A company was adopting a new pension plan. Everybody but Sam signed up for the plan which called for a small employee contribution. The company was paying nearly the full amount. The problem was that one hundred percent participation was needed, and unless Sam signed up, the deal was off. His fellow workers cajoled, begged, and pressured Sam to sign, but to no avail. He claimed the plan would never pay off.

The president called Sam into his office. "Sam," he said, "here is a copy of the plan, and here is a pen. I want you to sign. If you don’t, you’re fired!" Sam signed without a moment’s hesitation.

"Now," said the president, "tell me why you couldn’t have signed before?"

"Because," Sam said, "you’re the first person who explained it so I could understand."