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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Benefit Of The Doubt (Dr. Phil)

Dr. Phil McGraw has written a new book titled “Life Code: The New Rules for Winning in the Real World”. I have not read the book yet but I did watch the episode yesterday where he introduces the book for the first time and I have to say I am intrigued. His website describes the book as follows: “It’s time to learn how the world really works, not how you wish it worked, not how it should work, but how it really works. If you’ve been doing everything 'by the book', and your life still isn’t where you want it be, you’ve been reading the wrong book.”

On his show he covered one topic that struck a chord with me – benefit of the doubt. The show was taped so I sat down and typed this verbatim. These are not my words, they are Dr. Phil's.

“The world has changed, so the rules have to change right along with it…

There’s something we’ve been taught that just doesn’t hold anymore. What my parents taught me, what your parents taught you, just doesn’t work anymore; at least not like it once did… benefit of the doubt. We teach people that it’s a good thing to do, that it’s the Christian thing to do; it’s the positive thing to do to give our fellow man the benefit of the doubt. Why would you do that? Why would you give somebody you don’t know the benefit of the doubt? If we said “Ok, here’s what I want you to do... go out in your life and JUDGE everybody negatively” you’d go “I’m not going to do that”. Then WHY would you go out and judge them POSITIVELY?

How about we don’t do either? 

How about we don’t give people the benefit of the doubt? 

How about we just collect information and make an INFORMED decision in our lives instead of giving people the benefit of the doubt?

I don’t know who made this up or sold it but it doesn’t work anymore… but there is a rule you’ve got to have. You’ve got to LISTEN TO YOU.”


Most people I know either love or hate Dr. Phil, but think about this for a minute. Don’t think about WHO said it, but WHAT was said. Personally, I couldn’t agree more!

I think I might have another book to buy!