Dear Direct Response Letter Subscriber: I am a big fan of Brian Tracy... ... and in his new book "Just Shut Up and Do It: 7 Steps to Conquer Your Goals" (Sourcebooks, 2016; p. 61), Mr. Tracy writes: "Never do or don't do anything because you are afraid of what people may think about you. Because the fact is, no one is thinking about you at all." His point: We are often self-conscious because we think everyone is looking at us or paying attention to what we're doing -- when in fact, almost no one is. Remember the one-hit wonder Rockwell and his song, "Why does it feel like somebody's always watching me ... and I have no privacy?" Well, guess what, Rockwell? No one is really watching! And here's what's even more important: even if in fact some people ARE paying attention to and noticing us, well -- so what? Who cares what they think? You shouldn't. After all, you don't know them. Overwhelmingly, the odds are that their opinions or actions have no effect on your life. We are self-conscious, I believe, because we grossly over-estimate our own importance to others and the world at large. Look at all the e-mails you get from some guru who breathlessly announces, "Woo-hoo! My new book is out!" (Yes, I know you've gotten some of those e-mails from me as well.) And your reaction is probably the same as mine: Who cares? The publication of your book ... the launch of your new business or product ... the fact that your last marketing campaign "crushed it" ... or that you won the blah-blah-blah award ... or are the keynote speaker at the XYZ Conference ... These things are all important to you. And maybe to a few of your followers. But to the world at large they amount to nothing. Nada. Zilch.  Zero. Other than to our immediate families, for most of us -- me included -- we are just not that important. The sooner we realize it, the better we can understand that Mr. Tracy is right: Whatever we're doing, almost no one is looking. So there's no need to be self-conscious or hold yourself back. No need to fear embarrassment or humiliation. Don't be a legend in your own mind. If what you do works, you'll benefit from your success. If it doesn't, the world at large is asleep and not paying attention ... so no one will even see you stumble and fall. As Nike advises: Just do it! You'll be glad you did. Sincerely, Bob Bly Copywriter / Consultant 31 Cheyenne Dr. Montville, NJ 07045 Phone 973-263-0562 Fax 973-263-0613 www.bly.com