Success Achieved Honorably Requires No Apology

Is it just me, or is anyone else fed up with these protesters who are turning beautiful city parks into trash-littered dump sites? On TV, I have yet to hear two protesters articulate the same group purpose. Some admit they came hoping there was free food. They’re confused, unorganized, and their ranks are dwindling. A guy in Atlanta has become the unofficial spokesperson for the local group and captures all the on-air face time. If he channeled his initiative more productively, he could have his own reality TV show by now. I have empathy for people out of work, but no sympathy for those who blame ambitious achievers for what they don’t have. Get real. The media claims the movement’s slogan is “We are the 99” referring to the wealth gap between the wealthiest 1% of Americans and the other 99. Well, I’ll speak for the 1%. My clients are all entrepreneurs, CEOs, presidents, senior executives and managers who run companies that employ, in total, hundreds of thousands of people who, in turn, provide good lives for their families, enjoy vacations, and send their kids to college. Their companies provide useful goods and services (bought by protesters), and they are the engine that runs America. They take financial risks and make sacrifices the 99% wouldn’t dare. They’re honest, hard-working, relentlessly overcome obstacles, tenaciously improve themselves, care deeply about their employees, and donate large sums (quietly) to worthy causes. Yes, they make a lot of money and deserve every penny. Are they corrupt? No! (Sure, there’s a 3% ‘dishonest fringe’ in every people category. But 97% of the 1% are exactly as I have described.) We should be protesting the protesters, who expect handouts and entitlements in return for nothing.

Question for You:

If you’re in the 1% - or aspire to be - are you embarrassed by your ambition and success? For heaven’s sake, stop it. Man up. You need not be boastful, but be proud, not ashamed, and never apologize or feel guilty for triumphs achieved honorably.

Power Thought:

“If you truly want a better life, do whatever it takes. Otherwise, give yourself and those around you a break and just admit you don’t want to pay the price, that you’d rather whine and complain than step out of your comfort zone and do what’s necessary to make things better for yourself.”  John Assaraf, author, speaker, entrepreneur.

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