I was talking to my mom today while she was leaving for work. She is 74 years old, just retired from working for the government after 20 years and she started her new job today (she's a nurse, by the way). She asked me how business was (as she always does) and I gave the normal canned response -- business is great, I'm busy and things are moving forward. I mean, what else are you supposed to tell your mom?
Every time she sees something on CNN about the housing crisis, she calls and asks if I need money and that she's bringing over groceries. I'm a first generation American and my parents came over to the United States in 1959. My dad still speaks broken English and still speaks as if Nixon, Carter and Reagan are still in office. My mom speaks very good English, but still has a very pronounced accent.
Today, my mom asked me if she is allowed to give me some business advice. How can I possibly say no? She's mom for godssakes! Truthfully, though, I'm sitting here thinking, what in the world can she possibly tell me about running a mortgage company?
She tells me that she has seen my television commercials and she knows that I have done my seminars all over the country. She goes on to say that I need to try to talk to fewer people more times. That statement scared the life out of me! For a few months now, I have been telling people that I used to believe that if I simply talked to more people, I would do more business. I have since changed my philosophy to speaking to fewer people more times.
It is that exact philosophy that I have been focusing in on -- speak to fewer people more times as opposed to more people fewer times. How in the world does my mom, who is a nurse, who I have never explained my business plan to or method of getting business know the exact thoughts that I have been thinking for the last 6 months?
It is moments like that which makes me want to put my head in a vice and seek professional help. It seems that I have spent more of my life trying to learn on my own and prove my parents wrong than simply accepting the fact that they know more than I do and I need to just shut my big mouth and listen to them (even if they do speak with accents). The greatest lessons I have learned in life have come from my parents first, my wrestling coaches, my school teachers and my friends (with my friends, it's kind of like the blind leading the blind though (lol)). The sickest thought of all is that none of them have ever charged me a nickel for their worldly advice.
Mom's words have, once again, only cemented my thoughts on business and sparked the fire inside of me to again keep traveling down the road I am traveling. Thanks again mom!!!!
It sounds so simple, yet how many of us really do it. Thanks mom!
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First...congratulations..you have learned something...that most people dont' figure out for a while..Mom's are always right..... :)