Big claim? Yeah, I know it is, but I make that claim with complete confidence. I can fix America. Of course, it would take the cooperation of every American, but it could still be done. It only takes us doing three things.
1. Every American must get their house in order financially. What that means: Spend less money than you earn. Pay your obligations. Live within your means. Prioritize what is important in terms of money, ie. saving, investing, and buying meaningful things that move you closer to your overall goals as an individual and as a family.
2. Raise your kids. Yeah, actually raise your kids . . . parent them, not just be in the house with them. Teach your kids values and principles. Teach them to live lives based in integrity where when they give their word, it means something. Teach them to eat healthily, be responsible with money, treat others fairly, and help those less fortunate. Teach them how to do things like cook, make their bed, screw in a light bulb, carry out the trash, and other basics. Teach them to be responsible, productive, contributing adults while they are still children.
3. Do your job. Remember why you were hired? Remember that thing you are paid to do? Do it. Do it with all you’ve got. Get to work on time and work the entire time you are there. Never make your employer wonder is they are getting the best from you. Never have a customer question whether you care about them or not. Never have a co-worker be able to call you a slacker. Be the person who does their job to the best of their abilities every minute of every day – just like you were hired to do.
That’s it. Seriously, that is all it would take to fix America. Right now, we are a country full of people who have been fiscally irresponsible and that is the reason we are in the mess we are in today. Some of you will argue that point and you have every right to be wrong. We are in this mess because individuals have been fiscally irresponsible. Those individuals then created companies who were then fiscally irresponsible. And we are not parenting our children. We are raising stupid, irresponsible kids who can’t read, think Paris Hilton is god and have few morals or values. If you want the stats and the proof, I could give it here but I will make you wait for my next book, Stop Raising Stupid Kids. The fault however, does not lie with the kids, it lies squarely in the laps of their parents. Lastly, people barely do their jobs. You know this is true. Walk in any business in America and the evidence will be clear. Just look at how your coworkers spend their day. Then look in the mirror and admit that you aren’t giving it your best either. You were hired to give it your best and you agreed to, but you aren’t doing it.
Want to make this a better country? Of course you do. We all do. If you really mean it, then go home and do these three things. It will take some time, but it can be done. Do your part by beginning today.
People Are Idiots And I Can Prove It. The book is selling well and many of you took advantage of the special offer to receive the free book by buying before the 9th. If you did get the book and enjoy it, then please go to Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com and leave a review. You have no idea how important those reviews are in selling books. For those of you who have not purchased the book yet, help me make it a great January by picking up the book this month. Thanks!
Facebook. If you are on Facebook, become one of my “friends.” And while you are there, join The Larry Winget Unofficial Fan Club. Some good folks set this up and I am going to help them make it an interactive site where you can “Ask Larry” and be informed of some other cool stuff. And if you aren’t on Facebook – it really is a fun way to get in touch and stay in touch with folks you know. Warning: it can become addictive!
Larry,
I finally started visiting your blog site and thanks. During a very low period in my life I bought your book SUSWandGaL (I hate to type). That was in January 2006. Five months later my life was changed by a serious motorcycle accident and reviewing your principles…many of which I used to teach but hadn’t sunk into me yet, has helped me make it through to today and has helped me launch my life in a new, scary and exciting direction. I have also read Success is Your Own Damn Fault, It’s Called Work for a Reason and just last night finished People Are Idiots and I Can Prove It! In a word! THANKS! With your permission, I am going to mention you and your books from time to time on my website. Let’s keep slappin’ um in the face…with love.
John Fleenor
Executive Director/Founder
A Combined Voice
Raise your own children? Larry, you could be on to something. We would have to take it slow and start with teaching the meaning of values and principles and work up to handling responsibility, and gasp, giving more than you take and leaving things better than you found them. It’s huge but I think it can happen.
It is unfortunate that we have to teach people that, “Work is only boring to those who take no pride in it” (anonymous).
“Work is only boring to those who take no pride in it”
That’s a great line.
I started listening to Larry about a year ago and really liked “Success is your own damn fault.”
Keep up the good work!
Hi Larry,
I’m the guy who has read everything possible involving personnal development and I have used much of the advice in the books I have read from authors like… Covey, Robbins, Peters, Zig and Nightengale to name a few. For some reason your the guy who alway strikes a cord with me. Your book “Your Broke because you want to be” is absolutely amazing and filled with facts and great tools that I follow. I carry the 100 bucks, I know what I owe and what I bring in and I have used your worksheets. I think you could fix America and I couldn’t not agree more with your three points. Keep it going Larry.. in a world of theory and talk your stuff works!
“Well done is always better then well said”
Benjamin Franklin
I think you’re very right about all of this. I just turned 20 years old on January 13th and I’m actually unemployed because I was very will and couldn’t be at work. They then fired me because I had not been excused. I was working at Firestone at that time. Anyway, the few things I can’t stand in life myself are liars and cheaters. I’m in a rocky relationship to some points but working through it one day at a time. Thing is, people need to get with the picture and start taking responsibility for their own actions and start fessing up to the mistakes they make and then correct them and quit bitching about them. American can be in better shape but we all need to work together and apart to make that happen. As you’ve said before, teams don’t always work unless everyone is willing to put in 100% and no less! Thanks Larry for just being the way you are. I think you could inspire America to better itself yet.
Larry, you are right of course, and I am glad that you raise the voice for the hard work, ethic and responsibility to raise our own children in this age where ‘the village’ is giving us so many choices for wasting time on games and leisure, when we can’t even afford it. It is such a fine line and overwhelming for so many people who like sheep need a good shepherd and not a wolf in sheep clothing to lead us. You look like a good shepherd to me.
Thought everyone might enjoy this:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28628821/
I think the whole “raise” your kids thing will do wonders …
(Especially if we start to trickle back to multi-generations living in the same home.)
I just love that idea and the possibilities of it!
Maybe if people would start turning towards their families instead of consuming, they might start to find some true happiness.
And you are so right about the basics –
I can’t believe how many of my twenty-something age sons friends, are ignorant on the simplest of skills.
(And I’m talking college students, too!)
My boys know how to cook, clean, do laundry, do minor car repairs and maintenance, and most importantly BUDGET their money!
I mean …
Isn’t the whole goal of parenting to give them wings so they can fly?
Crazy times = Back to basics
I don’t have kids, so none of this “kids are everything” stuff applies to me. But the idea of no one ever leaving home and families all living in the same house forever certainly does not appeal to me at all. Independence is important, and consumption has nothing to do with how close you are to your family. Everyone being dependent on each other and never leaving the nest is not “true happiness.” It’s fear of letting go.
Larry,
I agree with you 100%; however, I don’t think the people you supported in this last election will agree with your “fix”. In fact the liberals that just took office and will be running the government for the next 8 years (and have for the last 2 yrs) will be doling out our tax dollars to people and companies that have been, and will continue to be, irresponsible for a very long time. The liberal fix is to have everyone depend on the government to take care of them. By the time BO leaves office the US will be broke, financially and morally!