my contacts and diary through blueteeth with my laptop which is wirelessly connected to my WAN which uses an ADSL pipe to connect to the world wide wiki. Kan jy dit glo my Bru!!!

Relaxation:

Ja well no fine. So what do we do to relax, find balance and switch off from all this attractive and addictive technology? Here are some ideas:

1. I have been told to read 2 great books and I intend to do so just as soon as I can find the time. They are: the 4 Hour Workweek and Take back your LIFE.
2. Download a simple, powerful relaxation exercise from my website by clicking here. It’s free!
3. Resolve to only click send and receive only twice per day. Or automatically at 2 hour intervals (Easier said than done).
4. Set appointments with yourself for exercise, relaxation, vacation and family time etc. I colour code mine green in Outlook, so I can visually see if my life is balanced.
5. Read a non-fiction book which uplifts you. Click here for my recommended reading booklist.
6. Plan a weekend away or holiday – do it NOW (use the internet)
7. Invest / spend / live some quality time with your kids.
8. Tell a loved one how much they mean to you.
9. Listen to uplifting music.
10. Attend my one hour Presentation, Winning Ways to Work Smarter, or my one day Workshop on Time Management.

Also, if you have a moment to mail me, I would love to hear about how you deal with all these technology issues and what actions you are taking to balance your life.

Have to go now – my inbox is calling me. “I’m coming honey……”

Till next time

Braai Braai

Mark

View your responses and comments to this newsletter.

In many industries right now, making sales is very tough, in some cases almost impossible. Salespeople are frustrated and demotivated, sandwiched between the pressure of meeting targets and their customers’ reluctance to buy. Traditional sales techniques are not getting the required results.

We need to explore a new approach to selling, which utilises more of the current technology and psychology. This does not mean that the basics of selling have changed or should be discarded. It means that the psychology of buying needs to be taken into account.

Let’s briefly analyse traditional sales techniques:

Traditional sales techniques worked like this:

1. Set ambitious sales targets. It’s all about the numbers.

2. Prospect for customers, using cold calling techniques or an existing database etc.

3. Make appointments, be on time and dress the part.

4. Ask some clever opening questions, to establish rapport.

5. Present your offering to the customer. Be sure to know your product or service really well, including its FAB’s and USP’s. Be confident.

6. Be ready to handle their objections, have the right answers ready when required.

7. Try to close the deal, or agree to submit a proposal. Leave your corporate brochure and business card with prospect.

8. Follow up – try to close again. Be sure to know at least 5 foolproof closing techniques.

9. Be persistent – some deals take time to conclude.

10. Keep filling your sales pipeline by following the steps above.

By using the above approach you often end up with tons of unconfirmed proposals and very little cash flow! In the new world order, we need to adopt a far more creative, strategic approach to selling. I call it “High Touch – Low Pressure Selling”. Below is a brief summary of how it works:

High Touch – Low Pressure Selling:

1. Formulate a proper Sales Strategy. Segment your market correctly. Analyse your competitor’s activities. Decide what you really want – growth, survival, more market share or stronger relationships. Be realistic – don’t think you can achieve all of these at once. Understand your customer’s current reality – not just regarding your product – regarding their entire business or business division. Design a compelling offering, taking all relevant factors into account. Don’t just cut price – find ways to add real value. Exceptional Times call for Exceptional Ideas!

2. Research your prospects effectively. Visit their website, google their name, befriend their PA or colleagues, build up a clear picture of them before you make contact. Prepare a CRM contact sheet with the important info and attach your printed research.

3. Make the appointment. Don’t try to sell at this stage. Confirm the appointment by email and include an agenda for the meeting. Make the meeting time frame no longer than 20 minutes.

4. At the appointment ask some pre-formulated, intelligent “Power Questions” to gain an understanding of your prospect, their interests, their business and their current challenges. Pay careful attention to their answers and then ask deeper, more probing questions. Use the opportunity to gauge their behavioural style (Analytical, Amiable, Expressive or Driver). Adjust your communication immediately to suit their style. Try to avoid talking about your offering at this stage – rather be completely interested in their reality. Picture yourself as their partner or advisor; keep trying to understand their headspace. Give short verbal and body language responses to show you are listening actively. Make notes of the key points.

5. Wait for the opportune moment to speak about your offering. Again, try to do this using questions rather than statements. Gauge how much the customer knows already and just fill in the gaps. Don’t talk too much – watch their body language to see if you are losing them. Your offer must be compelling, as decided during your sales strategy session. This will give you natural confidence.

6. Be prepared for objections and draw them out in their entirety. Ask a reflective question or rephrase the objection to show that you empathise with the prospect. Commit to finding a mutually beneficial solution. Remember you are positioning yourself as a trusted consultant / advisor – not a high pressure salesperson.

7. In some cases, if the customer has a need and some budget, the close will now happen automatically. They will close themselves. If not, try one of the “Power Closes”. Be sure it is appropriate to the client’s behavioural style. If they request a written proposal, first make sure that they qualify for the time it takes you to prepare and send it.

When I sell, I prefer to quickly talk through how the proposal will be structured, with the key points, to ensure that they know what to expect. I also try to find out who will be involved in the decision making process – gatekeepers, influencers and decision takers. I also often talk about price at this stage, even if it is a ballpark figure. If they fall off their chair, we go back to step no.6.

Only send a proposal if you feel that there is at least a 75% chance of closing the deal. Remember – you are not in the business of sending proposals. You are in the business of Closing Deals. Make sure you leave with your prospect’s business card. Ask if they would like your card and/or brochure. Don’t waste paper by leaving your documentation if it looks like they will toss it the moment you leave. Find out how soon they require the proposal – then send it ASAP. Agree with the prospect exactly how and when you will be following up – set an appointment for the follow-up meeting if possible. This will be the closing appointment.

8. Send the proposal – make sure it is short, has quality graphics and looks professional. Also ensure that the numbers are easy to understand. In your covering mail, ask them to confirm that they have received the proposal. Enter the customer’s info into your CRM database. Within 2 days, you begin to send them High Touch – Low Pressure emails. The content of this high touch communication is determined by WHAT YOU UNCOVERED during your meeting with the client. These mails have nothing to do with your company, its products or achievements. They have to do with items of interest to the client. These communications can include; links to interesting websites, newsletters, valuable business information, statistics, information about their industry, ways to work smarter etc. This ensures that you deepen the relationship, stay top of mind and set yourself apart from the opposition.

9. Be persistent but patient – find the balance between pushing too hard and being afraid to close. Trust the high touch process – It works!

10. Keep refining the steps above and tweak the system to suit your selling style. Hold the attitude that you are here to build relationships, to sell, to add real value, to make a difference and to have some fun in the process. Keep investing in yourself – read books on selling, subscribe to magazines, grow your general industry knowledge, join a network, attend sales training courses (mine are really good!). Remember – Selling is a Profession. Professionals regularly upskill themselves – so should you!

Some are comparing the current economic crisis to the great downturn of 1929. Yet historically, in similar economic downturns, fortunes have been made, bargains have been bought, history has been shaped! Shaped by those who had the courage and the foresight to spot the opportunities – those who thought out of the box and became creative rather than reactive. Those who accepted that cycles are a part of all life, and went with the flow. Those who implemented exceptional ideas and actions!

Yours in Training

Mark Berger

It’s not easy being an optimist in these challenging times.  The forces of sadness and negativity are finding more and more evidence to justify their unhappy existence. The psychic vampires are conspiring to drain my positive energy.

Also, I am beginning to think we South Africans suffer from a form of collective national erectile dysfunction. Or at least a massive countrywide inferiority complex, with a smidgen of schizophrenia thrown in. It seems to me that many other countries believe in South Africa more than we believe in ourselves!

The Indian Premier League is a prime example. The people of India (who completely idolise their cricket players) were concerned about the IPL players’ safety due to possible unrest during their elections. So they sent them all to SA, in the midst of our elections, to play the IPL tournament here. They believed that their players would be safer here than back home in India. In addition, we were given only a few weeks to prepare for this massive event and, in true SA schtyle, we pulled it off magnificently!

We also seem to believe that we have the monopoly on dodgy politicians. Right now our old imperialist coloniser Grate Britain (yes spelled grate – because of their constant whingeing and complaining) are catching a major wake-up call. Many of their politicians are deeply embroiled in the current expenses scandal. Their justice Minister Shahid Malik recently resigned after being caught red handed. We had travelgate – they now have mastergate.

Many other countries regularly report highly questionable behaviour by their politicians. For example, click here to view a report on the top 5 most corrupt USA politicians of 2008. It may surprise you to learn that as a country, we only rank 46^th in terms of corruption. Which means we are less corrupt than Greece, Brazil, Mexico, Thailand, China, Egypt and India to name but a few.  This statistic by no means justifies or minimises the actions of our businessmen or politicians who succumb to the massive temptations of position and power. It merely puts their behaviour into context.

As John Mayer sings: “We keep waiting, waiting for the world to change”  So we keep waiting for the policemen, politicians, councillors, trade unionists and others to effect the change we need in order for us to finally believe. We spread sad stories of inefficiency, corruption, poor leadership and incompetent civil servants. What is the point? It merely serves to perpetuate our lack of self belief. How long are we going to keep waiting for things to change? When are we, to quote Gandhi, going to become the change we want to see in our country?

There is an ongoing debate on whether seeing is believing, or believing is seeing. The USA is a prime example of the latter. They are technically a bankrupt nation, with a national deficit running into trillions of dollars. About half of their population is overweight and 30% of them obese. Nationmaster reported in a survey on crimes per capita that the USA has more crimes per capita than SA. (Unflippingbelievable!) All they seem to have going for them now are a likeable presidential couple, a thriving democracy and tons of self belief.

Having lived in the USA for 12 months, I was amazed to see their collective level of self belief and patriotism. They harness this collective energy and somehow manage to have the strongest economy on the planet, with less than a third of the population of India and a quarter of that of China! Why? Because they fly their flag and sing their anthem and speak one language and believe in themselves and support one another and work together to keep their dream alive! For them, believing is seeing. We really should learn from this.

As a motivational speaker, my strategy is to open my eyes, my mind and my heart and look out for what is going right. Then focus my attention on it, to keep my spirits high. Which is different to getting high on spirits!

So what do I see in SA, in order to help me believe?

• I see massive roadworks, currently causing some major traffic problems. I believe however, that within 12 months they should be finished and we will have a vastly improved transportation infrastructure.
• I see many people struggling financially in these awful economic times. Yet I also believe that we are not as badly affected as many other countries, partly due to the National Credit Act and Exchange Controls which we moaned about for so long.
• I see layoffs and retrenchments and short time. Yet I also see many people restructuring their busy lives, reprioritising what is really important and starting to create more balance between their work, health and family life.
• I see compassion and caring starting to replace greed and consumerism.
• I see reports of many South African expatriates coming home, which I believe could alleviate the acute specialised skills shortage in some of our sectors.
• I see doctors going on strike, demanding higher remuneration. I support them completely – doctors need to be paid well or they will simply seek work in other countries. Once again, other countries welcome our doctors with open arms, believing in them more than we do. We simply cannot afford to let them go. (By the way, have you ever wondered why doctors study for at least 7 years and then spend the rest of their life practising?)
• I see my white children, schooling and playing and laughing with black and brown and even Asian kids. I believe this is our hope for the future. (I also had China’s in school, but they were from Jo’burg!)
• I see cranes and stadiums and construction and housing projects for the poor and packed convention centres and busy shopping malls and an economy which continues to function, albeit in slow motion.
• I see a photo of Africa, taken from outer space, showing visible evidence of why we are Africa’s largest economy. Africa believes in us – the bulk of the 9.5 million tourists we welcomed to SA last year were visitors from Africa.
• I see a new minister of finance who has a truly remarkable track record, having vastly improved the efficiency and revenue collection of SARS. I believe he is a worthy successor to Clever Trevor.
• I see SA companies like MTN and Shoprite expanding into Africa, making a difference and making a profit. Isn’t that what business is all about?
• I see so much more, but don’t want to become a bore.

What do you see? What do you believe? If we open our eyes, our hearts and our minds, how much more can we achieve?

Henry Ford said: If you think you can, or you think you can’t, you are right.

I THINK WE CAN!

This awesome picture of Africa was taken by astronaut Sunita Williams. Besides the breathtaking beauty of the picture, it provides visible evidence as to why SA is the strongest economy in Africa. Look north towards countries like Egypt and Nigeria, with populations much larger than ours, and note how relatively little light is generated there. Perhaps Eskom is not that terrible after all?

It also shows just how developed Europe is by comparison, with little room for growth or expansion. Finally it shows me just how much potential and opportunity exists just north of our beautiful country.

What does it show you ?

Our new leader you are

From humble beginnings

You’ve really come far.

And now is your time

To shine and be strong

And make a real difference

And prove them all wrong.

We hope you will show us

The man that you are

With the mind of a politician

And the voice of a rock star.

The ladies will swoon

And many will say

That you use much less botox

Than Zille of the DA.

You’ve shrugged off the charges

You’ve given us hope

You even have managed

To fight off the COPE.

We hope you are firm

We hope you are fair

We hope you will never

Put colour in your hair.

We hope you can calm us

When voices are shrill

We hope you get along with

Patricia de Lille.

As well as the opposition

Who will question you so

And challenge your decisions

To ensure that we grow.

For we really do need you

And you really need us

But who really needs

The Freedom Front Plus?

Our politicians are many

Their ideas are too

But it’s not what they say

It’s about what they DO!

We want you to solve

The serious dilemma

Of that very strange man

Called Julius Malema.

And also the Taxis

Who break all the rules

And endanger our lives

And drive like real fools.

We need lots of jobs

And houses and things

And maybe in our parks

For the kids, some swings?

We need much less crime

And violence and fear

And much less of those who

Make corruption their career.

We want service delivery

And efficiency and speed

And competent people

We do urgently need.

To run the departments

Which impact the lives

Of our sons and our daughters

And our parents and wives.

And Africa she needs us

To show her the way

Out of gradual decline

And rapid decay.

But don’t try to fix Africa

By neglecting the South

As was tried by Mbeki

With his pipe in his mouth.

Our economy is strong

And it can still get stronger

If the minister of finance

Could just stay a bit longer?

Cause we want this to work

And we need you to win

And make better lives for those

Who voted you in.

Without grabbing the farmland

Without calling for war

Without making the mistakes

Of Mad Bob next door.

We’re a Banana Republic

I’m hearing some say

But I think we are more like

A Choc Nut sundae.

With some white and some brown

And some nuts in between

And a warm, rich black topping

With a dollop of cream.

So we hope you’re a fighter

Who will fight the good fight

For the blacks and the coloureds

And indians and whites

We hope you will lead us

With vision and grace

So we can become

A much better place.

Yes you are our leader

And we wish you the best

As the next few years

Put you to the test.

So we send you best wishes

And hope you do well

And as they say in the classics

ONLY TIME WILL TELL!

Good Luck Msholozi!

Eish my Boet – the New Year has barely begun and already the prophets of doom are spreading the negativity lekker dik, like Bovril on a braaibrood. They klap us with deeply disturbing chirps like the global economic meltdown, soaring unemployment, vehicle repossessions, declining property values, stock market collapses, recession, depression, deflation, stagnation & fornication et al. It’s enough to make you naar my bru!

In spite of all this, I find myself feeling positive, upbeat and even (cautiously) optimistic right now. In May 2008 I was gatvol and ready to leave SA. Yet today, January 2009, I am feeling much more at peace and actually looking forward to the year ahead. This is despite having had my office broken into last November and being relieved of my laptop, briefcase, 3 cell phones & various digital cameras!

“Hau” you exclaim, “how is this possible? Has the motivational speaker finally lost his last few remaining marbles?”

Maybe – maybe not. Let me explain. I’m not blind my boet. I know that in many ways, things are pretty KAK for a whole lot of people. F’rinstance you don’t want to be an American Auto Worker right now, or a Brit in Financial Services, or an Aussie Test Cricket Supporter. Talk about zero options and no light out there Boet. It must be terrifying to be retrenched, unemployed and anxious with no income and virtually no prospects for any improvement. And the reality is that some “things” may still get worse my Bru. This cyclical correction has been a long time coming and it won’t just fix itself overnight.

But as you know boet, my nature has always been to consciously focus on the positive “things”, to actively seek out the good stuff going down and then focus my attention on that. And then to go out there and make good things happen, for myself and others.

If you open your eyes (and mind) and really look, there is a lot to be positive about. In fact, quite a few things are looking much better than they were just a few months ago, when the situation really stank. For example:

1. I filled my car last night, cost me R 330. A few months ago it cost over R 500.

2. Festive Season road deaths are down a massive 40%. That’s right, forty percent. Unflippingbelievable! And finally, finally they are fixing the Koeberg interchange, Cape Town’s most congested piece of tarmac.

3. We holidayed in Durban over December. Besides awesome Ushakaland, Glamorous Gateway, Wacky Wavehouse and Radical RJ’s Ribs, the beaches were full of smartly outfitted garbage collectors, friendly tourist guides, hyperactive life guards and sweaty pink pommie tourists. The whole jol ran like clockwork. I was beindruk ek se! Go Durbs!

4. We klapped the Aussies in the Cricket Test Series! In Aussie nogal. Nobody froze or choked. I’m stoked. And Graham Smith went from zero to Hero.

5. Bafana Bafana actually scored a couple of goals in some of their last few matches. Go ouens!

6. COPE gives me HOPE. Too much power is dangerous and our fledgling democracy can only benefit from more opposition for better balance.

7. Cape Town Mayor Helen Zille was voted the world’s best, and she is one smart, honest, Teflon Tannie. (Nothing sticks to her.) And what an example she is to all politicians.

8. We have a new minister of health, who seems sort of switched on. And Trevor is still pulling the purse strings (Thank goodness!)

9. Right now, our SA banks are said to be “safer” than the Swiss, German, British and American banks. And this is partly because of the National credit Act, which gave us so many headaches last year.

10. We have had some good rainfall and THEY SAY that this should lead to lower FOOD PRICES? (Front page of the Sunday Crimes a few weeks ago) I’ll believe it when I see it, but at least some of the headlines are becoming more positive!

11. Like it or not, 2010 is coming. And my feeling is we will pull it off, in typical SA style. There will probably be some hiccups and maybe even some big stuffups but overall it is going to be a moerse jol. Buy your tickets soon; they apparently start at only R 120 a pop. (But that probably buys you a seat in the toilet for the game between Outer Mongolia and Biafra)

12. Barack Obama – what more can I say. A bruin ou who can GO!

“Yes Mark,” I hear you saying, “this may all be true, BUT what about the terrifying realities of Crime, Corruption, Falling standards of Education, Global Warming, The Financial Crunch, Zimbabwe, Gaza and Minibus Taxis?”

My suggestion is this boet:

GET OFF YOUR BUT’S. Move on. Let it go. Get a life. Or make a big sign and go picket against whatever is pissing you off. Just don’t waste your precious energy agonising over stuff you can do nothing about. And if you can do something, then do it. Get involved. Play the game. Stop sniping from the sidelines. It serves no purpose, other than to increase your blood pressure, stress levels and the sales of alcohol and antidepressants. Read my lips as I say it again my boet: GET OFF YOUR BUT’S. Erase the word BUT from your daily dialogue and watch how your outlook on life will change. Dramatically.

Then, if you are feeling adventurous, the next step is to consider occupying your tortured mind with something alternative, creative and uplifting, such as:

1. Reading the book “A New Earth” by Eckart Tolle. Or if you prefer you could do like I did, buy the 8 CD set and listen to the book whilst driving your car. The traffic becomes so much more bearable my bru. Even the Taxi’s seem less evil. That Eckart oke is one smart dude. Just ask Oprah.

2. If you have not yet read “The best of 2008 newsletter” then click this link to read a wonderfully written summary of the positive aspects of last year from a SA perspective. It is extremely well written and very uplifting.

3. If you have broadband, and an even broader mind, Google “Zeitgeist – The Movie” and watch it. Especially part 3, where you will see an interesting take on the reason for the current global economic meltdown. If you don’t have broadband, visit someone who does boet. Make a plan. To view the movie, click here.

4. Help someone less fortunate than you. Give away a little money, or some of your time, or even some of the old useless shit cluttering your home and life right no. Get verlig my bru – it feels kwaai!

5. Eat a little less red meat – cow farts screw up the atmosphere and you will feel lighter and may have less chance of getting colon cancer later. If you need more motivation, read the bestselling book “Fast Food Nation” by investigative journalist Eric Schlosser. It’s scary but true.

6. Adopt a stray pet. It will love you unconditionally, something we should all learn to do.

7. Read the book “Fifty facts that should change the World.” by Jessica Williams. But be warned – it’s quite mind blowing. Truth can be stranger than fiction.

8. If you are white, consider visiting a non white township and go see for yourself how the majority of our country lives. It is truly an awesome, eye opening and uplifting experience. Check out the Sangomas, Shebeens and Street Life. Seriously now. Most of our township residents visit the white areas regularly. So why should we not reciprocate and visit them – at least once? Who knows, you may even find my laptop there.

9. Go to Google images, type in “Solar System” and check out the actual size of our sun relative to the earth. It really puts things into perspective. Or even easier, just click this link.

10. Also at Google images, type in Hubble Telescope and look at some pictures of the 100 billion or so other galaxies out there, beyond our Milky Way / solar system. Try to see your / the world’s problems in the bigger context of the huge universe. Or click this link for an amazing slideshow of the Hubble pictures.

11. Find someone to hug. Your partner, kids, family, friends, colleagues, neighbours, dogs, cats or rats. Hug them often my bru, tightly and appreciatively. It is the greatest gift that you can ever give and receive.

12. Start each day by thinking about or writing down all the things that you are grateful for. Then try to accept life’s curved balls without judgement. Gratitude and acceptance are hugely powerful transformational tools.

13. Get out of your rut. Adopt a practise to help you find more peace of mind. Actively investigate ways to connect to the still space within you. Find ways to change your inner world, and you will notice how the outer world immediately changes for the better.

In conclusion, I will leave you with a few beautiful lines written by Alberto Villoldo PH.D, from his book “The Four Insights:”

“To be a sage means that when you look around you, you see only beauty. You will come to understand how everything you experience is a projection of your inner landscape or dream. This means that nothing ever happens to you, since you’re the creator of each event and incident in your life. So you never need to fix anything in the outer world – if you want to transform some circumstance that appears to be outside of yourself, you just need to own it and change it within!”

Look after yourself my boet. Till next time – totsiens!

Stay close to the centre of the cyclone. It’s always calm in there.

With Love

Mark

Howzit

Wow! I am absolutely astounded by the sheer volume of responses to my “gatvol” email two weeks ago. Now I know what they mean when they say “word gets around” I’m blown away boet! Gobsmacked, to say the least!

A big thanks to all of you who took the time to reply. You can view your replies at the end of this article.

Ironically, just after my letter, we are klapped with Xenophobia. Things now appear to be moving from bad to wors. (Personally, I smaak my wors medium rare – how about you?) Anyway back to the punt. One in five citizens now plans to quit SA, according to the Cape Times front page on Thurs 22 May. This is not surprising, considering that the Cape Times front page of 19 May displayed a shockingly disgusting and disturbing full colour picture of a burning man set alight by insane thugs. In my last letter I wrote: “I accept that bad news sells, but soon there will be nobody left here to buy it!” Wake up Mr. Cape Times Editor – I tjooned you my bru!

So what to do? Stay or waai? Eish, this is an agonising question my boet. Are things really better in other “first world” countries? I suppose it depends upon what you mean by better. If you talk safety, security, infrastructure, law, order and good governance, probably. If you talk lifestyle, climate, sense of humour, natural beauty, cultural diversity, depth of character, creativity, zest for life, biltong, braaivleis and boerewors, maybe not?

It would also appear that Xenophobia is on the rise in many other countries around the world. To quote Justine Gerardy, in the Weekend Argus of May 24.  “Xenophobic attacks and immigration challenges are not new. They are not even particularly South African. For example in Russia, since the beginning of 2008, there have been 211 reported victims of hate crimes – with 53 murders. In Italy, just last week, police arrested hundreds of people in a (Xenophobia) crackdown. And even Britain, an island nation with no porous land borders or neighbouring dictatorships, is facing a historical immigration high.”

Even in the good old USA boet, this stuff is happening: I read the following report online at huffingtonpost: “At a fundraiser in Florida last Thursday night, (American Presidential Hopeful) Barack Obama accused anti-immigrant crusaders Lou Dobbs and Rush Limbaugh of “ginning things up” to such an extent that there was a rise in hate crimes against Hispanics last year. Obama said. “A certain segment has basically been feeding a kind of xenophobia. There’s a reason why hate crimes against Hispanic people doubled last year”

So that still leaves us with good old Australia, who themselves have some baggage regarding their Aboriginal population. Aussie does seem like a safe bet though, which is interesting considering that as a country it started off as a sort of floating prison. I was amused by the following anecdote from a South African who moved to Australia, could not adjust and came back home. He said: “Emigrating to Australia is like being invited to the biggest jol of the year, and then spending the whole night dancing with your mother!”

No offence to the Aussies mind you. I am not an Aussie basher. I really think they are an awesome nation with many great qualities and much to be proud of. (Rugby not being one of them!) Good on ya mates!

But getting back to our situation, those of us who do choose to stay here in ZAR have to keep asking ourselves “What can I DO to make things better?” Cause if we are not going to be part of the solution we will remain part of the problem. And please, if any of you feel that some of the ideas I am suggesting below will not work, don’t bother writing to me unless you have another suggestion that will. I’m really tired of people telling me that this and that won’t work and yet are unable to offer any alternative suggestions of their own. Its defeatist thinking and it achieves nothing! Verstaan jy? Kwaai my bru.

So here are some more suggestions to consider:

Join the million man march against crime (in JHB) on 10 June 2008. It should be a huge event.

Read the book “A Country at war with itself” by Antony Altbeker. It really puts our crime wave into perspective and, most importantly, suggests practical steps which can be taken to significantly reduce the crime wave. Three of the many interesting and well researched statistics from the book are:

“Since its peak in the mid 1990’s, the number of murders recorded in SA every year has fallen by 30% from nearly 27 000 to 19 000.”  

“Only a small proportion of murders in SA are committed in the course of a robbery. Most are the result of what analysts have taken to calling “interpersonal violence,” a category of crime that covers everything from domestic violence to road rage, from a barroom brawl to a violent dispute between an employee and his boss.”

And finally: “…the number of cash-in-transit robberies recorded by the SA police in 2006/7, at fewer than 500, is actually quite small…In the United Kingdom, over 700 of raids of this sort are recorded each year. This is in embarrassing contrast with Germany, which had fewer than 20 incidents. In that country though, the largest security company in the field collapsed when its managers were tried for skimming cash off their payloads” Read a book review for this excellent book.

You could take some kind of action to help the victims of Xenophobia. For a list of suggestions on how you could help, visit SARocks.

Write letters to the editors of your local newspapers, whenever you feel that they are over sensationalizing crime and violence or perpetuating negativity. Get your friends to do the same. And don’t hold back – they certainly don’t!

Start a campaign to ban negative newspaper headlines from being displayed on lamp posts. (Thanks for this idea Kareen) We don’t need their version of life shoved down our throats every day.

Visit the blog SARocks and post your comments. Or send your own article to the editor of SARocks, Nic Haramboulis at the following email: editor@sarocks.co.za

Lobby your local MP’s to speak out against crime. This is one of our biggest frustrations in this whole situation. If our president, cabinet ministers and others in positions of power would just take a firm stand, speak up and declare a serious intention to fight crime, violence and lawlessness, things should improve significantly. (That is, if they follow up their words with sustained action)

Also if you have any more practical, positive ideas on what you believe we can do to make things better, please send me your suggestions. I deeply appreciate them.

And don’t forget to keep smiling and of course styling, wherever possible.

Until next time, I remain your passionately pissed off brother from another mother.

Cheers

Mark Berger

email: mark@markberger.co.za

web: www.markberger.co.za