WHEN THE DUST SETTLES: THE TASMANIAN DEVIL EFFECT

There are many pretenders out there, people who lack the character or the discipline to follow through on what they say they are going to do. At times we get caught up in their flair and flamboyance, which become a smoke screen that hides what they are truly about. I like to refer to this as the Tasmanian Devil effect, after the Warner Bros. cartoon character that appears in Looney Tunes segments. I like to refer to it this way because Taz spins so fast, creating a tornadolike cloud of dust that shimmers and catches your attention as he whizzes by, but when he stops and the dust settles, you realize it’s just a single-minded creature with selfish intentions.

In a world that’s so full of posturing, it can be difficult to identify a Tasmanian Devil, and you could get sucked into his vortex. Creating relationships with people who are inauthentic or potentially dishonest will never yield the revenue you’re after because the money and the relationship potential aren’t there in the first place. It’s always better to pick out a Taz type before you get involved with him. Here are a few tips to help you recognize the pretenders among us.