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Have you accepted you are different?

by ewenmack
15 replies
It's the time of year when we are around family.

The pull can be between family or being involved with sales and marketing.

And this can cause some guilt and grief.

I prefer to be immersed in sales and marketing.

Nothing wrong with my family.
Good people.

However I just accept I'm different than them.

And I accept that I'm different from the vast majority of people.

Saves the guilt trip.

Creates a inner harmony.

This post may help to understand yourself a little better.

Best,
Ewen
#accepted
  • Profile picture of the author socialentry
    There are some people that are not really worth having around day in and day out, because it's just so depressing to talk to them. They simply are unable to dream for themselves or for their kins and are simply not supportive.

    sucks when they are family members.
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    • Profile picture of the author TheBigBee
      Originally Posted by socialentry View Post

      There are some people that are not really worth having around day in and day out, because it's just so depressing to talk to them. They simply are unable to dream for themselves or for their kins and are simply not supportive.

      sucks when they are family members.
      Having a professional family helps. Folks who think and execute the way you do.

      Also - Life is math. In order for the 1% of US to make any money in this thing, it's better for US, that the 99% of THEM just don't get it.
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      FILL IN THE BLANKS!
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    • Profile picture of the author abbot
      Banned
      Originally Posted by socialentry View Post

      There are some people that are not really worth having around day in and day out, because it's just so depressing to talk to them. They simply are unable to dream for themselves or for their kins and are simply not supportive.

      sucks when they are family members.
      I agree 100%. It seems like my network outside of work is just so....bland... they never dream, strive, nothing. they're like robots that just follow orders their entire life. And when I used to talk about my dreams before I 'made it' they laughed and said good luck with that.

      Ive always been looked at differently. My family to this day, couldn't even tell you what I do for money.

      My workplace network are the only ones in my life I can relate to.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    I prefer to be around my children and grandchildren... my family. I do this to make a living. It's not as gratifying as spending time with my family.
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  • Profile picture of the author Peter Lessard
    Of any time of year this is the time where I am most focused on sales and marketing as it is a natural time of reflection and planning.

    To maintain balance and harmony in my life I ALWAYS make my first stop in the planning process to be days spent with my wife and kids talking about the previous and what everyone would like to accomplish this year to make sure our goals are inline.

    I am a very aggressive alpha typed personality. I learned a long time ago that even though I have the best interests of my family at heart when making my plans that simply bringing in the money is not enough to gain cooperation or for them to feel loved. They need to be part of the process or they feel run over.

    It may be obvious that if I hit a home run this year and manage to afford my wife and I the luxury of traveling the world while we work with some great clients that she should just be happy BUT the truth is that she will only be happy if I take the time to ask her where she would like to travel and if this is something she truly wants and can get behind as there will be some sacrifices to accomplish our goals.

    By making sure my family feels empowered I gain a level of cooperation that blows my mind. I have people picking up the slack for me or solving little problems before they get big just because they know what I am up to and are as excited about the outcome as I am.
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    • Profile picture of the author Eddie Spangler
      Originally Posted by plessard View Post

      Of any time of year this is the time where I am most focused on sales and marketing as it is a natural time of reflection and planning.

      To maintain balance and harmony in my life I ALWAYS make my first stop in the planning process to be days spent with my wife and kids talking about the previous and what everyone would like to accomplish this year to make sure our goals are inline.

      I am a very aggressive alpha typed personality. I learned a long time ago that even though I have the best interests of my family at heart when making my plans that simply bringing in the money is not enough to gain cooperation or for them to feel loved. They need to be part of the process or they feel run over.

      It may be obvious that if I hit a home run this year and manage to afford my wife and I the luxury of traveling the world while we work with some great clients that she should just be happy BUT the truth is that she will only be happy if I take the time to ask her where she would like to travel and if this is something she truly wants and can get behind as there will be some sacrifices to accomplish our goals.

      By making sure my family feels empowered I gain a level of cooperation that blows my mind. I have people picking up the slack for me or solving little problems before they get big just because they know what I am up to and are as excited about the outcome as I am.

      Sick post.

      Its one of the biggest mistakes I have made in the past.
      At certain times I had other's interest at heart BUT I assumed they wanted the same thing as me and were willing to make the same sacrifices WITHOUT discussing with them first.
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  • Profile picture of the author misterme
    I get together with relatives and they want to gossip about... relatives. Then I get together with She Who Cannot Be Named and her relatives want to yak about the those darn celebrities... as if we're talking about the neighbors... lord knows what angelina jolie is saying about us... and I'm reminded of Eleanor Roosevelt's quote:

    "Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people."

    If they weren't blood relatives, they really wouldn't be people I'd hang out with.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
    Have you accepted you are different?
    Yep, when I was a teenager. I was quite a bit older before I learned to appreciate it though.
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    Just when you think you've got it all figured out, someone changes the rules.

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  • Profile picture of the author Ian Ralphs
    Originally Posted by ewenmack View Post


    Nothing wrong with my family.
    Good people.

    However I just accept I'm different than them.

    And I accept that I'm different from the vast majority of people.
    completely agree Ewen.

    I know from my own experience that if you have a family (including extended family) that is from a predominantly 'employee' background, the concept of doing anything that isn't a 'permanent' job can be hard for people to get their head around.

    If you're from a family with more of an entrepreneurial slant to it, at least people will 'get' some of the motivation that you have to do things your own way, on your own terms.

    I believe a lot of it comes down to an individuals own idea of 'security' - for some people, that is a regular paycheck each month, year in year out. However, in today's economy and world, the notion of a job for life etc is a distant one, and if you put all of your faith in somebody else, it can be a risky route to take, not a safe one.

    People like the dream of a better life away from the 9-5 slog, but very few people will take the steps or put in the work to make it a reality....

    hope you survived the Xmas period OK!

    Ian
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  • Profile picture of the author mjbmedia
    for me it's easy , I combine sales and family, I sold my children into slavery. ;-) (joke)
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    Mike

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    • Profile picture of the author Ignas LT
      "Have you accepted you are different?"

      Well everyone is different, maybe in some things more, in others less but we are different, and we should accept that
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      • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
        We all seem to have the same experience.

        My wife's family is highly educated, very religious (in the best way) and they are all well adjusted, great people.

        But talking to them is a chore. None of them understand at all what I do, or how I make money. They are all employees.

        They either think I'm wealthy, or doing something illegal.

        They are normal, or maybe high-normal. They talk about sports, what movies they watched, who's having a baby...you know...human talk.

        Bless them, sometimes they will start talking about vacuum cleaners, to try to get me into the conversation...but that's the last thing I want to talk about.

        My wife's family is Gold. My parent's family (on my Mom's side) consists of very nice, warm people that are poor. And they think I'm rich. And that's kind of the relationship. If one gets into an MLM, needs a vacuum cleaner (always for free), or wants to borrow money, I get the call. But they call less now, because I never say "Yes".

        It saddens me to say this, but I avoid seeing them, not because I don't like them, but because it's uncomfortable for them and me. We simply don't share any of the same interests.

        I don't see my wife's family, unless my wife invites them over for dinner. They talk about their vacations as though it's a good thing. To me, a vacation is unproductive time (Kind of like being here..HA!). But I can't say that, or they look at me funny.

        And I know how this is going to sound, but it's very true. Everything I say about what I'm doing, sounds like bragging. Part of it is just my personality.

        But even the nicest of them eventually says something like "I wish we made more money" or "Wouldn't it be nice if we could...." and I so much want to say "I can help you with that"...but they really are just in love with the dream...not the reality.

        All my close friends are business owners...or retired business owners.

        Some of my wife's brothers/sisters/nieces/nephews are far better educated than I am..and I know a few are smarter than I am. (in specific ways)

        No, I'm not like them. I'm just very very glad that I have a wife that loves me despite these gaps.

        It's nice to know that I'm not alone.

        Originally Posted by misterme View Post

        You're my family now. You're my Ewen Mack Daddy.
        Wins "Cleverest post, December 27, 2013"
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        What if they're not stars? What if they are holes poked in the top of a container so we can breath?
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  • Profile picture of the author misterme
    You're my family now. You're my Ewen Mack Daddy.
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  • Profile picture of the author econnors
    I have accepted that I am different. I have worked two part-time jobs over the past year. I finally got a full-time job at one job and ditched the lower-paying, lower-opportunity job. I am still very interested in starting my own business. When I do start that business, though, I plan to avoid letting it take over my life. Why? Because I want to work to live not live to work. Spending time away from family is not my goal. Even if they don't understand me, I enjoy being around them.
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    • Profile picture of the author ThePromotionalGuy
      Am I different? Without a doubt.

      As for being around family and friends during the holidays for me it's the only time of the year that I'm not buried in business. Plus I've been married to my awesome wife for a very long time and if I want to keep peace in her...I mean our home I make this time about what she wants. Those rewards pay handsomely.


      Hey I just found out that I'm going to have 2 more grandchildren added to my quiver making that 8 grandchildren and my daughter was proposed marriage to from her long time boyfriend in front the wife and I yesterday. And yeah I cried like a baby in the crib seeing my daughter with tears of joy as she accepted his bended knee proposal.

      I like many of you have those relatives that are professional employees and want to school me about being in business for myself. They forget I've been a business owner well over 20 years but I still don't know what I'm doing or I could do it better if I listened to them.

      I've trained myself to listen quickly and speak slowly around them. What they never stop to realize is with their flapping tongues they reveal business opportunities that I seize upon. When they find out I benefited again and they ask how I did it I simply say, "I guess I just got lucky".
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