In-Fighting With People Who Don't Like To Talk About Money

12 replies
I'm just curious...

Am I the only one who's experienced this? Ending unprofitable relationships with those who don't like to talk about money?

While it's my favorite topic, most people seem to have more hangups about this than anything else. And would rather talk about how NOT to make it.

For example...

A long time friend who I "talk shop" with on a regular basis, became upset when I only wanted to discuss business and how to turn a profit that day.

Business. Money. I made it clear I wasn't interested in talking about anything else. And apparently it will prove to be the end of our conversations.

But what about you?

Has this ever happened to you? How did you feel about it?

Marc
#infighting #making #money #people #talk
  • Profile picture of the author J50
    I've never had those kind of friends, even friends who own businesses we talked about so much more than just business.
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
    Marc, over the course of my adult life I've ended many relationships when the single thing we had in common was no longer common. People change, they go in different directions.

    You don't understand why someone might not want to spend all of their conversational energy on how to turn a profit that day. I do. I also understand why someone might not want to talk only about politics, or celebrity gossip, or any other topic.

    I've never run into anyone only interested in talking about how to not make money, but I imagine that they might become as boring as someone who only wants to talk about how to make money.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tinkerbell
    Hey Marc,

    People are more than money. One of my favorite advices to give about money is that you should always remember behind the money are the people who give it to you.

    You don't get money from a list, from a tactic, from a strategy, from a promotion, etc. People pay you money. Living, breathing individuals with thoughts, dreams, fears, responsibilities, and a multitude of other "things" which might be on their minds along with thoughts about how to earn, save, or spend money.

    If you want someone to "show you the money", well, you gotta first look to the people who have it to give. It's always about people - never about money. Get the people part right, and the money issue takes care of itself.

    People have feelings, and when someone gets the "feeling" they are not important, that all you care about is money - whether it's getting it, saving it, spending it, whatever, a relationship break may occur. Hey, people like to feel they're worth more than money. <shrug>

    Maybe this friend of yours felt less important because you made it sound like you only cared about money? Maybe this person was appalled to think you'd written "people" out of the equation? Who knows?

    Still, I'm sure if you made it clear this wasn't the case, your friend would feel better. I'm betting that person misses your conversations as much as you do.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    I'm with your friend. I don't want to sit around talking about making money and turning a profit all day long. There's just so much more to life than that and someone with such a one track dialog would bore me to tears.
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    • Profile picture of the author butters
      It sounds like the conversation got a bit dull... He is a long term friend, if all your doing is talking about business all day and then actually doing work, where is the enjoyment in that? You talk to friends to chill out, talk about stupid crap you done together, laugh about the past or go and have a pint of beer with them. I understand that sometimes the topic will get brought up, thats fine, but all the time? Thats a bit much for me.

      (Personally not happened to me, I wouldn't want to do business with my friends )
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      • Profile picture of the author ElGuapo
        I'm not sure that any of us would have a better half if all we did was talk business and money. Come to think of it, if I did, I dread to think what kind of children we'd raise.
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        • Profile picture of the author Magic Mike IM
          I suppose it depends on the definition of "friend". With my REAL friends, I talk about everything, making money is just a part of it... but, if they are really friends, we are naturally interested in each others lives and families outside of just a business relationship.
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  • Profile picture of the author WarrenPeterson
    I have plenty of friends who share my love of business and the entrepreneurial life, but we rarely talk about money itself, unless we are talking about the concept of money, what money is, economics, politics, etc... but that is more of a philosophy conversation than a money conversation.... if that makes sense....

    Even with my business friends though, the conversations tend to move away from business and to more fun friendly topics...

    I'm curious, was this a friendship that started as a business relationship, which became friendly, or a friend relationship, which became business-like? Those can be two pretty different dynamics...
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  • Profile picture of the author Chri5123
    Originally Posted by Marc Rodill View Post

    I'm just curious...

    Am I the only one who's experienced this? Ending unprofitable relationships with those who don't like to talk about money?

    While it's my favorite topic, most people seem to have more hangups about this than anything else. And would rather talk about how NOT to make it.

    For example...

    A long time friend who I "talk shop" with on a regular basis, became upset when I only wanted to discuss business and how to turn a profit that day.

    Business. Money. I made it clear I wasn't interested in talking about anything else. And apparently it will prove to be the end of our conversations.

    But what about you?

    Has this ever happened to you? How did you feel about it?

    Marc
    Hey Marc,

    Awesome post, by the way Felix Dennis is one of my idols!

    I think i hear what you are saying, some people like the "idea of things".

    It is awesome to watch inspirational videos, seminars, read the books etc... but the work has to begin somewhere and this is where a lot of people fall down.

    Some people don't like focusing on JUST the money, maybe they find it callous or maybe deep down they know the idea won't make money so they don't want to think about it.

    If you are JUST speaking business or making money you need to speak to people that are making money.

    I am guessing your friend was not making money that is why he got a bit peeved.

    A guess of course.

    My point:

    "If you want to be a banker hang around with people that know banking."

    "If you want to be good with numbers hang around with accountants."

    "If you want to make money hang around with people that make money."

    Chris
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  • Profile picture of the author RedShifted
    I don't see a problem with it.

    Let me reframe. I see a problem with talking about it 99% of the time. But I definitely don't see a problem about having a common interest, and talking about that common interest at least 50% of the time.

    I mean me and my brother have been talking about money ever since we were teens.

    And guess what? We still talk about it. Not all the time, at least half the time we talk its about business.

    Now if its someone from WF, thats a different story. I'm not on here to make friends. I'm on here to talk about nothing but business/numbers/money. If someone doesnt want to talk about that stuff, then I question what you're doing here in the first place.

    -Red
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  • Profile picture of the author nicholasb
    Really the only people I talk to are business related, anyone I grew up with or family members can't relate to me on so many levels, and I can't relate to them so there is really nothing to talk about.

    And that's perfectly fine with me.
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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel Evans
    Originally Posted by Marc Rodill View Post

    Business. Money. I made it clear I wasn't interested in talking about anything else. And apparently it will prove to be the end of our conversations.
    There is a plethora of components that make up any kind of effective relationship.
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