How Perceptions Form - She Almost Lost Me By Using Two Words

How Perceptions Form

She Almost Lost Me By Using Two Words.


Elyse Clayson has developed a program that is effective in breaking addictions. It accomplishes this by helping you to change your attitude and perceptions about yourself and your addiction. It works! It isn't an overnight thing and it requires your full participation and some coaching support, but the results are worth the effort. This much I have learned from Elyse in two long conversations. Interestingly, she almost lost me by using two words.

During that first phone conversation Elyse enthusiastically told me what she had experienced in developing her program and its wonderful, positive results in people helped to new, stress free lives. She hoped we could find synergism between our programs and hers. She said we could reach many more people working together than alone and that there was a "gold mine" out there. I was intrigued enough by her sincerity and energy, to study her web site and then make plans to meet her. But her reference to a "gold mine" created a quite negative reaction in my mind.

Face to face she was delight to talk with. Early on in the conversation she repeated the comment that there was a "gold mine' available to us. The same negative perception formed and I asked her,

"What do you mean by gold mine? Are you doing this with the hope of making millions of dollars?"

"Heavens no. I mean there is a gold mine of people who will be helped to new and happier lives, if we can make them aware of the program and help them to make use of it. I feel this is a calling from God. He will take care of our needs and being a millionaire is not one of them. I do not ever want to have a lot of money."

"Wonderful! Your use of "gold mine" created a very negative perception in me because I am truly bothered by our current culture of measuring the success of everything with money. I have lived a rich life with much happiness helping others and no accumulated wealth. Money is not the correct yardstick of success in my mind and I will not support something just to make a lot of money."

With that off my mind I enjoyed our long talk and will definitely work to help her succeed by herself and in team efforts with us.

This is a perfect example of how perceptions are formed. Two words almost prevented our meeting and the possibilities that now beacon. Had she said, "a gold mine of people needing help" I would have formed a positive perception.

By the way, she learned about us by Internet searching on the word, perception. This quickly took her to our home page at http://www.perceptionofdifference.com/

Wes Zimmerman