Check this out, it’s a true story. A while ago I met with a doctor — a plastic surgeon. The meeting had nothing to do with business, or with plastic surgery. It was a completely off-topic meeting between acquaintances.

Frankly, this guy was brilliant, and I don’t say that about a lot of people. Not only is he an excellent plastic surgeon, but he also happens to be an artist. His real love is sculpture, and I’ve seen his sculptures — they’re outstanding.

He’s an artist first, in fact. Goes to museums all over the world just to check out the art, and he’s really into the integrity of the message the art is trying to deliver. Meaning, he’s basically a creative, and his creative in his profession, is expressed in the results of his surgery.

To be honest, if I was going to have surgery (nothing could save my looks, not even this guy), I’d use a guy like him. He gets his kicks from the results, NOT from the process. Surgery in his case is only a means to an end, not the end itself.

He tells me his story, and it goes something like this: He’s been working underneath some guy who’s close to retirement — maybe he’s 5 or so years away. He also teaches, because he says, “Teaching residents is really good for your career.” It’s kind of “what’s expected of you if you’re good.”

I’d imagine in his mind, he’s going to wait until the old fart either retires or keels over one day, and then he’ll take over the practice. In reality though, every single minute between today and whenever that time comes, he’s wasting his time.

This is a brilliant guy, with a tremendous work ethic, with literally hundreds of proven cases and surgeries under his belt. In reality, he’s probably far more qualified to run his own practice than many surgeons currently doing so, simply because of his competence, integrity and actual skill-set. Not to mention his enthusiasm, which is quite infectious — and that’s rare for a physician who’s been practicing for 7 years.

But instead, he’s sitting around “waiting” to take his next big business step forward for one reason only: This is what his profession expects of him.

He’s programmed for conventional growth. And he’s SO wired to do what’s expected of him, if I ever tried to even suggest to him otherwise (which I wouldn’t — I’m not interested in wasting my time or his), he’s be offended and tell me I don’t know what I’m talking about. That what I’m suggesting just isn’t the way things are done.

Of course it’s not.

This is a well-meaning but extremely foolish viewpoint of life. The “if I’m not comfortable with it, it must not make sense” principle that too many people follow.

In reality, what’s expected of you is often not necessarily what’s good for you, and it’s almost always not what’s best for you. This is because the masses set the standards, not the leaders. Leaders are far too busy working and leading and doing, to care about setting standards for others.

Most truly successful people could care less how others perform. Excellence for them isn’t one more step in the validation process, it’s usually many steps “away” from the validation process.

Not being willing to take destiny in your own hands, and instead following conventional programming, is really a sin in most cases. It holds you back and prevents you from accomplishing anything meaningful on your own terms.

At the same time, dogged determination and pursuit of excellence and success on your own terms, and refusing to accept anything but that, can propel you to heights you’ve never expected. And often times, the fuel you need to get there, comes from those who doubt you and who foolishly believe “conventional wisdom” is the only way to get where you want to go.

For example, I’ll never forget a conversation I had with an uncle of mine, 18 years ago, back in 1990. It was right before I got divorced, and in general, things around me were falling apart and my life was in shambles. He’s a college professor (most people in academia are programmed for conventional wisdom and they teach this to their students) and he looked me dead in the eyes and said, “Gee, if you had better parents and if things had turned out differently for you, you really could have been something and made something decent out of your life.”

He respected my intelligence, but being an academic, he made the mistake that this is how people become successful. He wasn’t able to look at the world through anyone else’s eyes other than his own.

At the time, I knew things weren’t going well for me, and frankly I didn’t know how to make them better, but I also knew that to write me off at the ripe old age of 27 was premature. I knew what he didn’t know — that once I found out what I needed to know, I’d be able to do things on my own terms, the way I wanted to. Not his way, which by my rebel standards was ridiculous, but MY way, which was “different” but much more effective, explosive, and decisive.

Today, I make more in 30 to 60 days, than this guy does all year. I’ve thought of his comment many times over the last 18 years, and it’s often been some of the only fuel left in the tank, that I used to keep me going. I knew I would prove him wrong. I felt, “How dare he write me off.”

Once I started becoming successful and expanding my own consciousness, and once I understood why I’d been unsuccessful in the past, I also understood his comment was made out of ignorance, not malice. No one knows what they don’t know, but being ignorant about this fact is what tales away years of productivity and short-cuts you could otherwise leverage.

Being keenly aware of it and always trying to expand your mind, on the other hand, puts your destiny much more in your own hands, and gives you power you didn’t even think existed.

So don’t ever bet the farm on conventional wisdom, and keep shooting for the stars. Even if it takes you 18 years to get there, like me — there is far greater satisfaction in ultimately doing what you want to do, on your own terms, than doing what someone else wants you to do, on theirs.

No one has more of a vested interest in your life, than you do — but only if you make a conscious decision that this is how it should be.

Ask yourself what’s more important — beating the system, or obeying it? The choice is yours.

I urge you to take this message very seriously. It is far sweeter to gloriously write your own rulebook, than to steadfastly obey someone else’s.

And on Thursday night, March 20th at 7pm Eastern time, I’m going to be hosting a completely free workshop, designed to do ONE thing, and one thing only: Help you get over any of the emotional stumbling blocks that have been in your way, and have prevented you from defining your own unconventional wisdom, or have challenged you whenever you feel you’re getting close. The workshop will be open to everyone who orders “How To Make Your Dreams Come True,” before tomorrow night when I get back from the Publishing Business conference I’m attending here in New York City.

There will be NO pitching on this call, or no soliciting of anything. The entire purpose of the call is for me to try and help you overcome any issues you may be struggling with, or anything you “sense” has been holding you back, that shouldn’t be. I expect the information that will be shared on this call to be incredibly helpful for not just newbies, but for anyone interested in attaining even more success than they already have.

You can get “Dreams Come True” at http://www.kingofcopy.com/dreamscometrue and not only does it come with a no-nonsense and no-risk munney back guar-un-tee, but frankly, it’s dirt cheap. P
lus, the stories in it are fairly personal and may make your cry — at least that’s what some folks who’ve invested in the package have told me.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S.: Take advantage of this VERY rare opportunity to get a genuine and candid “push” in the right direction by getting your hands on this NOW at http://www.kingofcopy.com/dreamscometrue It may be the smartest “no-brainer” decision you ever make.

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