Why Good People Fail Ebook Beta

LLOYD LUNA
Why Good People Fail
This book is presented to:
LLOYD LUNA
Also by LLOYD LUNA

Is There A Job Waiting For You?
Why Am I Working?
Alphabet of Achievement
The Obvious Reasons for Success
The Best Advice I Ever Gave (So Far)
The Internet Marketing Handbook
Nurse Your Future
(DVD) Do You Have A Life of Your Own?
(DVD) Break Me Up
LLOYD LUNA
WHY
GOOD
PEOPLE
FAIL
LLOYD LUNA
Copyright 2011 by Lloyd A. Luna. All rights reserved.

Published by LLOYDLUNA Corporation, Manila, Philippines.
Cover Design 2011 by LLOYDLUNA.
Photos by: Great Image Services Corporation
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted, without either the prior
written permission or authorization by the publisher.
Requests to the publisher for permission should be addressed to The Publisher,
LLOYDLUNA Corporation, 1745 Dian St., Makati City 1235 Philippines, Tel. (632)
505.5336, Fax (632) 846.1089.
Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used
their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties
with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and
specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a
particular purpose.
Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other
commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential,
or other damages.
LLOYDLUNA also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some
content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books. For more
information about LLOYDLUNA products, visit our web site at www.lloydluna.com
ISBN: 9789719347439
Printed in the Philippines.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
LLOYD LUNA
Dedication
LLOYD LUNA
10
Introduction
Introduction
Chapter 1:

Always be careful

Chapter 2:

Define who you are
Chapter 3:

Change your perspective

45
Chapter 4:

Qualify your responses

53
Chapter 5:

Strengthen your connection

Afterword

Acknowledgment
19

37
59
139
143
11
LLOYD LUNA
12
Introduction
Have you ever met a good personkind,
humble, lovely, loving, generous, sweet,
caring, hardworking, thoughtful, patient,
open-minded, dependable, reasonablebut
broke?
Sure, you have. Its because in this world,
there are just too many of them. You see
them often while youre at home, in the
office, in coffee shops, in school, in the
church.
They are everywhere, too. Chances are you
work with them as well. Some of them are
13
LLOYD LUNA
your friends, your classmates, your

associates, your seat mate, or your golf
buddy.
The truth is we see these people everyday.
And in several occasions, they approached
us for some advice. Whether we are the best
person to counsel or not, we try to appease
them and share some words with them.
Thats why you are friends. Where those
words are coming from doesnt matter. We
are there to comfort them.
However, we also know that in some cases,
we are on the same place as they are thus
facing the same set of problems, sometimes
even harder.
Whoever is asking for an advice from
whom isnt as important getting an advice
itself. Most of the time, we get them for
free over lunch or coffee.
14
Despite those wisdom you get from people

you talk to, the goodness that you have in
your heart, and the countless opportunities
out there, something seems to always go
wrong.
Why is that?
Is it because one just luckier than the other?
Is it because one was born with riches while
the other with ditches? Is it because one has
a complete education and the other is a high
school dropout?
Why is it that regardless of our status in
life, we sometimes find ourselves hopeless
and helpless? While money can solve many
problems, it can create problems which it
cant solve. While popularity matters to
most people, it cant guarantee anything.
There were celebrities who opened up a
business only to get bankrupt after. There
were politicians who also put up their own
15
LLOYD LUNA
but failed. We know of people with PhDs

and masters degree who ventured into
something and suffered the same fate.
How can you connect the idea that many
people fail despite their goodness?
So the question now becomes, Do we even
have to be bad to succeed? Unfortunately,
bad people, like the good ones, fail, too.
So whats the deal here? What do you need
to be to succeed? Do you need to be good
or bad?
While the answer to the question, Why
good people fail? seems to be complicated,
I found a simple yet profound answer.
Surprisingly, the answer doesnt suggest
that you need to be bad to succeed because
they are many bad people who fail, too.
Good people fail because they are careless.
16
This book is fundamentally about what

people thought doesnt matter but would
have proved to be one of the many causes
of success from bottom up.
Let me tell you a centuries-old story.
Once upon a time, there were two good
people who dreamed of having their own
house. Because of the goodness of their
heart and probably the clarity and
authenticity of their intention, they were
blessed with all the resources they need to
build what they desire. There came the
money and the people they need for their
dream house.
These two good people were given an equal
opportunity to put up their house wherever
they wish. They can choose to build in the
mountain, in the shore, in the cityliterally
any place they please.
17
LLOYD LUNA
The first good person decided to build his

house immediately. I think I already have
everything I need. I will start building my
dream house, he said.
Because he has the finest building materials
and the best people at his disposal, he was
able to build an incredible house in no time.
In the morning, he would see the sun rising.
At night, the majestic view of the sky is
incomparable.
Indeed, it was something worth envying
about!
But he built his house on the sand.
The second good person decided to build
his house, but not too fast. He gathered his
team of equally talented people and
discussed how theyd use every resource at
their disposal. They looked around the city
18
and carefully studied the location where

theyll build the house. It took them
sometime and it took them a lot of work.
Then, there started the construction true
enough after a couple of months, they are
able to build such an amazing place to live
in. He enjoyed the view and hes satisfied
with the result.
He built his house on the rock.
One day, a strong typhoon came. The house
of the first good person was not spared from
it. It was blown away to the seas. He was
left with none. On the other side of the
valley, the second good person found his
house braving the storm, withstanding the
gusty wind. It stood still and he was safe.
Two good people given with equally
talented workers and incredible resources
landing on different fate. Why is that?
19
LLOYD LUNA
Because one doesnt have to be bad to fail.

He only needs to be careless.
Everyday, we are faced with choices that
we thought dont matter as far as our future
is concerned. We thought its still far and
yes, we thought little things dont really
count. We dont care about lifes tiniest
details. We feel they would only waste our
precious time.
Really, there seems to be nothing wrong in
disregarding little things or little decisions.
Its only until we are down to the bottom
when wed realize that sometime in the
past, we forgot the things would have
mattered.
Its too late.
This book aims to explain to people the
reason behind every failure and why good
20
people, while they are truly good, fail and

get broke. Understanding the reason and the
things people should be mindful about can
help prevent them from the dangers that
carelessness brings.
As you read on, youll discover small
things that build grand successes and small
mistakes that cause heartbreaking failures.
Because this book is also about the things
you must fix if youre already sick and tired
of being good but broke, you can expect
some tips and unsolicited advice that cover
carefulness.
I believe that carefulness is to success and
carelessness is to failure.
I know you are a good person. Most people
are. But when you get sick and tired of
being good but broke, you need to start to
care to the smallest of details.
21
LLOYD LUNA
Thats because good people only succeed

when they put an extra care on to
something. That includes caring for your
life, for the people you love, and for the
world.
The Author
Manila, Philippines
September 10, 2011
22
23
LLOYD LUNA
CHAPTER 1
24
Always be careful
Carelessness is the root of all failures whether
you are a good or a bad person.
The story of two good people with the same
blessing but with different fate is a lesson
about carelessness. Im sure somehow, we
lived a life similar to either the first or
second good person.
When I was still a kid during my first boy
scout camp experience, I may have
forgotten everything that was taught except
for one. The scout leader said whatever
happens, remember your ABC, which
stands for Always Be Careful.
I didnt know that such ABC works well in
real, older life. I thought its only at that
camping site in Inaclagan Village, Gumaca,
Quezon that carefulness was a golden rule.
25
LLOYD LUNA
Regardless of what you do and why you do

it, you only have to be careful to avoid as
many failures as you can. Just a seemingly
simple mistake can ruin everything that
youve built.
It seems like your level of care defines your
level of success. No matter how bright,
talented, and skillful you are, a little
carelessness may take you down the drain.
Before you knew it, youve already lost
almost everything that youve built and
mattered. Im sure it hurts.
Most of us dont pay attention to details as
much as we pay attention to bigger pictures
like whats in and whats hot at the moment.
Wed rather focus on the dream than take
small steps to achieve it. When you say you
want to become an engineer, you dont stay
at home, meditate, attract every positive
26
energy from the universe, and things like

that.
Instead, you go to school and get that
degree.
While inside the school, you dont meditate,
attract every positive energy from the
universe, and things like that.
Instead, you pick up the books and read.
Pick up the pen and write. Study your
lessons and recite.
With enough prayer and planning, Im sure
youll get the degree. But certainly not by
focusing on your goal but on little steps that
lead you to the goal.
Like any bad person, we can easily be taken
out of the world.
27
LLOYD LUNA
A couple of years ago, my mentor and I was

talking about life. His idea of life is about
avoidance. When we walk in a mall, he
said, you dont try to bump to the person
coming your way. You pick another space
so that you dont bump at each other.
The thing about life, he stressed, is that like
any one else, it takes only one bullet for us
to die.
It takes only one

bullet for someone
to die whether he
is good or bad.
Such conversation reminds me to keep it

cool while in the middle of a heavy traffic.
If I become impatient and cut here and
there, I may find someone getting really
pissed off. If the person has a gun, he may
go down the car and confront me. Should
he choose to point the gun to my head and
pull the trigger, my being a good person
may not deliver me from probable death.
My impatience in a traffic situation may
take me to the grave no matter how good I
28
am. Thats a simple mistake causing a total

failure.
How many people die everyday when
crossing the street? Unthinkable. Do you
think most of the casualties are good
people? I think so. But why did they die?
The reason can be mostly attributed to lack
of care. If you dont follow traffic rules,
youd rather be ready to face whatever
circumstance is there for you including
death by carelessness.
Really, why do we have to be careful?
Its not just we want to avoid as many
failures as we can. We also want to go on
with our life looking for possible success
somewhere in the journey.
Am I suggesting that carefulness is one key
to success? Well, yes. If at all you so
wonder why some good (and bad) people
29
LLOYD LUNA
make it. It seems like our bottom line is

highly relevant with care.
Let me tell you something.
The difference between an ordinary and an
extraordinary person isnt the result of their
performance. Besides, the result is simply
defined by how they did it. The difference
lies on the operating prefix, extra. In most
cases, they put extra care, extra effort, extra
time, and extra attention to what is visibly
insignificant to ordinary eyes. That little
extras practiced every day makes them
extraordinary.
The news is they were not born with
extras. Nobody was born with such a
concept. We learn about it. We apply it
because we know something better will
happen when we do. Interestingly, it is by
choice that they add something to what they
do like a little concern if you will.
30
Is it easy to put a little extra care on your

project? Of course. If youve been out for
the longest time, would you want to have an
extra time for your loved ones? Sure. If you
know youd benefit from something, would
you put an extra effort to make it work? O,
absolutely.
However, if you knew also that you
wouldnt get anything from it, would you
still choose to put it an extra care?
Probably not.
Its because almost by default, whether we
accept it or not, most of us are trained to
ask, Whats in it for me? before we
perform a certain task.
Such philosophy is a philosophy of the
careless. Asking a wrong question yields a
wrong answer. Therefore, being lousy about
31
LLOYD LUNA
our thinking process means losing some

parcels of success and happiness. In fact, it
takes you away from your goal.
Most people think that by doing something
as instructed, only the one giving the order
benefits from it. In real life, though, when
we do a certain task, its not other people
who only benefit from it. If you think about
it for a second, youd realize that everything
youve done in the past have defined who
you are now. That is supposed to be
beneficial for you, too.
But since you think youre not getting
anything from it, you lost that moment
when you can exercise your own creativity
that can take you a step closer to your goal.
Whether you did it with love or hatred, you
still did the work. The result shows all the
difference and the people whove seen it
can tell who you are base on what youve
done.
32
A masterpiece isnt made by a heavy heart.

It can only be made by a caring heart.
If you did something against your will, but
did it anyway, youve failed to recognize
the opportunity in it. Every work we take is
a chance for us to show our goodness. No
matter where we are. No matter how light
or heavy the work may be.
Can you complain? Sure. However, if you
dont have any other choice but to do it,
whats the point of complaining? Would
that even help you get the job done?
I rest my case.
The thing is we need to be careful with our
philosophy. But what is philosophy?
A couple of years ago when a good old
mentor of mine introduced me to
33
A masterpiece isnt
made by a heavy
heart. It can only
be made by a
caring heart.
LLOYD LUNA
philosophy, I didnt pay much care. What

do I care about Plato or Socrates? For me,
they were too intellectual to follow. Ive
had my philosophy class in college, like
most of us had, and we know how it works.
Its probably one of those boring subjects
next to Mathematics.
Anyway, he had these lessons about life,
business, and success, which I was not sure
at the time if it can have any bearing on
what Id like to do. Nonetheless, I listened.
Please take note that I listened, which didnt
mean that I understood what he was trying
to explain about philosophy.
But somehow and somewhere along our
conversation, I came across a beautiful,
sound, and profound statement that goes
like this:
If you have a question, dont look for
the answer. Look for the reason
34
because when you find the reason,

youll automatically find the answer.
If youre in the middle of something and
youve heard such a wonderful, highly
intellectual line, would you not stop for a
while and ask, Sorry, what was it again?
I did.
Thats when I appreciated the role of
philosophy in my life. Philosophy, I
realized, is my set of beliefs. I do things in a
certain way based on those beliefs. If
something you tell me to do is not within
that set, I wont do it wholeheartedly. Or,
probably Ill do it but with doubt and
suspicion. Why? Because my self tells me
its not supposed to be that way or its not
how it should be done. It just wouldnt
connect.
35
LLOYD LUNA
Philosophy is about asking questions and

challenging answers so we can come up
with a better answer, a better view, and a
better understanding of life.
Boring, is it not? Yes, but certainly
necessary.
Thats when I started to work on my belief
system. I challenged my assumptions. I
challenged what Ive learned from all those
years in school. I challenged my view in
life.
I started to ask questionin fact, the right
questions.
Why am I doing this? Why am I here? Im a
good person yet Im in pain, and scarce, and
frustrated with my life. I have the skills but
why cant make it somehow. Im not a bad
personnot a thief or a murdererbut why
cant I live my dream?
36
Then, all questions pointed me back to

care. I may be a good person but because
I didnt care as much as I needed to, I dont
become anything. I let each day pass
without getting much from it. I engaged in
word war instead of broadening my
understanding of people. I engaged in mud
slinging instead of building someone based
on his goodness. I engaged in unproductive
activities like wasting my time and little
money in the mall going around and
watching as many movies I can afford
instead of reading books and getting into
seminars.
Why would someone like me come up with
such a poor judgment? Because I didnt
care. And, I felt nobody would bother to
care either.
37
LLOYD LUNA
When I started to care, like some of us do, I

slowly see the opportunities around. That
little care caused huge changes in my life.
A simple idea of carefulness will surely
work at least as far as our survival is
concerned. If youre a driver, youd rather
be careful. A devastating accident is just
somewhere in the road. If youre a doctor,
youd better be careful. You can claim a life
in seconds. If youre a teacher. Be careful.
Even without you knowing it, youre
shaping a new generation.
This is being careful. This can take you to
where you want to be. This will make you
become what youd like your self to be.
Always be careful.
38
39
LLOYD LUNA
CHAPTER 2
40
Define who you are

If youre a good person, its not automatic
that you know your self well. Therefore,
you create a room for failure.
Your idea about who you are and what you
are made of guides every step you take
toward success or failure. That means if
your self-image is low, I can assume that
your life is somewhere in the low as well.
I have an interesting fable to tell you to
make you realize how important knowing
your self-image is. By that, I mean knowing
really who you are. Why? Because what
you believe about who you are is shaping
your destiny!
One day, a scorpion looked around at the
mountain where he lived and decided that
he wanted a change. So he set out on a
journey through the forests and hills. He
41
LLOYD LUNA
climbed over rocks and under vines and

kept going until he reached a river.
The river was wide and swift, and the
scorpion stopped to reconsider the situation.
He couldn't see any way across. So he ran
upriver and then checked downriver, all the
while thinking that he might have to turn
back.
Suddenly, he saw a frog sitting in the rushes
by the bank of the stream on the other side
of the river. He decided to ask the frog for
help getting across the stream.
"Hellooo Mr. Frog!" called the scorpion
across the water, "Would you be so kind as
to give me a ride on your back across the
river?"
"Well now, Mr. Scorpion! How do I know
that if I try to help you, you wont try to kill
me?" asked the frog hesitantly.
42
"Because," the scorpion replied, "If I try to

kill you, then I would die too, for you see I
cannot swim!"
Now this seemed to make sense to the frog.
But he asked. "What about when I get close
to the bank? You could still try to kill me
and get back to the shore!"
"This is true," agreed the scorpion, "But
then I wouldn't be able to get to the other
side of the river!"
"Alright then how do I know you wont
just wait till we get to the other side and
THEN kill me?" said the frog.
"Ahh...," crooned the scorpion, "Because
you see, once you've taken me to the other
side of this river, I will be so grateful for
your help, that it would hardly be fair to
reward you with death, now, would it?!"
43
LLOYD LUNA
So the frog agreed to take the scorpion

across the river. He swam over to the bank
and settled himself near the mud to pick up
his passenger. The scorpion crawled onto
the frog's back, his sharp claws prickling
into the frog's soft hide, and the frog slid
into the river.
The muddy water swirled around them, but
the frog stayed near the surface so the
scorpion would not drown. He kicked
strongly through the first half of the stream,
his flippers paddling wildly against the
current.
Halfway across the river, the frog suddenly
felt a sharp sting in his back and, out of the
corner of his eye, saw the scorpion remove
his stinger from the frog's back. A
deadening numbness began to creep into his
limbs.
44
"You fool!" croaked the frog, "Now we

shall both die! Why on earth did you do
that?"
The scorpion shrugged, and did a little jig
on the drownings frog's back.
"I could not help myself. It is my nature.
Its who I am."
Then they both sank into the muddy waters
of the swiftly flowing river.
Your personal belief about who you are is
defining your destiny. If anything, you need
to be clear about your identity because we
all now know that we behave based on it.
People who live in depressed areas are
more likely to stay there unless they change
their belief about who they are.
45
LLOYD LUNA
On the other hand, people who lived in

exclusive villages are more likely to stay
there so as long as they can sustain it.
Why is this so?
Because they have a different picture about
who they are. The main reason people live
in a depressed area isnt because they are
incapable of getting away from it but
because they see themselves unworthy of
anything more than what they have at the
moment.
Do you know of a person who are given
with something but refused to accept it
because he feels he doesnt deserve it?
In many occasion, we have seen this
happening right before our very eyes.
Because we feel unworthy, it would be a
slap on our face when we take it. Therefore,
we say no. Frankly, I wouldnt blame
46
anybody for choosing this action because

its only logical to get what you deserve
and therefore refuse what you dont
deserve.
But the issue is no longer about your
acceptance or refusal. The issue, because
we are now philosophical, boils down to
what you can do to deserve something.
This is where we step back and start anew.
This time, with an extra little care.
Remember, if you dont care about your
self-image, expect no one else to care.
We begin by examining the portrait weve
created and believed in about who we are
for the longest time.
Take a case of a poor (or rich) person most
likely to remain poor (or rich) unless he
decided to change his picture in his mind.
Everyday, he brings such picture with him
47
LLOYD LUNA
everywhere he goes. So, when he talks to

someone, he talks based on what he thinks
he is.
When you have a conversation with a poor
person, you may not probably see a genuine
confidence in him not because hes bad but
because the mental picture he has about
himself is sad, dirty, unworthy, messed up,
and poor little guy. These things simply tell
him, You cant be confident. Look down.
Be apologetic.
Its a different case when you start a
conversation with a person who grew up in
an exclusive village. His mental picture
about himself might be loved, valued, and
taken care of. Now, thats an instant source
of confidence that tell him, You can be
confident, kid. Look directly to the eyes.
Look up.
48
This is a case of two good people with

different mental picture about who they are.
Interestingly, our self-image magnifies
reality by a couple of timesthe worse
becomes worst, the better becomes best.
Mentally speaking, that means, if you
belittle your self, you dont belittle your self
twice. You belittle your self more than two
times. So, in our example, the first one
magnifies his emptiness and the other one
his fullness. In the next five years, if say
nothing happens and they dont alter their
respective beliefs, who will fail?
The good news, however, is we can change
the way look at our self instantly. You can
wake up tomorrow morning with a renewed
mental photo about who you are.
Nobody can stop you from creating and
developing a brand new mental picture of
your self. It happens inside your mind.
49
LLOYD LUNA
Feel free to have a self-talk with your self

(in private please), and say, I may not have
more money but Im not poor. In fact, Im
on my way to work on my talent and skills
so I can attract more money any time soon.
The other way of doing that may be, I may
not have expensive clothes to wear today
but this is clean and neat enough and I
smell fine. Im on my way to work harder
on my talent and skills so I can afford to
buy better garments soon.
That can start a build up of a better selfimage about who you are. When you start
changing your belief about who you are,
everything else changes with it.
Besides, you cant afford to forever look
down on your self and feel sorry or youll
forever take that downward direction.
50
Our self-image influence how we live our

lives. We need to take good care of the
quality of this image because all our actions
seem to depend primarily on such picture. If
you think you are a bad (or a good) person,
youd act think and act like one. Thats it.
Since self-portrait is important, it goes hand
in hand with self mastery. Having a clear
portrait of who you are may be useless if
you dont put anything to work. Thats why
you need to master your self.
Self-mastery is knowing your self more
than anybody else thus having sound clues
on why and how to respond to any given
stimulus at any time so that you achieve
your objective.
In the field, its familiarizing your self with
every weapon at your disposal so you know
what to use in a particular situation.
51
LLOYD LUNA
In business, its mastering your every

resource, your balance sheet, your numbers,
your markets, your competition, and many
more things in between so youd know
what to do better next.
In politics and governance, its knowing
your constituents, your detractors, your
supporters,
the
media,
government
agencies, instrumentalities and bureaucracy
so you can lead better (and hopefully get
elected again after your tenure).
So no wonder many people would fail
because they dont have an idea about the
resources they have at hand not to mention
that most of them are dont even realize
that they are capable of performing miracles
in their lives.
Lets check why people are so stagnant if
not so going downhill in many cases. One,
they are afraid that something may not
52
work rather than being excited if something

goes right. The shadow of fear seems to be
stronger than that of courage. Two, while
they are interested with the reward should
they finish something, it looks like the task
is so overwhelming that theyd rather forget
the reward and pick an easier task. Three, as
long as they are comfortable, they arent
changing anything.
The deal is when youre clueless about your
capabilities, you cant do anything at all.
Its failure by default.
More than two thousand years ago, a Great
Teacher was born. He lived among us so we
can understand what love and care truly
mean. In one of His many teachings, we
heard something about our body as a
temple. My understanding is we need to
make sure that the temple is clean, pleasing,
and presentable. The only time it can
happen is when we take good care of it.
53
LLOYD LUNA
His coming, I think, gives us a couple of

reasons to always remember who we are
and what we are made of. One, we are
created on His own image, thus, we should
be beautiful. Two, we are first loved, thus,
we can love. Three, we are worth the
Teachers life, thus, were not cheap and
unworthy.
We have a spiritual accountability to see to
it that we care about our self-image. After
all, we live our lives based on our identity.
Once youve got a solid identity that gives
you the confidence to achieve your dreams,
always remember who you are.
Whenever I think about my own identity as
an important tool for success, Im reminded
by an old fable, The Monkey and the
Dolphin. It reminds me to stick to who I
am.
54
A sailor, bound on a long voyage, took with

him a Monkey to amuse him while on
shipboard. As he sailed off the coast of
Greece, a violent tempest arose in which the
ship was wrecked and he, his Monkey, and
all the crew were obliged to swim for their
lives.
A Dolphin saw the Monkey contending
with the waves, and supposing him to be a
man (whom he is always said to befriend),
came and placed himself under him, to
convey him on his back in safety to the
shore.
When the Dolphin arrived with his burden
in sight of land not far from Athens, he
asked the Monkey if he were an Athenian.
The monkey replied that he was, and that he
was descended from one of the most noble
families in that city.
55
LLOYD LUNA
The Dolphin then inquired if he knew the

Piraeus (the famous harbor of Athens).
The monkey assumed that Piraeus is a man
so it answered, I knew him very well. In
fact, he is an intimate friend.
The Dolphin, indignant at these falsehoods,
dipped the Monkey under the water and
drowned him.
Those who pretend to be what they are not,
sooner or later, find themselves in deep
water.
You dont want to be a good person whos
dying because you fail to define who you
are. You want to be a good person who
knows your self very well without
pretension, hesitation, or reservation.
56
57
LLOYD LUNA
CHAPTER 3
Change your perspective
58
If youre a good person, it doesnt mean

that you have a proper view of the world.
Two good people can have a different view
about the world and the people living in it.
Therefore, its important to always evaluate
our views and check our perspectives
toward something.
How important is your view of something?
Let me share this centuries-old story.
There was once a farmer who owned a
beautiful plot of land at the back of his
farmhouse. It was fenced up, so to prevent
trespassers from entering it.
One fine day, a group of boys decided to
climb over the fence and started to play ball
on that beautiful plot of land.
59
LLOYD LUNA
This naturally displeased the farmer, as the

boys were trampling on his land and
damaging it.
The farmer walked out into his backyard to
chase the boys away, but no matter how
hard he tried, the boys simply ignored him.
Being a rather old man, he realized after a
while that it was pointless for him to
continue trying.
The boys just would not go away. As so,it
went on and on.
Every day, the boyswould climb over the
fence and play ball on his beautiful plot of
land. This anguished the farmer greatly.
One fine afternoon, as the boys were
playing on the plot of land, the farmer
walked out to meet with them.
60
He didnt say anything. He just gave each

boy a dollar coin and walked back into his
farmhouse.
Naturally, the boys were puzzled.
Nonetheless, they each kept their dollar
coins, and continued playingball.
The next afternoon, as the boys were
playing on the plot of land, the farmer again
walked out to meet with them.
He didnt say anything but this time he gave
each of the boys two dollar coins and
walked back into his farmhouse.
This puzzled the boys even more. Why is
the old farmer giving us money? they
wondered. Nonetheless, they continued
playing ball.
This went on for a few more days.
61
LLOYD LUNA
Each day, the boys would eagerly await the

farmer to appear from his farmhouse to give
them dollar coins.
True enough, each day while they were
playing ball,the farmer would give each of
the boys one more dollar coin than the
previous day.
This went on for five consecutive days.
However on the sixth day, the farmer
stopped appearing from his farmhouse.
The boysreceived nodollar coinsthat day.
Every one of them went home that evening
disappointed.
On the seventh, eight, ninth and tenthday,
the farmer still did not appear.
62
On the eleventh day onwards, the boys

never came back to the beautiful plot of
land everagain.
The story tells us the importance of
perspectivesour view of the world and
everything that happens in it.
During the first days, the boys were
enjoying the game. Later, they were
enjoying the dollars. Its a sudden change of
perspective. When they did, they changed
the entire scene.
The joy of playing ball has become less
important than the joy of getting dollars.
In this age of history, people now have the
access to express such views in many ways.
Technology has leveled the playing field
among nations, races, and classes. We can
easily share our views to the world in just a
click of a button.
63
LLOYD LUNA
At the same time, technology has been also

giving us a hard time in narrowing down
our focus. Media has been deeply
penetrating our individuality giving more
information than we can absorb. In the
process, we lose our sound judgment.
Sometimes, we are confused on which to
believe. Some even no longer wants to
believe.
I agree you can be a good person. But
without a proper view of life and the world,
you may fail. Your perspective tells you
what to focus on. Thats why if your
perspective is poorly crafted, based on the
quality of media you are subscribed to for
example, you dont focus of what truly
matters to you. The next thing you know
youre bleeding and desperately failing no
matter how good you are.
64
Many people still believe that the world is

unfair. In fact, some even said that life is
unfair. Perhaps.
Why not? People dont always give whom
the credit is due. Many others dont play the
game by the rules. A bunch of cheaters and
liars is out there waiting to strike and if you
are caught unprepared, you probably would
blame somebody or something else for
being a victim.
Whoever told you that life is unfair gives us
an impression that at least once in that
persons life, he became a victim.
Our view of the world is mainly influenced
by our experiences with people. In dealing
with people, whether they are your family
or friends or associates, we can only wish
that they treat us fairly. Hopefully, we can
agree on a certain set of rules and
everybody plays by it no matter what.
65
LLOYD LUNA
But that can only go as far as your ability to

wish is concerned because in reality, while
many wont break the rule, they would
either bend it, work around it, or create a
new rule that makes the old rule irrelevant.
Whether they get a nod from you for the
new set of rules is their call.
When this happens, a good person may find
himself on the losing edge and would
eventually complain. So, instead on
focusing on the game, hes now focused on
the rules, which were just altered a while
ago without his approval.
Once lost, a good person may easily
exclaim, Its unfair! Well, probably it is.
On second thought, probably, its just the
way it is.
The idea of trying, losing, and winning isnt
something new. Im sure we all have a fair
66
share of what its like to failin finance,

relationships, academics, business, or
spirituality. Such summary of those often
painful experiences shape our perspectives.
Whatever we have become in our individual
journey is something we figure out on our
own. Im sure many of us have stopped
trying after failing several times.
If blame game can solve our problem, we
have probably nothing to talk about
anymore. Unfortunately, blame game
doesnt help. Do you blame the economy
for your inability to find a job in a hyper
competitive market? Do you blame your
school for not solidly preparing you for the
workplace? Do you blame your government
for being so corrupt and so negligent of its
people?
Why do you think good people fail in a
struggling economy? Its not because the
economy is struggling. Its because people
67
LLOYD LUNA
are not valuable enough for companies to

take on board.
Why do you think good people cant easily
find a job after graduation? Its not because
the school didnt prepare them. Its because
the students didnt equip themselves with
skills that were not provided by the school.
Why do you think people fail as far a
governance is concerned? Its not because
of non-performing politicians and members
of the bureaucracy. Its because we elect
and put them in the position.
We have tried and failed using the blamegame formula. In short, if our perspective
leans toward pointing our finger to
something or someone for our misfortune,
then we have no other way to go but down.
If our view of life is about the ugliness of
something, then nothing else is beautiful.
68
In shaping our perspective, we should learn

to put together the lessons weve learned
from our long list of experiencesgood
and badand start building a stronger
position on a certain life issue. Without a
strong stand, you can easily be swayed and
made believe by influential people around
you. Who these people are is something
else. We have to sit down and list down our
values and what we value the most. By
doing this, we can make a wiser decision
should nature decides to make fun out of us
again.
Can you reframe your mind so you can
have a fresh perspective? If you follow the
story of the farmer and the kids, you know
its as easy.
But something is difficult when you are
about to do an easy task. The idea of doing
something easy makes us feel its less
important, thus, we neglect it. Thats one
69
LLOYD LUNA
reason why we fail in the long term. Our

view of an easy task makes us think that it
can be done later. The result is obviously
inaction.
If we can twist our perspective in many
ways that we havent tried before, our lives
will change dramatically.
Our everyday decision is highly dependent
on what we can take from our archive of
memories. Such collective perspectives, if
crafted carelessly, can bring us more harm
than good.
Put an extra care on how you establish your
logic, how you frame and refine your
perspectives, and how you view the world
and the people around you and sure
everything else will change for you.
70
71
LLOYD LUNA
72
CHAPTER 4
Qualify your responses

A good person who responds poorly to a
given stimulus is a good person whos
failure is at hand.
Have you heard of a person who didnt like
to be successful (or rich) because its hard
to be one? My problem with that is nobody
would know if one goal is difficult to
achieve a person hasnt tried to be one yet.
Our responses to a certain stimulus almost
guarantee us of what fate is in store for us.
Take the case of a careless goat in this old
story, The Fox and the Grapes.
73
LLOYD LUNA
One hot summer's day a Fox was strolling

through an orchard till he came to a bunch
of grapes just ripening on a vine which had
been trained over a lofty branch. "Just the
thing to quench my thirst," it said.
Drawing back a few paces, he took a run
and a jump, and just missed the bunch.
Turning round again with a one, two, three,
he jumped up, but with no greater success.
Again and again he tried after the tempting
morsel, but at last had to give it up, and
walked away with his nose in the air,
saying: "I am sure they are sour."
It is easy to despise what you cannot get,
isnt it?
How we respond to everything that happens
in our life is a prelude to what we can
achieve in this world. Thats why its
important for good people to revisit the role
of cause and effect in our lives.
74
Why do plants, animals, human beings, and

practically all living organisms do what
they do? The answer points us back to our
science subject. When we were still in
grade school, we were taught about
stimulus and response or cause and
effect.
In a day, you make tens and thousands of
responses on tens of thousands of stimuli
around you. If youre not so keen on
qualifying and finding out your response,
you may have been responding poorly in a
supposedly door of opportunity.
That means, your response to an event or a
person can either be your passport to
success or your free ticket to failure.
If you have been responding the same way
on a similar situation or person over and
over again, you cant expect a different
75
LLOYD LUNA
result unless the stimulus that caused it

responded to your response.
Since cause and effect is a very important
topic for good people to understand, lets go
and discuss it piece by piece.
Stimulus is anything that evokes a specific
functional reaction. In science, it is defined
as a change in an external or internal
environment which causes and organism to
react. In real life, stimulus can be an event
or a person that causes us to move or do
something.
Interestingly, there are two types of
stimulus. One is external and the other is
internal. Lets write down some examples
and make some distinctions.
When you are hungry, you eat. When you
are thirsty, you drink. When you are late,
you rush. When you are caught lying, you
76
apologize (or lie again, which is not

recommended).
In the cases above, we respond on an
internal stimulus. In other words, the cause
is internal and therefore not influenced by
an outside force.
When a rabbit gets scared, it runs away.
When you are cold, you put on a jacket.
When it starts raining, you take out an
umbrella.
In our examples above, we respond on an
external stimulus, meaning, what caused the
subject to react comes from the outside of
the subject.
The good news is we can choose how to
respond to any stimulus. We can respond
using either learned or instinct behavior.
Learned behavior are actions we take based
on what we knew from our past while
77
LLOYD LUNA
instinct are simply natural responses we

take in a given situation.
Talking and reading are basic an example of
learned behavior. Nobody was born who
knows how to talk and read. Animals
behavior to run away from danger is an
instinct because there is a need for safety.
We dont have to remind poor people, who
can only eat once or twice a day, to survive
because survival is an instinct behavior. But
to transition themselves from being poor to
being rich needs
In most cases, we use learned behavior to
respond on something. When we decide
consciously on either getting even or taking
revenge, we can think of probably effect of
such decision. Most good people dont
think about this. The instinct is to get even
and fight back.
78
Im not suggesting not to fight back though.

If you feel it is the best thing to do and you
make your self liable to what most likely
will happen, go ahead and make your day.
But the issue isnt fighting back, getting
even, taking revenge, or staying put and
letting things pass. The issue is, Are you
prepared to take the consequence of such
action? Will such response make you
anything? What do you become in such
cause-and-effect process? What do you
get from it? Will it worth anything?
Will it cost you something?
Heres what I think is one great learned
behavior in response to, say, an argument or
a fight, both physical and verbal. We should
have learned that getting even is only a
waste of time and energy. Every time we
take revenge, it doesnt guarantee that it
will be to our favor this time. So, whats the
point of getting even? Simple. We fight
back to serve the ego well.
79
LLOYD LUNA
If we havent learned that revenge brings

more harm than good, we will do it over
and over again because our instinct can
only suggest that once we get aggrieved or
offended, we must fight back.
This is not to say that instinct is wrong. In
many ways, instinct can be a very powerful
choice. However unlike animals, we misuse
our instinct and sometimes use it to justify
our mistakes. Whats better about animals is
they seem to have a discipline in using their
instinct ability to respond.
Let me give you a comparison.
Animals will naturally find or make
themselves a home because they need a
shelter. Some good people would rather go
to the government and ask for a shelter.
80
Animals will naturally look for food and

water on their own. Some good people
would rather wait for food and water.
Animals will naturally migrate if they feel
they need a new place to live. Some good
people would rather migrate and relocate as
mandated by the government, sell the
properties provided for them, and then go
back to the city.
Animals will naturally store food for the
rainy season. Some good people wouldnt
be interested in saving something for the
coming season much less be aware as to
when to store food.
Proper use of instinct can go a very long
way. Your ability to discipline your self in
polishing your responses to any event that
goes your way will make a huge difference
on how you live your life. Not having
control over those responses makes you
81
LLOYD LUNA
susceptible to failure regardless of how

good or bad you are.
82
CHAPTER 5
Strengthen your connections

A good person with a bad connection will
likely fail.
Our ability to get along with people is
important. But whats even more important
is our ability to choose which circle wed
like to belong. You may have thousands of
friends and each of them under poverty line.
You may have a hundred friends and they
live in abundance.
Your circle of friends is telling you two
things: the kind of person you are and the
kind of life you live.
83
LLOYD LUNA
You see having too many people to share

your pains, suffering, and agony doesnt
mean having the right people to help you
out. It only means they are many and
chances are you are one of them.
The thing is you cant depend much on
people with the same status as you have.
Uninformed and incompetent people
leading others who are similarly incapable
have proven to be true in centuries. In fact,
one teaching asked, "Can a blind man lead a
blind man? Will they not both fall into a
pit?
And it went on saying, A student is not
above his teacher, but everyone who is fully
trained will be like his teacher."
If you find out how most people
surrounding them live their lives, youll
likely discover the way you live your life,
too. And youll have a clue as to where you
84
are. In other words, the people you always

associate your self with gives you an almost
precise idea of who you are and what you
can still become.
to be one? My problem with that is how he
did know its difficult if he has never been
there before. It very difficult for a poor
person to encourage the same poor person
to become rich. He doesnt know how it
feels and looks like. End of story.
How does your connection look like? Who
surround you most of the time? Are they on
to live their dreams or they just dream to
achieve something? Are they really with
you and would want to support you all the
way up?
For some people, these questions may
sound discriminatory. Why not? Why
85
LLOYD LUNA
question the characters of my friends or the

quality of their lives? They are good people
and they are always there for me. They are
the only ones who understand me. My
secrets are safe with them. They are my
family now and I find refuge in them.
First, I dont say they are bad people. I
always people in the innate goodness of
everyone. Second, I dont say nobody else
can understand you. Third, I dont mind if
they are your family.
Nonetheless, there an opportunity here. Let
me give you some ideas to think about.
How much money they have in the bank
gives you a clue on how much you have.
Youre almost in the same income level.
How determined they are gives you an idea
on the level of your determination. Their
lifestyle is more or less your lifestyle, too.
It means if youre overspending (translate:
spending on top of what you are getting
86
every pay day), thats because they are

probably are.
How careless they are gives you a mirror
image of how much you care about your
self, your dreams, and your life.
You only have two choices here: Abandon
the people who keep you from carrying out
your mission and achieving your dreams or
stay with them. Make that call.
In other words, every relationship we create
is a stepping stone to either success or
failure. These stones serve as a building
block of this path.
How you built your connections in the past
speaks about who you are now and how
you plan to build a new path is entirely up
to you. Well, every now and then you can
get some people to advise you but please be
careful about what you take because theres
87
LLOYD LUNA
a huge chance that the person advising you

dont know exactly what you have in mind.
We are in a continuous creation of this path.
Without these relationships or connection,
its almost impossible for us to advance
farther.
Its sad to note that many people destroy
relationship and are very much busy
destroying many others rather than building
their own for reasons like insecurity,
jealousy, envy, or hatred. I know there are
more reasons but I dont think they do more
good to them.
I always believe destroying relationships is
a waste of time. The time and energy you
use to destroy it is the same time and
energy you use to build one.
88
If you think your connection isnt helpful,

you dont have to destroy it. Just leave it
there and it will die naturally.
The interesting thing about building a
relationship is that you dont know much
surprises go with it. In no time, youll
realize how small this world is! Thats why
you cant afford not to go out and make that
connection. Every person leads to another.
You dont know when this newfound
connection can come in handy. But Im sure
youll need it sooner than you think.
Without realizing it, people fail because
they build terrible connections. Worse, they
dont know that thats what they are
building!
Now, heres the crossroads: Which
relationships do we strengthen and which
do we spend a little time on?
89
LLOYD LUNA
I hope you have a plenty of time to think

about that. Unfortunately, we all have a
limited time so I hope you can decide as
soon as you can.
While in primary school, we were asked to
solve problems in a certain way. Our
teacher gave us the step-by-step process on
how to do it. Lets recall the steps.
First, identify the problem. Second, identify
what are given. Third, identify which
operations to be used. Fourth, solve the
problem. Fifth, compare your answer with
your seat mates. If you have the similar
answer, you may have gotten it right. The
fifth one is optional.
Feeling more mature and therefore more
intellectual than before, we didnt stick
much with this problem solving method. As
we grow old, we tend to complicate things.
So, our problem solving is no longer a four-
90
step-method. We added more steps that

sometimes make us stuck somewhere. But
rationalizing so much and considering
unnecessary details, we get paralyzed.
Good people are not exempted to the rule.
Both good and bad person will have
problems and will have to solve them. How
do you solve them?
We think that the trend is the main thing. I
other words, we put more value on things of
lesser value.
Watching television seems to be more

important than creating a bonding time for
family. Wed rather turn it on all night than
to have a family board meeting. A family is
an organization. Theres a board and there
must be a meeting.
91
LLOYD LUNA
The thing is more often than not, we

thought we are still OK and nothing to
worry about. The next thing we realize our
son is into drugs and our daughter is failing
her school subjects.
A simple assumption that youre OK
doesnt seem to matter, does it? But its
carelessness right there. It begins that
process known as failure.
How much time have we spent working on
a day job that pisses us off? Or, a job that
simply pays us twice every month? How
long have we been studying something that
is so far from what we like? Or, taking a
subject that was merely somebody elses
choice? We need an exit strategy.
It seems like staying in a job that we dislike
doesnt matter. Oh yeah, so as long as we
are paid. We put on a very little effort.
Why? We dont love it anyway. Whether
92
you perform well or ill, you still get the pay

so why work harder?
Would it matter if you work harder than
your boss? Would someone notice you
when you only do a little? Would anybody
care at least as far as your job is concerned
except probably for the company owners?
But keeping a job that you are forced to get
along with by your family, your boss, or
your partner in the next five years is
carelessness. Its not sound. Its ugly. Thats
a wasted five years, which you could have
spent on developing something for your self
like, say, an enterprise.
Well, you know, you can charge it to
experience. Of course. You can always do
that. But thats five years. And it means
starting on a blank canvas. Sure, youve got
lessons in those years, hopefully. However,
why go through the process of trial-and-
93
LLOYD LUNA
error when you can try to succeed by

simply being aware of your work interest?
And what about our studies
Everything rises and falls on caring. It is the
very foundation of success and happiness.
If you dont care, what happens? You dont
become part of anything. It is only by
showing that extra little care that you
partake in something.
94
95
LLOYD LUNA
96
Acknowledgment
You may be a good person without the
right connection. You may fail.
to be one? My problem with that is how he
did know its difficult if he has not been
there yet.
In my life, Ive been blessed with good
people who were always there to share my
joys and pains, my successes and failures,
my delights and disappointments. Believe
me when I say that these people I keep as
friends, mentors, and advisers are the best
there are. To them, I would like to express
my abiding thanks and gratitude.
97
LLOYD LUNA
Above all, however, I would like to give

special acknowledgment to those who have
obviously helped me in making this book
what it is:
To my creator, my dear God, who has given
me the gift of writing and speaking. I wish
to thank You profusely for every blessing
that has come my way. May this life You
have given me serve as a consistent
reminder of your love to your people.
And to my family, particularly to my dad
Victorino Luna, whos now retired from
being a tricycle driver and is now a fulltime husband, cook, and a father. To my
mom, whos a retired public teacher, I
appreciate your support and prayers. This
life is nothing but a product of your love
and faith in me. To my sisters, Celeste and
Claire, I appreciate that way you challenge
98
me. You know Ill accept every challenge. I

love you all!
My business associates and long-time
friends Ian Barcelona and Pocholo
Gonzales, youre nothing but a rare human
beings. What I mean is a rare blessing that I
see every so often. We always make it
through ups and downs, dont we? Or God
has simply his ways of uniting us together
to make other peoples lives fascinating.
To my editor, Mr. Jose Carillo, I thank you
for yet another successful surgery of my
manuscript. Your passion in copyediting
makes this masterpiece even more
engaging!
To my Facebook Fans (and Twitter
followers) and former students, may you
continue to enjoy life as it happens and may
you find your meaning!
99
LLOYD LUNA
100
THE SHOP
Go to:
lloydluna.com/shop
101
LLOYD LUNA
102

Why Good People Fail Ebook Beta

Cargado por

Información del documento

Título original

Derechos de autor

Formatos disponibles

Compartir este documento

Compartir o incrustar documentos

Opciones para compartir

¿Le pareció útil este documento?

¿Este contenido es inapropiado?

Copyright:

Formatos disponibles

Why Good People Fail Ebook Beta

Cargado por

Copyright:

Formatos disponibles

LLOYD LUNA

Why Good People Fail

This book is presented to:

Also by LLOYD LUNA

Why Good People Fail

Copyright 2011 by Lloyd A. Luna. All rights reserved.

Why Good People Fail

Why Good People Fail

Why Good People Fail

Define who you are

Change your perspective

Qualify your responses

Strengthen your connection

Why Good People Fail

your friends, your classmates, your

Why Good People Fail

Despite those wisdom you get from people

but failed. We know of people with PhDs

Why Good People Fail

This book is fundamentally about what

The first good person decided to build his

Why Good People Fail

and carefully studied the location where

Because one doesnt have to be bad to fail.

Why Good People Fail

people, while they are truly good, fail and

Thats because good people only succeed

Why Good People Fail

Why Good People Fail

Regardless of what you do and why you do

Why Good People Fail

energy from the universe, and things like

A couple of years ago, my mentor and I was

It takes only one

Such conversation reminds me to keep it

Why Good People Fail

am. Thats a simple mistake causing a total

make it. It seems like our bottom line is

Why Good People Fail

Is it easy to put a little extra care on your

our thinking process means losing some

Why Good People Fail

A masterpiece isnt made by a heavy heart.

philosophy, I didnt pay much care. What

Why Good People Fail

because when you find the reason,

Philosophy is about asking questions and

Why Good People Fail

Then, all questions pointed me back to

When I started to care, like some of us do, I

Why Good People Fail

Why Good People Fail

Define who you are

climbed over rocks and under vines and

Why Good People Fail

"Because," the scorpion replied, "If I try to

So the frog agreed to take the scorpion

Why Good People Fail

"You fool!" croaked the frog, "Now we

On the other hand, people who lived in

Why Good People Fail

anybody for choosing this action because

everywhere he goes. So, when he talks to