ey're just cutting corners. And to them it's nothing more than a slick little shortcut. An edge.

"After all, it doesn't hurt anybody. Those guys in business, have plenty of money, so it's okay if I lift a bit of value for nothing. That's why they offer guarantees -- I say I'm not satisfied, and I get my money back. That's the way the game is played."

But refunding isn't the only shortcut.

How many items in your garage or on your bookshelf

It happens fairly often. About one customer in 50 steals from me.

But I'm not alone. Virtually every person I know who sells information products says they have the same experience.

No matter how good your product, no matter how much value you pile on, about two percent of your customers will order your product, download it, then immediately request a refund. And usually there's only a delay of a few minutes between download and refund demand.

"Sorry this isn't what I expected."
"I didn't find anything new in your book."
"I was curious, but it didn't meet my expectations."
"It wasn't worth the money."

And my all-time favorite:

"Give me a refund, then eat **** and die."

I think of them as "professional refunders." But some of my friends aren't that polite -- thieves they call 'em.

Now I'm not talking about the occasional person who reads a book thoughtfully and truly does find it lacking. This happens; nobody's writing style is a perfect fit for every reader, not even mine. But these cases account for only about half my refunds, and most other info marketers find the proportion is about the same.

Do I resent these thieves? I used to. When I first began selling online, the first few refunds were a slap in the face to me.

Now, however, I just feel sorry for these people. They're so poor, so utterly impoverished in spirit, that they have to resort to stealing just to try and keep up with the world around them.

They're telling the entire world: "I'm such I loser that I can't compete on fair terms. I need an edge. I have to take unfair advantage just to try and stay even with others. Without cheating, I'd have no hope at all. I'm pitiful."

So what's my point here? It's about cutting corners.

That's what my "professional refunders" -- my thieves -- are doing. They're just cutting corners. And to them it's nothing more than a slick little shortcut. An edge.

"After all, it doesn't hurt anybody. Those guys in business, have plenty of money, so it's okay if I lift a bit of value for nothing. That's why they offer guarantees -- I say I'm not satisfied, and I get my money back. That's the way the game is played."

But refunding isn't the only shortcut.

How many items in your garage or on your bookshelf

rry this isn't what I expected."
"I didn't find anything new in your book."
"I was curious, but it didn't meet my expectations."
"It wasn't worth the money."And my all-time favorite:

"Give me a refund, then eat **** and die."

I think of them as "professional refunders." But some of my friends aren't that polite -- thieves they call 'em.

Now I'm not talking about the occasional person who reads a book thoughtfully and truly does find it lacking. This happens; nobody's writing style is a perfect fit for every reader, not even mine. But these cases account for only about half my refunds, and most other info marketers find the proportion is about the same.

Do I resent these thieves? I used to. When I first began selling online, the first few refunds were a slap in the face to me.

Now, however, I just feel sorry for these people. They're so poor, so utterly impoverished in spirit, that they have to resort to stealing just to try and keep up with the world around them.

They're telling the entire world: "I'm such I loser that I can't compete on fair terms. I need an edge. I have to take unfair advantage just to try and stay even with others. Without cheating, I'd have no hope at all. I'm pitiful."

So what's my point here? It's about cutting corners.

That's what my "professional refunders" -- my thieves -- are doing. They're just cutting corners. And to them it's nothing more than a slick little shortcut. An edge.

"After all, it doesn't hurt anybody. Those guys in business, have plenty of money, so it's okay if I lift a bit of value for nothing. That's why they offer guarantees -- I say I'm not satisfied, and I get my money back. That's the way the game is played."

But refunding isn't the only shortcut.

How many items in your garage or on your bookshelf

lly and truly does find it lacking. This happens; nobody's writing style is a perfect fit for every reader, not even mine. But these cases account for only about half my refunds, and most other info marketers find the proportion is about the same.

Do I resent these thieves? I used to. When I first began selling online, the first few refunds were a slap in the face to me.

Now, however, I just feel sorry for these people. They're so poor, so utterly impoverished in spirit, that they have to resort to stealing just to try and keep up with the world around them.

They're telling the entire world: "I'm such I loser that I can't compete on fair terms. I need an edge. I have to take unfair advantage just to try and stay even with others. Without cheating, I'd have no hope at all. I'm pitiful."

So what's my point here? It's about cutting corners.

That's what my "professional refunders" -- my thieves -- are doing. They're just cutting corners. And to them it's nothing more than a slick little shortcut. An edge.

"After all, it doesn't hurt anybody. Those guys in business, have plenty of money, so it's okay if I lift a bit of value for nothing. That's why they offer guarantees -- I say I'm not satisfied, and I get my money back. That's the way the game is played."

But refunding isn't the only shortcut.

How many items in your garage or on your bookshelf

d in spirit, that they have to resort to stealing just to try and keep up with the world around them.

They're telling the entire world: "I'm such I loser that I can't compete on fair terms. I need an edge. I have to take unfair advantage just to try and stay even with others. Without cheating, I'd have no hope at all. I'm pitiful."

So what's my point here? It's about cutting corners.

That's what my "professional refunders" -- my thieves -- are doing. They're just cutting corners. And to them it's nothing more than a slick little shortcut. An edge.

"After all, it doesn't hurt anybody. Those guys in business, have plenty of money, so it's okay if I lift a bit of value for nothing. That's why they offer guarantees -- I say I'm not satisfied, and I get my money back. That's the way the game is played."

But refunding isn't the only shortcut.

How many items in your garage or on your bookshelf

ey're just cutting corners. And to them it's nothing more than a slick little shortcut. An edge.

"After all, it doesn't hurt anybody. Those guys in business, have plenty of money, so it's okay if I lift a bit of value for nothing. That's why they offer guarantees -- I say I'm not satisfied, and I get my money back. That's the way the game is played."

But refunding isn't the only shortcut.

How many items in your garage or on your bookshelf have been borrowed and never returned?

How many times have you flattered a boss you can't stand just to make life easier?

A friend of mine once complained that his wife would get all lovey and romantic till she got him "inspired" then she'd switch gears and start the hard sell for something she wanted him to buy. It didn't take my friend long to figure out what was happening, but it took him years before he finally walked away from that game. He got tired of his wife's shortcut to persuasion.

It's possible that you lecture your kids about honesty and integrity, but you cheat on your diet, your income taxes and your spouse.

Or maybe you want to build a business, but you spend all your spare time at the television rather than the textbooks.

Whatever you're claiming you want to accomplish... those are your words. Do your actions match?

It's still true that actions speak louder than words.

I used to believe that absolutely anybody could become a success. I've changed my mind.

The fact is, you probably don't have what it takes.

Statistics show that 94% to 97% of the population won't ever accumulate much success in life. So the deck is stacked against you from the start.

Statistically, failure is normal.

That means one thing: you WILL fail.... unless you do something abnormal.

Normal people are all busy taking shortcuts, cutting corners, trying to find an edge that'll make up for their being losers. And as long as you think cutting a corner is okay for you, then you're proclaiming to your inner mind that you truly are a loser.

Look around you. What's your situation? Are you coasting along in the slow lane? Are you taking shortcuts?

For most people, the biggest, most common shortcut of all is this: working for someone else.

Are you letting another person:

- Make the decision