All of my life I was considered “lazy” because I didn’t like the idea of working for someone else doing something I didn’t enjoy … how is this lazy? Well, it’s not. It’s just that 99% of people truly believe you have to be lucky to succeed on your own and if you’re not working for some big company “you’re crazy” or not working for a corporation because you don’t want to: “you’re lazy”.
So, growing up I watched my dad work for Northrop Grunman in Los Angeles (El Segundo) and he’d leave to work REALLY early and spend hours on the Freeway and hours coming home … this, after he worked overtime to “beat the traffic”.
So my dad was obviously NOT lazy. I was, though. I didn’t like being a Paper boy at 12, but I still tried it for a few months. I also didn’t like working for Burger King when I was 16 … but I tried it for a couple of months. I worked for Hughes Market (no longer “Hughes”) for a few months before I tore muscles in my lower back (re-injured my back from a School football game) and had people telling me I was just being lazy … I was “acting like I was hurt” to get free money (workers comp). So, to shut people up I decided to stop workers comp and quit Hughes, which left me with an unhealed back injury that was supposedly an excuse for 8 years after, when it finally healed (not completely)!
I worked for several corporations over the past 10 years. I’ve also spent a lot of time learning while I wasn’t working. Dreams of becoming my own boss … the same dreams Millions of others have. But I considered myself different. Why? because it seemed that EVERYBODY was talking about “becoming their own boss” but I was TRYING. I started my own Auto Detailing company when I was 17 … why? Because I LOVED IT! I loved making a difference!
While that Business never became successful - I knew why it didn’t …
a) Not enough starting capital to purchase the Tools, Chemicals and Equipment I needed
b) I was unsure of myself after I noticed it wasn’t as successful as my dreams were.
c) I had little faith in myself because I had little help or guidance.
Nobody believed in me … I was a high school dropout who was a “screw up” of a teenager. I stayed in trouble more than I stayed out.
But nobody would listen either. I practically begged for help! I wanted to get out of the streets more than anybody at that time … but my parents could barely survive with the income they had, so I couldn’t ask them for a penny. Plus, I didn’t believe that they believed in me. I felt like they considered me to be the same loser as everybody else considered me. A “screw up”.
So I never got the same attention as normal teenagers got. Even in my early Twenties I worked harder at every job I had only to get recognized as the “bald headed guy” or the “gangbanger”. Sure, appearance is everything … but I didn’t feel comfortable becoming someone I was not. I was not a rich kid … I was not some surfer … I was not a computer nerd … I was not even a high school graduate. I was who I was and I felt that appearance was nothing — work ethics was everything.
But nope … I was even called “Lazy” because of my appearance. It was so disturbing that I could literally work 10 times harder than my co-workers and still get little respect because of my appearance. The way I looked had everything to do with other peoples attitudes.
People are just so stuck in their ways that they seem to lose reality and gain a false sense of realism that has been etched into the back of their minds by small minded, opinionated, people that have nothing but negativity to offer.
Later in life, I realized that the Web was the best thing I’ve ever discovered. Rather than being watched every time I make a move — I can go online and “become a new person”. Not only am I now considered a Hard worker - I’m also considered “trustworthy” by everyone I meet online.
Why? because people can’t judge me by my appearance unless they see my picture … the irony? the ironic part about that is: I still have people question my ethics AFTER they’ve already given me praise…all of this comes AFTER they see my picture. It’s great isn’t it?
I’m one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet in real life but I still get the same crap online, once in a while. I still get the fearful looks or the looks of anger (mad-dogging) and even the looks of disrespect. But the main thing is — I try to look the other way now.
The past few years (Since 2001 or so) have been great, though. I’ve taught myself so many things about the web. From HTML and a little Javascript to PHP (thanks to the help of a few others [Jason Ragsdale for one]) to SEO to Internet Marketing to CSS. If it weren’t for myself — I don’t know where I’d ever be.
Unfortunately lazy people actually do hurt your Business, though. Because of all the crap I’ve dealt with throughout my life - I’m quick to give people chances, even second chances. But third chances are really, really rare for me.
Over these last few years I’ve met a lot of people who actually DO notice the work ethics of myself … and some use it to their advantage and some use it FOR their advantage … yes, there is a difference in my book.
See … using something “to your advantage”, in my opinion, would mean to “take advantage of something” without over-welcoming your stay. But using something or somebody FOR your advantage is just “take advantage of anything and everything” … these are Sharks.
The West Coast is full of Sharks when it comes to Business and it’s easy to get eaten alive if you don’t watch out. Luckily I’ve had the pleasure of getting burned a few times over the years and I’ve taken note. I’ve learned a TON from Business people in the past 5 years, that’s for sure. There’s truly legit business people, on the fence and then downright nasty, evil f#king business people. I’ve dealt with them all …
Then there’s those people who, so badly, want to become Entrepreneurs that they attempt to piggy back all the way to the bank … heh…. luckily I’ve seen enough lately!
If you truly want to become successful in Business and STAY successful - do yourself a favor and learn. I know a lot of Book sponges (people who soak up information fast) who love learning but are too lazy to try those new things — I used to be like that, the difference was that I was too scared to do it, not lazy. There’s also those who are just too lazy to learn: these are the people I despise the most.
Why would you believe that you can walk into a Business and not try learning anything and make money? I’m sure there’s a few who have “lucked out” in life and got things handed to you — you’re not the ones I’m referring to. I personally know several people who tell me they’ve got “great ideas to start a new business” yet they ask me for guidance …
Sorry, I’m not someone who’s willing to take your idea and run with it so you can get rich while sitting on your ass …nope, not me!
Do yourself a favor — watch out for these people. If they have an idea - request a Business plan and if they provide this plan - do the same research to make sure it matches…if it does - then start bombarding that person (or those people) with trick questions to see what they do know about the Business. Ask for a Marketing plan, etc.
Just do yourself a favor and don’t jump into any Business ventures with people who don’t have a clue about the Business … the fact that these people want you in it tells you that they’re looking for a piggy back ride to the bank.
Lazy people are not meant for true Business. They’re looking for the quick buck and they’re looking for a stepping stone … don’t become that stone!
In the end: DO NOT GO INTO BUSINESS WITH ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL WITHOUT A CONTRACT, YOU’RE BEGGING TO GET BURNED!
Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking
