“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest. The only thing more expensive than education is ignorance.”
Introduction
Over the past 7 weeks, I’ve been laying the groundwork for why Afterburner Success Partners was created, what we offer, why you should participate, and what’s in it for you. Some folks may have dropped out already, some may still be with me, and I hope others have since joined. If you are new, you can access the website at absuccesspartners.com and read all the previous blogs to catch up. These posts are authored to correspond with the sequence of the course, but some of what we have been going over up to now is just preliminary to get you interested, to whet your appetite.
The elephant in the room
OK, so there’s this big elephant in the room. Do you see him over there in the corner? He’s not making much noise, but you can’t miss him. Kinda smells a little bit too. The elephant’s name is “Cost”. So, I’m being a little bit funny here, but I want to delve into the fact that if you take this course, it’s going to cost some money. I already know what you are thinking! “Dave,” you say, “I thought you said you were doing this to give back to others while you are in your Halftime! Didn’t you mention that you were financially stable? Doesn’t that mean you don’t need the money!? Why would you charge for the course?”
Stay with me, and as I go through this with you, I’m pretty sure when we get to the end, you will see the point, and I hope you will agree with me. What I want to talk about is not so much cost, although I will do that, but investment. “Ah,” you say, “You mean like when the government spends your money on things you think are foolish and calls it an investment?” Nope, not at all. When I think of an investment, I think of something I put time, effort, or resources into and expect a return on it. That at some time in the future, I’ll have more than I started with. I’m guessing you would agree with me.
For example, if you put your hard-earned money in a retirement account, you expect that when you need it, you will have all the money you put in it, in addition to a meaningful return. You traded your money, and over time, you expect to get more. A college education is an investment, for example. Figures show that the payoff for spending time and money on education or training is typically a good investment that will pay off over a lifetime. When you buy a home, if you maintain it and live in it long enough, for most people it likely will be their biggest source of wealth.
On the other hand, there are costs. When you buy a new car, as soon as you drive it home, it’s worth less than you paid for it. When you buy groceries, you don’t expect a return; you just get the value of the food. Same with toys, games, or other entertainment. You spend money on these things because you need them to live, or they provide some other value you consider worth the cost. Some of these costs, like food, are necessary costs. Others, like TV and games, are discretionary costs. We have discretion; that is, a choice whether we want to spend money on them or not.
Investing in your future
Some costs are necessary to pay for your investment. A reliable car, gas and maintenance, and appropriate clothing are all costs that go toward the investment you make in your career. A reliable car and the car you want may not be the same thing, and the cost difference could be quite large.
Let me give you some examples I think you can relate to. In 2008, we purchased a “new” second vehicle for my wife. Our (her) primary vehicle was 8 years old, still reliable, and I had an older vehicle I gave to one of the kids. What happened is that I took the 2000 car, an Acura RL, and her “new” vehicle was a 2006 Acura MDX with 67,000 miles. “But wait, Dave,” I can hear you screaming, “Those are luxury vehicles, not what the normal person would drive!” True enough, but a couple of things to consider, and this is where the value of something is not necessarily equal to the cost.
I drove the 2000 RL until it had 247,000 miles, and it was still in excellent condition, with no meaningful issues or problems. I sold it for half its current value to a nephew who needed a reliable car. As far as I know, he continued to drive it for several years as he established himself in his career. The 2006 MDX? We are still driving it; it has 292,000 miles on it, and it purrs like a kitten. You see, yes, we spent a little more on a higher-quality car, but we drove them for many years, and because they were well made, we did not abuse them, and I maintained them properly; they have lasted a long time, and we have received excellent value for them. Oh, and here is a key point. We were fully funding our retirement account and had our emergency account funded, and we were secure in our careers making adequate income. I’m guessing you get the point.
The cost versus the value
Back to why there is a cost for this course when I stated my goal is to give back as I’m in the Halftime of my life.
Over the years, I’ve given a lot of stuff away. It could have been a lawn mower to someone who needed one, an old weed eater, or a bicycle I fixed up. I’ve given a lot of books away to folks I thought could use them. We’ve given money to people who had an immediate need. When I was a manager, I would guess that I spent somewhere just south of $1,000 of my own money on books for employees to help them improve their skills and become more valuable to the organization. Some people appreciated the thought and/or the gift, and they told me so. Most never said a thing, and in some cases, I noticed books sitting, never opened, much less read.
You see, people often associate the cost of something with its value. While these are not always the same, it’s generally human perception, and often, perception is a reality in many people's minds. So, if we were to offer the course for free, then the value of it would be considered cheap or worthless. Here’s an interesting link for you to get more information: this one from our friends in the UK: https://www.thelasthurdle.co.uk/there-is-no-value-in-free/
There’s another reason for charging for the course. If people get something for free, in addition to perceiving it to be of low value, they don’t have any skin in the game, which means there is little incentive to complete the course, much less stick with what they learn over a lifetime. If a person has a personal investment in something, they are more likely to want that investment to pay off and not be wasted. When I think of this, I always think of a mother telling her child to eat all their dinner because of all the starving children in the world. What she is saying is that food has value, others would want it, and as a result, you should make the best use of it. You’ve heard people say, “Well, I paid for it, I might as well use it” or “I’ve already paid for the course, I should just go and complete it and not waste the money.” I think you get what I mean.
And finally, there is this. I’ve spent many months putting this course together and refining it and a lifetime developing and proving it, not only to myself but to some of my children and others I’ve taught. I know if you follow the principles I’m teaching you, you will benefit from it. And for me, like all people, receiving payment for your work is an affirmation that it is valuable, that you are valuable. And I’m no different than anyone else; I need to feel that my time is being spent on something worthwhile that has value.
I’ve spent the last few years teaching these concepts through a local public school adult education program where the return on my efforts was so little that, in essence, it cost me money to do it. But you know what? I helped a few people, and that made it worthwhile to me. Unfortunately, public school adult education is better suited to enjoyable activities rather than subjects like this, and that’s why you typically see craft and other classes of that type offered. I am grateful to them; they allowed me to prove the class concept. I was able to refine my teaching, both in person and virtually, and as I said, I made a difference in a few people’s lives.
I’ve had at least one person tell me that I should charge about $1500 for this course, given the value one will receive from it. The other extreme is what I just described from the local adult education program. If I were Tony Robbins, I would charge a lot more, but I’m not Tony Robbins. Yes, I think highly of him and his program. Who could argue with his and his clients’ success? This gets into the area of what is called a Veblen good, or something that is considered exclusive, a status symbol, or something that only the affluent would purchase. No, that’s not what I’m trying to do here. What I want to do is offer a product at a fair market value cost that is considered valuable by both the buyer and the seller. As you consider the cost of education and the return on your investment in it, I can just about guarantee that your cost to complete this program is minuscule compared to the return you will get.
…and this is the point
There is a final point, and I’m not going to pull any punches; I’m just going to call it like it is. But again, I think it’s one of those things you will agree with as you consider it. As I mentioned, I have more days behind me than I do in front of me, and I want to spend my time productively. I’ve been around a lot of people in my time as a worker, leader, coach, mentor, educator, and volunteer. What we are offering at Afterburner Success Partners is not for everyone. It’s only for a very, very small percentage of the population who really want to get ahead and are prepared to put in the time and effort to do it. If someone is not committed, then we should just save each other's time. That’s not to say you should not read these weekly posts because one of the possibilities is that while it may not be for you today, it may be in the future. And besides, you will learn something by reading these posts every week. If you are committed to achieving your dreams and living your best life, then that’s great.
And that, my friends, is why there is a small but reasonable cost to access the courses. I’m guessing you will agree because as we think about it, it just makes common sense.
Post Script
Let’s refer back to the lead (sometimes called lede) line at the beginning of this post. Those are not my words, but the words of Benjamin Franklin. It was a controversial statement back when he made it, and it is today. Many people consider education to be book knowledge, as in formal education. I don’t believe that is true, and neither did Franklin. He believed, as I do, of the need to balance formal education with experience. He went on to comment, “Beware of the young doctor and the old barber.” Yes, I do believe I agree fully with him.
That’s all for this week!
Let’s help our friends and loved ones, shall we?
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Then, simply say, “Search the internet for Afterburner Success Partners
to learn how to achieve your dreams and live your best life!”
The only thing more expensive that education is ignorance
Afterburner Success Partners
What’s in it for Me
Achieving your dreams and living your best life enables you to spread wealth and help others. For just a moment, ponder how, as you improve yourself, you can share your gifts and blessings with others, in turn being a blessing to them. Consider the multiplier effect of these actions.
Call to Action
Sign up for the online course. Ensure you are signed up for the email list. Buy the book, Achieve Your Dreams: A Complete Guide to Live Your Best Life. Forward this email to your friends and family. Ponder how, by choosing to improve yourself, achieve your dreams, and live your best life, you are better able to provide for your family, your community, and your country. Continue reading and studying the books that have been recommended.
Recommended Resources
None of us live in a vacuum and no one achieves success on their own. All of us need other people to help us along the way. Purchase and read the book How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie (Note 5). Originally published in 1936, the lessons in this book are timeless. For a time, I was reading this book once a year, and my original copy is highlighted and marked with notes. Check out the offerings of Black Sheep Group (Note 2). Purchase and read Unleash Your BS (Best Self): Putting Your Executive Presence to the Test by Jeff Black (Note 2). If you are in the corporate world, this is essential reading as you climb the ladder. Purchase and read the book The Two-Parent Privilegeby Melissa S. Kearney (Note 4). Purchase and read my book Achieve Your Dreams: A Complete Guide to Live Your Best Life by David Giustozzi (Note 8).
Up Next
How much does it cost? Why do you charge for it?
Notes
This is a repost of the original blog post 6 of a 106-post series for the Afterburner Success Partners course, numbered 6A for clarity, and may be updated with any new information. Original posts are available in full and in order of publication on the website under the Blog tab, starting with the oldest post.
Please note that as an Amazon Affiliate, I may earn a small commission on the sale of any of these recommended resources.
Ponder is one of my favorite words nowadays and just means to consider or to contemplate. It’s a pause to think about something. Pondering is an intentional action to fully think about a matter.
I mentioned that Negotiating Solutions was one of the two best courses I’ve ever taken https://www.negotiatingsolutions.com (Note 6 for their book). The other top course was an executive leadership class called “Executive Presence,” which was taught by the founder of Black Sheep Global, Jeff Black https://blacksheepglobal.com Jeff taught us essential skills every leader needs to know from how to make executive presentations, to how to dress like an executive to how to behave during business dinners and other social gatherings. His high-energy style and content were absolutely amazing and I still use what I learned today. It’s the same with Negotiating Solutions. Both programs provided learning for life. Jeff has since published a wonderful book called Unleash Your BS (Best Self): Putting Your Executive Presence to the Test. that I bought and would like to recommend https://amzn.to/4dY0qjf
Divorce is a leading cause of wealth loss and has ramifications for generations. See more at this link: https://www.verywellmind.com/common-marriage-problems-and-solutions-3144958
The Two-Parent Privilege by Melissa S. Kearney https://amzn.to/48c3rv7
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie” https://amzn.to/4hpnxGL
Charting a Wiser Course: How Aviation Can Address the Human Side of Change by Joe and Kaye Shackford: https://amzn.to/4fsqjt1
Everyday Cooking for Everyday People Like Us, by David Giustozzi: https://amzn.to/437OhVQ
Achieve Your Dreams: A Complete Guide to Live Your Best Life by David Giustozzi: https://amzn.to/3IxEFgy