I have learned that no matter what painful stuff happens in business, one has to work out how to turn it into a positive. It can be a lesson or even realizations that serve you more for the future!
10:50PM and two days ago it was my fine birthday. I was very blessed to receive hundreds of kind birthday wishes. In all direct honesty, Birthday’s (and Christmas) are quite difficult times of the year for me. Even though these days I have a great family which I am so happy me – I have had many rough Birthdays throughout my life.
Some of these included having a birthday while being homeless and quite a few just being alone (be it on my own Interstate working or say when I have been in between social groups). My Monday birthday was rocking, but there were some painful bumps to my day. I found that I was excluded from an event where I have helped someone with tons of support and introductions (great birthday present) and also I used it as a great opportunity to get out of a Project whereby a few people were really taking advantage of my time and connections and not looking after me.
It was certainly not a “Typical Birthday” by any stretch, I didn’t have a cake, got no presents and cards, no party or did even stop for a moment with the workload I have on me (which I totally love by the way!). Even though I had negative experiences on my birthday, it made me reflect on turning them into positive outcomes. Sure, I got some bad news that someone who I have supported took a position against me and is excluding me from some events – not my problem, I have done the right thing by them and it’s their problem! I know to be very careful around them now and put my effort in elsewhere. In addition too, with the project / people that were taking advantage of me – I could have let this worn me down, BUT I took action and informed them I have left the project to move on with my own life.
I had some “Painful” presents given me to that day, but with some intelligent thinking, accepting what others have done and then critical decision making – I used it as an opportunity to improve my life. And guess what? It was the most awesome and best present I could have ever wanted! With such decision making on my end, it has given me more time, given me less to worry about, helped me enhance my own personal circle of influence and gives me the opportunity to spend my valuable with more awesome people that the ones who have played me.
That in my book is a win and one top birthday present!
When you are an Entrepreneur and in particular in business for yourself, you can be confronted with many crazy situations. Sometimes the awesome, sometimes the predictable and sometimes quirky situations that make you think “Really?” In the Business Networking Leading I do, quite often I see all types of people and get treated in all sorts of manner. Sometimes people really look after you and sometimes they really screw you and the skill I have learned and my big realization is:
– Bad people do bad things to you. It’s their problem so work the situation so it benefits you!
It took me a long time to learn this. I would often be upset or take on other people’s issues but these days, I take the negative and work out how to make it positive. For example, with my “Birthday Presents” I turned them from negatives into life changing experiences and also this blog post for me to speak to you with! How is that compared to say being annoyed and feeling down about myself? (Which I would have years ago!).
My advice? In Business people are going to do bad stuff to you. Be it people wasting my time in projects, using me for referrals and then excluding me or whatever Violin playing stuff – life is short, turn the negative into fun as much as you can and focus on playing your game – YOUR WAY!
Thank you for the read awesome friends and like always, if you love my stuff – check out my course “The Awesome Marketing Vault” – Online Sales & Marketing Action!
Happy days awesome people and talk soon!
Edward Zia – Marketing Mentor and Happy Birthday Boy!
No responses yet