Have you ever had one of those days when someone just can't stop themselves from rehashing negative stuff blah blah blah?
I ran into a friend at a meeting that I have known for a couple of years. He's always seemed pretty cool, calm and collected at other meetings - but whoa - talk about MR. Negative to a capital N today. I observed the scene for a bit and wondered what was going on with this guy as it seemed out of place. I let it go because I don't know him all that well on a personal level and maybe he's just having one of those days? Not so fast...
He caught me on the way out of the place and asked if I had a few minutes to talk with him. Well, Ok I said let's go outside (honestly I wasn't too sure I wanted to get caught up in his story).
We sat on the steps and I gave him a long look - and said - so what's up with you today? Holy smokes he went on and on about some client that screwed 'him' over last month and he was expecting to see that client at the meeting but he didn't show up - blah blah blah. Hmmm? So let me get this straight, you are still mad that a business deal went south a month ago? Yes damn mad he said. Well what do you want to do about it? NOTHING he says! Ok....well I guess that's that then. He didn't like that answer much by the look on his face.
I asked him another question. So who is this affecting you or the other guy as you seem to be carrying around a load of negative BS? And I'm betting it's held you back from attracting other clients, or maybe it hasn't? So then he says to me - CRAP why do you always have to be so damn annoying. And then he started laughing. I just smiled at him and said.....well sorry about that but you asked me for my 2 cents and you know I deliver when asked.
I told him about a mentor of mine that taught me years ago to stop chewing ABC gum over and over and over. Who does that hurt? Nobody except you!
He liked that analogy and said, well your mentor was right. I screwed myself over and over and just kept chewing the damn gum. I'm done with that!
Enough Said! Give up Your ABC Gum...
I had a great dish session with a good friend and at the end of the evening, all the worlds problems went away. :)
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