Posted by
Dave Kooker on Tuesday, October 02, 2007 11:52:55 AM
Let me be on the record. I am absolutely sick and tired hearing about those who can’t and/or don’t and it is always my responsibility to do something about it. Quite frankly, I have become numb wanting to be a compassionate giver if I am going to be also attacked for being a high achiever and successful.
In my worldview, we are the sum of all our actions. Every action we choose has a calculated consequence to bring benefit or adverse results to an individual’s life journey. I do not believe that life is in constant chaos and that we are just victims or lucky lottery winners in the end.
When my residential custodian (non-genetic) father used to physically and mentally abuse me, I left as soon as I could and joined the US Army at the age of 17. I acquired a four-year degree from college after my military enlistment. I have taken self-enhancing classes in philosophy and public speaking. I started my own property management and home renovation enterprise after work when I became divorced to keep me moving and to stay away from self-destructive behavior like alcoholism. All these selected actions where chosen with the calculation of positive returns on my effort. Overall, I have been successful.
In 58 months, my real estate venture turned 10K dollars into a 1.8 million dollar empire to date. You know that one has reached success when you lose the majority of your friends who were your friends during the bad times in your life. No one forced me to work 35-50 hours a week on my own after my corporate America job but I did it. It was a gamble that has paid off.
There is an odd phenomenon about the general American public. People love to watch another bleed but if you succeed, you are now a target of disgust and envy. The Federal/State/Local governments have done more damage with vote buying schemes in the past 60 years and class warfare to stifle rugged frontier individualism. Now non-achievers citizens with their hand out are treated with the greatest admiration by the government.
I do most of the maintenance of my multifamily properties myself. Property maintenance is never constant work. During busy times, I try to employ ‘Day Labor’ individuals to assist me. These people love to tell you their hard luck story for sympathy and extra money in their paycheck. You have to play tough love with these folks. I will quiz them back:
Why don’t you try working 40 hours a week instead of 20 hours a week?
Spend money on your car’s oil change instead of buying so much beer. The car engine would not have seized.
Don’t smoke marijuana so you can pass a drug test and get a job with that vendor.
Don’t ask me for financial first aid. That only enables you to not achieve.
Even to the middle class, what are you doing in your life to sabotage your life? Are you working at your highest potential? Let’s admit not everyone is going achieve the greatness of Bill Gates or Charles Branson. Let me say something very politically incorrect, ‘Men are not created equal in abilities and should not be compensated equally’.
Success is very simple. There is so much opportunity in this country because so many people are conditioned not to pursue it. The Federal/State/Local governments discourage high achievement but it is not to the oppressive point yet. An individual decides whether to walk up to the river of success with a teaspoon or a bucket. You are your own worst enemy.