As I continuously grow my business, I’ve found that people with regular jobs have started acting weird around me. Even the bank teller who used to be friendly with me seems to look frustrated to see me smile as I deposit a few checks. I feel like I don’t have much of a life lately, but even friends have been a bit more distant as I grow this thing with excitement. I don’t have a family, so things get a bit lonely. Snow day today…
I like this guy’s advice: I guess the “be prepared to spend a lot of time by yourself” part rings true…
I think deep down, everyone who is stuck “working for the man” grows to resent it over time. When they see someone who had the guts to do what they want to do but don’t, it bugs them. It’s probably more how they feel about themselves than how they feel about you.
I can’t tell you how many people, be it friends or family, tell me I should probably get “a real job”
Ive heard this mostly when I text or call someone during the day and hours later sometimes get back “oh sorry i couldn’t get back to you I was at work doing work”
I bust my balls when I’m working, it’s not my fault I can get to a job site and complete it in an 8/9 hour day often pulling in what people make in a week or more (after Uncle Sam takes his cut)
Ya I agree. Don’t gloat to people play it down a little , any time anyone ask so how is business I ways say not bad it could be better , but it could be worse. That’s all nuff said , no one needs to hear what I make or what I made on any particular job .
It envious greed… and the fact you are working towards something positive which takes time.
However what people dont realise is the financial and personal effort you have to put it to make it work and grow - these people who are envious, are then also no where to be seen if it was them, as they just want a cushy job.
Surround yourself with like others “winners”, not losers who are happy to go day to day earning that easy pay check.
Get some real friends… those who understand it takes a lot of effort to succeed in business and accept you will not always be there for the next drink. Friends who are not there when times get tough, are not real friends.
The ironic thing is that there may be some days in the future where you envy them (their ‘day’ is over when they leave work and all that other stuff).
Hopefully they will be few and far between. Not everyone is cut out to run a business with staying power.
And here I was thinking, “maybe the dude’s developing some B.O. from all this physical labor”…
Maybe I’m just oblivious or have become immune to negativity, but I don’t think I’ve ever encountered this problem. I’m fortunate in that many of my closest friends are also gainfully self employed, or at least have had the experience in the past.
I know I need to work on my attitude a little, as far as playing things down. It’s hard not to be enthusiastic when someone asks, “how’s business?”. But at the same time, people seem to be genuinely happy to see me happy. Including the tellers in the bank.
I think it’s important to not let any form of success go to our heads, or define ourselves by it. Financial success will not in itself make one happy, and is not the deciding factor in whether one is truly successful. I also believe it is equally important to celebrate the successes of others. People can tell when someone is truly interested in them, or if they’re being self-involved. Self employed should not equal self-involved. And most of all, I never, ever, want to look down on anyone who has a lesser level of financial success (even in the little thoughts I have to myself, when I gain some insight into someone else’s financial situation). It will not matter in the end who made $8/hr, or who made $80. So it really shouldn’t matter now. We should be just as happy for somone excited about their 50¢ raise, as we are when we’ve doubled our hourly with a cool new tool.
This philosophy works in the opposite direction, as well. By not defining myself by this sort of success, I will not envy those who have more, or find myself “looking up” to them.
These are just my musings on the topic, and some things I’ve been reminding myself of lately. Thanks for listening
The only time I act like I’m better than someone else is in sport . Ping pong , stickball , billiards , baseball, Ext ext. When it comes to other life things never make your self out to be superior. Read Dale Carnegie "How to win friends an influence people ".
I have a lot of friends for a reason cause I’m better than you at it. Ha. JK.
Well stated, all of your post.
It does seem pretty shallow to me to ‘look up’ to financially successful people. I look up to people with good character and good ethics who still have time to share and be patient.
So I guess for you, [MENTION=36863]walkthruglass[/MENTION], if you concern yourself with developing the traits of those you admire and avoid the ones of those who wear you out, you will be successful.
I’ve found that it’s easier to hang out with other small business owners. There are a lot of things that we just think about differently once we start this sort of thing. Sometimes it makes it harder to relate to someone who spends their day in a cubicle.
We, as window cleaners, have a distinct advantage over other successful people.
I find that when I say “I own a window cleaning company”, some people think that means I am standing outside of the Lincoln Tunnel with some windex cleaning windshield for a buck.
Let em think that. They don’t come looking for loans.
One more thing …
anyone that doesn’t realize that being successful requires a lot of work , an persistence , whether your a lawyer , doctor ,small business owner , CEO , Star Athlete is a total tool.
As long as that person who is successful at whatever isn’t gloating ,or making themselves out to be superior because of there hard work , an success
them whoever gets jealous an acts inferior or weird towards you then that’s there problem.
Go fly a kite bro what do I care what you think.
Go fly a kite is not what I really want to say. :). I’m toning that down a little
Sent from my iPhone using Window Cleaning Resource mobile app.
Ya Thats great the guy standing outside the lincoln tunnel with a spray bottle Ha.
I remember there was a time i couldnt even say i own a window cleaning business:D .
I was at a bckyard party at a frinds house Late to mid 90s he had all his kids friends parents were there we were all at table chatting it up … this one guy is a systems analyist, the other guy is a Lawyer the other one a Banker there all talking work im just sitting there listinin . I knew it was coming. “Sooo Mike what do you do . Ya im a window cleaner”… dead silence . I was like you know Professionaly squeegees, an strip washers “LOl " not like the guy at the corner of Pitkin and Pine .”
My girl friend at the time said "why did you get embaressed when you said that i was like you dont know me to good enough yet HUH. I was not embarresed are you kiddin who are those people to me what do i care what they think .
