My first office-type job wasn’t supposed to be an office job at all. I was a real estate agent. But since I didn’t take rejection from customers too well, I used to drink a lot of coffee in the back room with a small group of other agents. I got laughs complaining with them about how dim-witted certain co-workers were, how management made stupid changes, and how disloyal customers were. “Buyers are liars.” — at least that’s what we used to say.
I didn’t feel particularly good about myself, but I thought it was what I was supposed to do to fit in.
One of the hardest-working agents in the office was Angelo. He was always on the phone talking to customers or showing houses. He liked me and sometimes gave me advice on how to build my business. One day I asked Angelo for help and he said, “I don’t have time for you.” That hurt because I took it to mean he didn’t have time for people like me. Angelo had given up on me. In his eyes, I was hopeless.
It didn’t take me long to get smart and realize a guiding principle I still believe in today:
Putting down my co-workers, company and customers is the same as putting down myself. I’m there by choice. So, if I’m going to stay I’m going to make it work.
That was a turning point for me. I changed my attitude — which helped me to later win sales awards and to eventually own one of the biggest real estate companies in my city. People who know me well will tell you that to this day, I rarely complain.