Summary: In this article I talk about a turning point that unstucks you from inaction and puts you in the driver’s seat of your life. I use my own example of taking extraordinary (to me) measures where I normally would go depressed instead
It is hard to pinpoint what it takes for someone to actually do something, something out of the ordinary… or for that matter even ordinary, like doing your own work.
In one of my books 1 the “hero” sees the issue, sees the cost of the issue not handled, but until he becomes clear that unless he does something, no one will… and a lot of people will die.
Most people, even in a case like this, will resort to saying something like… I am not big enough (strong enough… anything enough) to do something… but our “hero” acts and saves all those people from dying.
Most of us live in a “someone will take care of it” or “someone will take care of me” or “something will happen and it will be all good” frame of mind. But…
- it is normally not true… and our not acting is the cause of unheard of hardships for us, for others, and make the planet go out in a hand-basket. Just look at all the things that you step over saying “somebody’s job must be to take care of it…”The number of typos, broken links, etc, that my readers don’t report to me… Example that hurts me.Mother, god, angels, the government isn’t coming to handle it… You are your brother’s keeper.
even if it hurts you, even when you see the cost of not action, you have no sense of urgency, no sense of “I am the one”.
One of the “forces”, one of the incredibly strong energies that keep me going is the sense that if I won’t do it, no one will, maybe ever.
But before a force like that can kick in, you have to have the capacity to care… do you?
I was ‘born’ depressed, discouraged, and resigned…
I don’t know if you knew that about me, but I get depressed, discouraged really easily. Life Force is not real strong in me, maybe because I was born a preemie, or maybe it is just not very strong.
I don’t do a lot for myself… I am not very needy or demanding, or particular about much of anything about myself: I am like a hermit: simple life.
But I definitely am mobilized and motivated by doing what only I can do…
Until a few years ago though that only included work. Then I realized one day that “if it is to be, it is up to me.”
I first said (finally I noticed! duh) that no one is coming to rescue me… and believe me, I have been putting myself in the position of needing rescue all my life. But if no one is coming to rescue me, then even rescuing myself is my own job.
Why is this a timely message… for me?
I have been making misstep after misstep for the past month… I guess I forgot about my ‘machine’ that automatically wants me to go to a state where I have to start from nothing again… 2
I managed to keep my machine in check for almost a year, but the past month I have put myself in the position of going down the “drain” a few times, last time this past weekend.
It did not HAPPEN to me, I actually caused it. Caused it by forgetting that my machine automatically goes into self-destruction… your machine does what your machine does… mine is a self-destruction machine. And I forgot that I am on my own, I cannot and should not count on anyone’s sympathy, help, or even good will…
I invited the wrath of some amazon sellers, who went and reported my remedies as illegal and violating the policies of Amazon.com.
It is not true, but amazon, once someone reports you, removes the products, and they stop you from selling.
In a US court, you are innocent until proven guilty, on Amazon: you are guilty until you prove yourself innocent…
Haggling, dealing with authority, and such is not my style, not my strength, so, normally, this incident would mean, I am out of business, I am out of income, I am screwed.
But using this principle, that ‘mother isn’t coming…’ and ‘if it is to be, it is up to me’… I decided to start the long process of haggling to have my business and products restored.
If you think you can provide advice, or help, please comment below, or contact me directly… I can use all the help I can get.
- The cobweb by Neal Stephenson
- we all have a machine… I teach this in a webinar series that I can make available to you… if I remember where the recordings are, or what it was called, lol
You go girl! I’ll be cheering for you!
Nobody stands in a position of power, and they make sure… now I am getting emails about all the refunds… they are building a case and they are good and experienced in it.
I am not interested in that kind of power. I am interested in the power of my word… being true to my word, and if that is not politically correct enough for amazon, then I don’t belong there…
I appreciate you giving so much thought to this. More than I do, by the way. I am going to present my case and take what I get. NO FIGHTING with trolls…
I really do get your point about not suing. The reason I brought up the right to sue is because if amazon knows the contract says they’re supposed to so something, but they refuse to do it, they know you have the right to sue them and that “encourages” them to do what they’re supposed to do.
I recommend that you ask them for a copy of the complete contract, or, if it’s located on their website, ask them where to find it. It contains the rules of the game. Without it, you can’t stand in a position of power and assert your rights because you don’t know what your rights are and you don’t know what they’re obligated to do.
I didn’t even read the contract and I don’t even know where to find it.
But, as I wrote in the article: don’t look backwards unless you want to go that way, I don’t sue people or companies. It is against my principles.
But it is interesting to note that I didn’t even read the contract… lol.
The next most important step is to get a complete copy of the contract you have with amazon. Not just a summary copy. I’m pretty sure they’re legally required to provide you with a complete copy.
It would be good to see what the contract says amazon is required to do in a situation like this. Including what information they’re required to give you. If the contract says they’re supposed to do something and they refuse to do it, that will give you the right to sue them and win. (Not that you want it to come to that, but at least you know you have the law on your side and that will encourage them to do what they’re supposed to do.)
Thank you Kathryn.
1. I have swapped out the links… I would not have thought of it for a few more days or maybe ever, thank you.
2. they will not give out what they said, and they haven’t answered my email yet. I only assume, from the hateful harassing forum posts that the alcohol is their issue… so I explained that 10% per volume doesn’t classify selling alcohol…
3. the lawyer is a foreigner and hasn’t practice law in about 20 years…
Very useful. Thank you.
Recommendations:
First step: If you haven’t already, go to each place you put a link to amazon for your products and change the links to go order forms you have on your website. That way, until the dispute with amazon is resolved, you won’t lose the business that comes from the people who click on your links.
Once the problem with amazon is solved, you can switch them back.
Second step: If you haven’t already, ask amazon to give you exactly what the other sellers said. Get the exact words or actions that they are complaining about. That will give you a better opportunity to rebut their accusations.
The next steps will depend on what you get in the second step.
You mentioned in an article that one of your students is a lawyer. Perhaps she can help with rebutting the accusations.
What amazon did to you is unfair, but I’m sure that somewhere in their massive written contracts with their sellers they reserve the right to do it. If I can find any other recommendations of what to do, I will give them to you.