Terrible Trio of Perfectionism, Narcissism and Workaholism

…I think we see these relations between perfectionism, narcissism and workaholism because they are all related to a third underlying variable – a weak sense of self that is plagued with many irrational thoughts (e.g., “I must be perfect to have worth,” “I must work to have worth.”) and an overcompensation for this low self-esteem with a paradoxical narcissism (individuals protect their weak sense of self with an overcompensation that portrays the self in a grandiose fashion). -Timothy A. Pychyl, Ph.D

Posted by: Brandon L. Blankenship

The Dream Stealer

The most disappointing thing about securities enforcement is the true con artist. Sure, we put a case together and send him to jail and that is just — but the investor-victim is never put back to the way they were before they met the con artist.

The disappointment comes because beyond sending the con artist to jail we are powerless to make the victim whole. Even if we could get the victims their money back – and we generally can’t – the con artist takes more than money from his victims.

Usually, people have a dream and they are looking for a way to pay for the dream. The dream might be a comfortable retirement, travel, mission work … whatever. While they are looking for a way to pay for the dream, they bump into the con artist. The con artist promises a return on their investment, yes, but there is more to it than that. The con artist becomes a vehicle to fulfill the dream — or at least that’s what he wants everyone to think.

More often than not, the con artist lives a life of luxury for a short time before his world implodes. The victims are robbed of the little bit of money they gave him hoping it would return enough for their dream.

Instead what little they had is taken. Their trust in humanity is shaken and their dream gone.

-Quote from an Investment Enforcement Investigator

### Brandon L. Blankenship

Image “Alone” used by permission CC Georgle Paules via Flickr. All rights reserved Brandon L. Blankenship ©2015.

The Saddest Part About Securities Enforcement

The saddest part about securities enforcement is that at the end of the day the con artist goes to jail but the investor cannot be made whole. The investor may never get their money back. The investor will never feel the original euphoria they had when they made the investment. The investors’ dreams have been taken. There’s no amount of punishment that an ever be exacted on the con artist that can ever repay all that was lost.