Do you ever think about how you can speculate to accumulate? Yesterday,  I was reading a short snippet in a magazine about the enormous budgets that have been spent to produce some of Hollywood’s best known films. The sums of money are truly eye watering and as an outsider  you do wonder where exactly the money goes.

It is often quoted in film lore that the most expensive film ever made, accounting for inflation was  the 1963 film Cleopatra, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.  The production was not only famous for the relationship between the two married actors, who were not yet married to each other, or the £1 million pound salary that Taylor asked for and got, but also for all the production problems, delays and spiralling production costs.  However, the film did eventually turn in a profit, which apparently has happened to all the 20 most expensive films ever made.  The writer suggests that “the old adage” of having to “speculate to accumulate” is true.  Are they right?

Of course most of us are not in the position of being able to speculate with large amounts of money to make more – especially in the current economic climate, but it did make me think how the principles that the film makers and studios  have used could be applied to different areas of our lives (though perhaps without all the drama).  Speculation doesn’t  have to be something that only happens in monetary terms.

The principles of speculating to accumulate can be applied to someone who is struggling with their self-esteem, and wants to increase their self-confidence.  One of the most common phrases that people with low self-esteem utter is “I can’t”.  Although easily said, it’s actually rarely true. If you recognise yourself as someone who automatically says “I can’t” then you need to be prepared to move outside your comfort zone and take a risk.  In taking a risk and ‘speculating’ , you are likely to find that you can do things that you previously thought were impossible and thereby will be accumulating self-confidence and improving your self-esteem.

If you stick with the mantra “I can’t” then you will find it impossible to move on from the negative self-talk, and you will cling to the belief that there are so many things you can’t do.  Surely it’s worth just a little speculation?   So how can you test this hypothesis out?

1.  Pick one thing that you can ‘speculate’ about. (This will be your goal) 2. Be clear about what you hope to ‘accumulate’ (How will you feel, what will you gain when you reach your goal?) 3. Be prepared to step outside your comfort zone. 4. Commit to not giving up at the first hurdle 5. Don’t expect miracles.  It may take some time to see the improvements you want.

Summary Hollywood studios and film makers speculate with vast sums of money and their actors.  You need to speculate with your inner strength, being prepared to step outside your comfort zone and complete some tasks in order to accumulate some confidence.  From my point of view – I agree with the writer that the old adage of  "You have to speculate to accumulate" holds true.