When It's Too Good To Be True - It's Too Good To Be True 

It's that deal you just can't refuse. It's that offer from a friend you just have to say yes to. It's a onetime price that won't be available tomorrow. It's a piece of bling, a trip to someplace special, a beautiful dress, a pair of shoes, a watch or a set of cuff links that is a once in a lifetime item never to be available again. It's an investment from Madoff.

Somehow we convince ourselves the offer is too good to be true and we have to buy it, make it or just have to have it.  99.9 percent of the time too good to be true offers are just that - too good to be true. However, even though we're skeptical, we still have to have it.

As I stated in my blog regarding Madoff, most of the individuals who invested with him had to have a little angel deep inside who said: "I think this investment is too good to be true." However, these individuals also had a little devil inside who pushed them out of greed.

It's that little devil that gets us to be fooled into believing there won't ever be a piece of bling, a piece of clothing or even a special trip somewhere that either can't be repeated, replaced or superior to today's special offer.

The little angel knows that's bullshit. Most offers get repeated. You just have to wait. Many times the repeated offer is better than the original offer. Almost everything you buy can be replaced or you will find something superior in time.

The devil is impatient. He or she has to have it now. The people selling us this snake oil count on it. The people convincing us to invest our hard earned savings into a "too good to be true investment," count on it.  The devil is greedy. He or she doesn't take a step back and think about the consequences. The devil makes us feel we won't be good enough if we don't take the offer. The devil makes us feel we won't be viewed as successful if we don't take the risk that our angel knows is "too good to be true." The devil makes us feel we won't be pretty or handsome enough if we don't buy it NOW.

We all have both an angel and a devil inside of us. Some of us listen to the angel and ignore the devil. Some of us listen to the devil and ignore the angel. I say, listen to both, but make you own decision. If the devil is pushing you to take a risk that is reasonable - take it. If the devil is pushing you to buy something you "need" or something that will put a smile on your face - buy it.

If the angel is asking you to not go so fast or take a step back and think about it before you react - take two deep breaths and think about. If the angel is saying to you that you really don't need that thing - guess what, you really don't need that thing. If the angel reminds you that you really can't afford it right now - don't buy it.  If the angel inside you believes you really won't be more successful, love yourself more or become a happier person if you get it - Just don't do it. If you really listen to your angel, he or she is always telling you that you shouldn't care what the outside world thinks - don't do it for "them." 

Sooo, don't let the devil win when that alarm goes off telling you "it's too good to be true," because you know:

It's Too Good To Be True