Friday, June 5, 2015

You're right...

I was a conference last Friday for a Multi Level Marketing event.

I'm not a fan of MLM. Although for some "the business" can very lucrative, it's just not my idea of a good time. And I want to have fun when I make money.

I didn't go to this event because a friend convinced me to go. I went because of a coincidence. I love coincidences. There's something unnatural about them. They feel like a chaotic series of events that should have no relevance together, and then BAM, it all makes sense.

I've learned opportunity never knocks. It whispers in your ear. One form of the whisper shows up through coincidences.

Let me explain.

I was having a conversation with a business partner about Napoleon Hill. When I hung up the phone, I had a text from another friend telling me about a speaker coming to my town who was a Napoleon Hill certified speaker. The text came in about the same moment the first discussion took place.

I called back my business partner and told him about the amazing coincidence. I bought a ticket to the  event, knowing full well that it was a sponsored event by an MLM organization. He decided to come to.

They had some product for trial. I wasn't a fan. 

The speaker was ok. He lost me at one point because he said something that contradicted one of my beliefs about money. An audience member sitting behind me asked him what he meant by getting money to work for you. His response had to do with creating groups of people who would sell more product. I whispered to the friend, that's not money working for you, that's people working for you.  I fundamentally believe he was wrong. He was promoting his MLM scheme.

Early in his presentation he spoke about never getting into an argument. He said that whenever a disagreement surfaces, he goes to his safe place by saying, "You're right". A fight needs at least two people. Someone not willing to fight squashes the debate.

Fast forward a few days and it was my turn at speaking on stage. I was presenting marketing and business strategies to new entrepreneurs.  Someone in the audience said something that was absolutely ludicrous. I knew he was wrong, but he was so adamant, I could not win. I even gave him an out and he didn't take it. I wanted to pull up Google to show him when I'm on stage I don't rent the stage. I fucking own it. 

But I didn't. And it bothered me for the rest of the day. Not because some smart ass was stealing my thunder. It was because my ego was telling me if this bastard shows me up here, then everything else I am speaking about comes into question. This was the only thing he said all day. And I let his words hurt me.

I still have a lot of learning to do... 

PS. The coincidence was no random act. Not only did I live on two sides of the same argument, I was bored at the event. I started brainstorming on a name for a new project I'm working on. The energy in the room was strong enough to inspire me with it. I shared afterward with my business partner. He loved it too. I'll give you one word - Gladiator. 

Stay tuned...

No comments:

Post a Comment