INTRODUCTION

WHY SUCH AN OBNOXIOUS TITLE?

Chances are, when you first saw this book and my handsome face smiling back at you from the cover, you read the title and responded in one of two ways: You said either "He's got that right!" or "Who the hell does this guy think he is?" Either way, I got a reaction from you. That was my purpose. For those of you in the first category who agree with what I say in the title, you probably even said to yourself, "I could have written this book." It seems like we all recognize that people are idiots, when they are idiots and how they are being idiots. Those of you in the latter category probably think I am rude and arrogant, and that I am the idiot for saying other people are idiots. I knew that was going to be the first response from a good number of people when they read the title. The title is pretty explosive, and many people won't even bother to pick up the book to find out what it's about. They won't like the title, won't buy the book and won't read the book. Yet they will rush home to hop on their computer, where they will go to one of the zillion or so Internet blogs that review books or to the online sites where you can buy books, where they will happily trash both the book and me for even daring to write a book that calls people idiots.

I am way ahead of you on this one because I have been down this road before. So for those of you who have made it this far, I applaud you. You have proven you are open to hearing a unique viewpoint and are willing to learn more of what I have to say. You are giving me a chance to explain my position. I believe everyone deserves the chance to explain themselves if for no other reason than to give you an informed reason to disagree with them. At least by giving me that chance, when you see all of those attacks against me and this book, you will know the truth. You will have an informed opinion. You can then trash the book or praise it all you want. You will have earned the right because you have read it.

SELF– HELP OR SHELF– HELP?

Many books never make it off the bookstore shelf. I think it is because they look and sound boring. I believe it is important to get people's attention. To do that, you have to be bold. Bold in what you say or do. Bold in your appearance. If what you have looks like what everyone else has, then it will be considered to be just like what everyone else has. Make sense to you? I am fairly bold in the way I dress. (Did he just say fairly?) You did see the cover, didn't you? I wear brightly colored, sequined cowboy shirts and custom cowboy boots. I have a shaved head and a strange little Amish– style goatee. I wear earrings and enough jewelry to open a jewelry store at a moment's notice with just what I'm wearing. I don't look like your typical self– help guru. That's okay; my advice isn't typical either. When I appear on one of the national television shows talking about money and there is a panel of experts all in suits, with one person looking much like the next, there I am sticking out like the proverbial sore thumb. Do people respond to my appearance? Of course they do. One guy wrote a critique saying, "How can you take financial advice from someone who dresses like a rodeo clown?"

That made me laugh! Most people applaud that I have the guts to dress the way I want. I get letters from people saying, "I wish I could to that!" I speak to Fortune 500 companies that want to make sure I wear all of my garb and even ask if I'll wear my sunglasses onstage when I speak. But like it or hate it, people recognize it and remember it. It's bold. It gets noticed. I dress boldly and I make bold statements in both my speaking and my writing. That boldness carries over to the titles of my books as well.

"People are idiots" is a statement that you don't see or hear every day. We all think it from time to time; you just don't see it or hear it spelled out much. There are lots of books with titles like The Ten Keys to Success and The Secrets to Attracting What You Want. You have seen them just as I have. Safe little books with safe little titles that try to convince you that you can do anything if you will only believe! I think people are tired of that worn– out approach and are more sophisticated than to buy into the same old motivational mumbo jumbo that has been said over and over in the same way so many times. I believe most people see a title like that and say to themselves, "Same old crap from some do–gooder motivational guy." For the most part, they are correct. Consequently, the book just sits on the shelf and gathers dust. While the book might actually contain some life– changing information, it simply doesn't matter, because people won't read it since it looks and sounds boring! What difference does it make whether a book is good or how great the information is inside the book if no one ever picks it up, buys it and reads it? I have learned that basic truth with all of my books: Titles attract attention. So selfishly and from a marketing standpoint, it is a good idea to get people's attention. Once you have their attention, you can begin to teach them something. But a closed book on a shelf in a bookstore or in a library doesn't teach anyone anything, regardless of how good the information inside might be. The fact that you are reading this book proves that it is no longer shelf– help. People Are Idiots and I Can Prove It! is also a challenging title. I like to challenge people. When people feel challenged, they work harder. They have something to prove, even if it is just to prove the other guy wrong. I want you to be challenged in this book to work harder on your life so you can actually have all the things you say you want to have.

IN THE MIDDLE OR ON THE EDGE

In every area of life and business, the people on the edge are the ones who have made history. No one who comes from the centrist position—that safe middle ground—ever really had much of an impact on society. It's the people on the edge we all know and remember. Elvis and the Beatles: musicians on the edge. Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí: artists on the edge. The United States of America would not exist if it weren't for a handful of renegades. Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington were all edgy guys. Jesus was definitely on the edge. Gandhi was on the edge. Good or bad, right or wrong, it doesn't matter. The people who change history are not the people who do the safe things, take the easy route, follow the status quo or say what everyone else says or try to make everyone happy.

I am not claming to be Elvis, Picasso, Gandhi or Jesus. I am just a guy who has moved away from the center to offer you a unique, edgier approach to personal development. This approach can move you and your results from the middle to the edge. The multitudes live in the middle, living mediocre lives, thinking mediocre thoughts, doing mediocre things and achieving mediocre results. Their income falls in the median range. Their houses are in the median range. Their entire lives are median, mediocre and stuck deeply in the middle. Sadly, most don't even recognize their predicament because everyone they know is stuck there in the middle with them.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK?

My goal is to get you unstuck from that comfortable mediocre lifestyle and move you to the edge. The edge is where only a few of us live. The edge is where people dare to defy their upbringing, their education and their situation to become wildly happy, successful and prosperous in spite of themselves. The edge is the place you get to live once you stop lying to yourself and everyone else and squarely face where you are, and then decide to go to a better place. The edge is where the fun is, where the money is and where true self– satisfaction is. The best part of living on the edge is that it isn't crowded at all. I wrote this book to get people's attention and remind them they are living lives contradictory to what they say they want. To prove to people that they are lying to themselves when they only say they want success, happiness and prosperity. To make people aware that their results are the results of their actions. To show people they are sabotaging their own success and to show them exactly what they have to do to turn their lives around.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM THIS BOOK

You can expect solutions. That's what I have to offer here: simple, action– based solutions to life's situations. If I didn't give you solutions, this book would just be a long rant about the ills of society. What good would come from that? My goal is to present the problems and to offer simple, action– based solutions to fix them. I have included lists of exactly what people can do to change their lives in just about any area. I give a mini action plan for success for each. I say "mini action plan" because there is no possible way to give you a complete list of every single thing you are going to need to do to become completely successful in each area of your life. Nor can I provide you with a list that will fit each and every situation of your specific predicament. Instead, I will give you a short list that can be used to get you started on the right track to turn your life around. My lists will cover several common situations that most people face. The action lists are the power and the purpose of this little book and are my formula for success.