One of the really nice things about owning your own business, is the bragging rights on people who never thought you would amount to much. Since most entrepreneurs were average students in school, you are probably one of those people. The kids that got the good grades are generally working for someone, somewhere they hate. Some of the most successful people I know, did not go to college and barely passed high school.
The smartest ones are working at some 9-5 job and judging from their Facebook posts, only like Fridays. It’s interesting to look back on those who thought they were better, or thought you could never do something. Not just back in high school but even today. You will have people who think you can’t go any further. They may think they are better than you or they may just resent you. Either way, they look down on you and wait for failure.
My last 2 years of high school I had this kid Tom in a few of my classes. This guy was as arrogant as could be. Total snob. He was God’s gift to this world and could do no wrong. He was too good for everyone and had serious anger issues.
To this day, I keep waiting to see him on the news after going postal somewhere. To Tom, I was a loser. Not as smart as him and it was a burden to have to put up with anyone not on his level. His parents must have really done a number on him.
They’re No Better Off
The interesting thing is that after I graduated high school, I had a job at Publix Supermarkets. No college, no internship or fancy job for smart people. Just a bag boy at a grocery store. Then one day we got a new guy in. Who was it? Good old Tom! With all his arrogance we end up in the same place. He hadn’t changed a bit either. Still as arrogant as could be.
A few years later I became a salesman with Nextel (now Sprint). As I was walking the mall one day, I stopped into one of our retail locations. Guess who was behind the counter? That’s right, good old Tom! Selling Nextel phones in a mall. We chatted for a bit and I of course humbly mentioned that I was doing sales for Nextel as well but not in retail.
It was really interesting to see that years after high school, we were both pretty much doing the same thing. His brains and smarts and good grades, landed him in the same job as me. The biggest difference being that he was selling to the consumer and I was selling to big companies, radio stations, etc. But in all honesty, we were both selling cell phones.
I have no idea what Tom is doing today. I would imagine he is working at some tech job. That is what he wanted to go into but was having a hard time getting hired. I would also imagine that he is the same arrogant person. Unless someone finally popped him one, to settle him down.
Use it as Motivation
I’m sure you have a very similar story. It may not be from high school. It could be a co-worker from an old job. It could be an old boss. But there was probably someone as arrogant as could be, who thought you were a loser. Someone who thought you could never be a successful business owner. Aside from freedom, money, more time with my family and a ton of other benefits. Proving people wrong, has been a great motivator for me to be successful.
It doesn’t stop. You will continue to meet people like that, just on different levels. Always remember how good it feels to prove them wrong.
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