Perception is strange.

The truth can be sitting in front of people, and they totally miss it.

In the UK I was once debating the Arab/ Israel conflict and said something. The Arab thought the comment was pro-Israeli. The Israeli thought the comment was pro Arab.

I am not sure how that is even possible but in our strange and sometimes twisted view of the world, it is.

The vaccine debate is no different. And our view about money, taxes, welfare, and wealth is no different.

For some leaving behind a vast inheritance is ‘abhorrent’ (Daniel Craig) and for others leaving it to the family is all that matters (Donald Trump).

For some paying taxes is something we should be proud of. For others, it is being wasted on the dole and those who do not want to work.

But we are told what you focus on you get. And what you believe about money determines what you get back from money.

I have found if you maximise your thoughts about paying the lowest tax as opposed to maximising profit you get reduced taxes but not as much profit as you could or would like. Equally, if you want wealth but concentrate on lower taxes, you get lower taxes and not much wealth.

If you think all your tax money is being used to pay for the dole you see a lot of people you think are on the dole. But the reality is the dole accounts for about 2% of all tax receipts pre-pandemic. Other welfare such as age pensions, disability and family benefits is 35%. Health, defence, and education is another 35%.

By concentrating on lower taxes, we miss the outcome. The outcome we want is more profits and wealth. Once you work out what profits or wealth you want, work out how to get there by paying the least in taxes.

But is not just about taxes. What we believe about money determines what happens

But remember we also want the best healthcare system in the world. We want more Medicare codes and higher rebates. We demand the best education for our children and when the light bulb blows on our street, we want it fixed instantly. That can only happen if we all collectively pay taxes.

And our belief determines our levels of profit and wealth. If you believe running a medical practice is too hard because of regulation, red tape and staff issues, then that is what you will get.

If we believe the stock market is risky then it is. If we believe the property market is where all the money is then to you it is the place to be.

But the reality is I have operators of medical centres who accept the red tape, regulation and staff issues and still make money. I have those who will put money in the stock market and in property too and do better than those who just believe in the stock market or those just put money in the property market.

What are your perceptions and beliefs about money? Are they real? Let me know