Page 4 - Do You Want to Make Friends—or Make Money?

So what do you do—especially if you’re not prepared to accept a lower level of success
simply to be liked more?

Answer: Prepare to be vilified. It’s probably
inescapable.

As you take actions that put you on track to make a lot of money, you’ll encounter hostility—
sometimes even hatred—from a good number of people. As you succeed in achieving your
financial goals, you’ll certainly make enemies. In fact, as you become more accomplished,
it’s highly likely you’ll make a lot of enemies.

Keep in mind that you should be prepared to make enemies, and some of them may very
well be close friends and professionals you’re currently working with. For example, as you
conduct negotiations that pay off well, your time becomes an ever more precious asset.
Simultaneously, your success acts as a magnet to people who want to pitch you an idea or
a company or, better yet, show you a way you can become more successful by teaming up
with them.

What tends to happen is that you end up pushing a lot of people away. These people
will, in turn, attribute certain personal characteristics to you—and they’re not likely to be
complimentary.

The upshot: If what other people—especially people you don’t have a strong relationship
with—say about you matters to you, that will seriously curtail your success and your ability
to become wealthy. Never let them determine your self-worth. Get used to being the villain
fast and concentrate on achieving your professional goals.

Prepare to deal with fools—gladly!

Another inescapable aspect of entrepreneurship is dealing with fools. You’ll often deal with a
plethora of fools who are not on your side—such as when you look across a negotiation table, for
example.

Now, most business owners feel frustrated, anxious and mad at having to deal with fools. This tends
to work against them and in favor of the fools.

But most self-made millionaires expect the business world to be populated by fools—and use that
to their advantage. Fools can be wonderful for your professional and personal financial success,
so long as you don’t try to change them and you learn to turn their foolish traits to your advantage.
With the appropriate skills, intent and practice, you also can capitalize on the dysfunctional nature
of fools to win at both negotiating and networking.
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