Hey Folks,
Two of my close friends had an argument this week and it’s sad. They don’t agree on some things and those things are important to them. That means that things probably won’t be the same between them.
This happens all the time, but today …
You are going to be disappointed in one of my friends.
If you know me at all, you know that I think the world of my friends.
Many of my friends are clients, partners and those very special people that come to jvAlert Live.
You know that I consider jvAlert Live attendees to be part of a very special family who are some of the most generous and giving people on the face of the earth.
I brag on you all the time.
In fact, I truly believe that there is no better place on earth for my friends to be than all together at jvAlert Live.
And now I’m going to tell you that one of my best friends is going to let you down.
It’s been a while, but I waited to tell you until now.
You see, I got an e-mail from a friend telling me that I should warn you about another friend that comes to jvAlert Live.
Apparently, things haven’t been going so well between my friends. Promises were made and promises broken.
Things didn’t happen that should have.
I don’t like to say negative things about anyone, but I’m going to warn you about someone, because a friend said that it was my duty to let you know and they are probably right.
When I tell my friends, the jvAlert Live family, subscribers and my clients about this person, some of you will be SURE that you know exactly who I’m talking about.
In fact, you may know deep in your heart that YOU told me to warn the rest of the world about this person, because you DID write me and tell me what happened to you.
But, you will be at least partly wrong …
Look I know that you think that I’m just trying to protect this person. People tend to think I’m a nice guy and you may think that I’m going to take the easy way out and just gloss over things. But the truth is …
One of my friends is someone that you don’t want to be associated with.
In fact, when I tell you who this person is you will agree that they are completely wrong about most things.
This person has closely held belief’s that you could never hold and I know that you are passionate about what you believe. After all what is right is right and what is wrong is wrong … isn’t it?
You know that they are a little strange, okay maybe you think they are downright weird.
And this person doesn’t just let you pass by without noticing them!
- They are passionate!
- They are loud!
- They talk about ideas that don’t make sense at all.
And you wish that this person would PLEASE GO AWAY!
Believe me I understand, because I’ve been disappointed in them a time or two just like you have.
You DO deserve a warning and you SHOULD be aware!
- My friend will let you down.
- My friend will fail to deliver
- My friend will disagree with you – loudly.
- My friend will never believe what you do.
But, here’s the bottom-line …
It may not be what you want to hear, but it’s the truth.
- That’s my friend and I’m not going to tell them to leave.
- They are still going to be welcome at jvAlert Live.
- No matter what they’ve done or how much they let you down or what they believe.
- No matter how wrong they are or how much they may hurt other people in the years to come this person will always be my friend.
- Whatever their country of origin, race, philosophy, religion or political beliefs are they are still my friend.
I couldn’t judge them if I wanted to.
I know how hard life is and it’s just not in me to condemn anyone.
I leave that to others, because…
- I am often wrong.
- I’ve let people down often.
- I often disagree with you.
- Whatever you believe, I will never believe as exactly as you do.
- Whatever your background, mine is different.
So do you think you know who my friend is?
Well you are at least partly wrong. Because this post is not about one individual, it’s about at least a dozen at ANY point in time and it’s happened over and over for as long as I’ve been involved with people.
My friend wanted me to warn you and you’ve been warned.
It’s only fair to know that people will disappoint you.
But you know what’s amazing to me?
- My friends will give when they have nothing to give.
- My friends will care when they have nothing to care about.
- My friends will love in the face of hate.
- My friends will have courage in the face of fear.
- My friends will stand up and die for you when they could live and let you die.
That’s the amazing thing about my friends.
All the best,
Kenneth A. McArthur
jvAlertLive.com
TheImpactFactor.com
InfoProductBlueprint.com
jvAlert.com
P.S. Here’s the addresses to find me on Twitter and Facebook
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/KenMcArthur
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ken-McArthur/20103565427
P.P.S. Hint, hint …
Want to learn everything I know for less than $15?
No Tags If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Ken,
Funny how you can write in such a way as to build anticipation throughout. By the last of the post, we are literally screaming to find out who you are talking about.
I understand where you are coming from, because many of my friends have feuded and I still maintain positive relationships with all parties.
Sometimes I wish I had the ability to say a word and all would be healed, but that would mean I am no longer human, as we humans can only hurt with words, we rarely try to heal with them.
Too easy it is to just toss out a friendship, instead of try to preserve it with whatever we have inside us.
People are human… after all. We cannot be deities or superheroes with mind control abilities to bend people to our will.
But we do have one weapon that no human has ever been able to resist, if used in the capable hands of the master markman… love. Unconditional love is the only way to describe that which heals more wounds than hospitals all over the land see daily.
And we have a sniper in our midst…
One who wields this weapon and can disarm the most irritable and obnoxious personalities with a simple tug on the trigger from 1500 meters.
Ken… you are that sniper! You use love to build relationships that most of us envy. You use compassion to melt icy hearts among us!
When we look for leadership, we find the one who holds back condemnation and contempt and instead brandishes love and compassion to forge alliances stronger than political parties!
Thanks, my friend, for being the kind of leader that we can be proud to follow!
Micheal Savoie
http://twitter.com/michealsavoie
Ken,
Micheal said everything so well above, he saved my fingers much typing! (thanks Micheal!)
Yes you sure did build the anticipation and I was waiting for the reveal, or partial reveal, only to find out you are really speaking about human nature. Any one of us at any time is the one who sounds the warning, the one who is being warned about and the “sniper”.
Human nature is a funny thing – we all have it. And we have all aspects of it. From a larger perspective, we are all One. So before we judge another or further another’s judging of another we need realize that in doing so we are only judging ourselves.
And always, what we are bothered by in another is what we don’t accept or like about ourselves.
In Appreciation,
Amy Flynn
http://allabout-energy.com
http://MoneyReikiHealing.com
http://twitter.com/allaboutenergy
Ken,
This post of yours touched me. Just about a year ago I posted a very similiar post on my blog called http://writeasrain.wordpress.com/2007/11/03/people-will-let-you-down/.
It expresses the idea of why another’s opinion can mean so much to us; and how it hurts when expectations dont match. We are all human beings who need positive human interaction to function at our very best. It is painful to treasure someone’s opinion only to be in the position of being let down.
The good news is that the human spirit is resilient. When a conscious choice is made to expect the best in others…in time, they will eventually prove you right and you look like a genius for believing in them. They will rise to the occasion. There is hope for your friends Ken because you believe in both of them.
Grow Up.
Yes, human nature. It is what it is. Makes it difficult to trust. Suffice that to say there’s nothing one can do about it. Expect nothing and you will never be disappointed. That is human nature.
Hey Ken,
Very provocative post really gets people thinking. Is it me he’s talking about or someone else? Course most think it’s never themselves always somebody else. It comes down to being human. The most well meaning and helpful person can and will get caught up in life that has extinuating circumstances at points in their life time.
A friend will remain a friend unless something major happens to strain an already strained relationship. We just keep positive not let the hiccups cause problems.
You definately have a way with words Ken, you do so good thanks.
Steve Chenneour
http://twitter.com/steve_chenneour
Ken,
Relationships is an important part of marketing. As you pointed out, every relationship is different. The chemistry between two people is unique, and every person is different depending on the situation and the person on the other end of the interaction.
In the end, we all have to take what we hear with a grain of salt, and make our own decisions. Due diligence applies to people as well as affiliate programs and business opportunities.
Thank you for making me think today.
Truer word were never written. I know, as a human, that I try to please too many people. In the end, I spread myself thin sometimes and all get burned.
It’s important to stay focused. I have taught & trained myself to now under-promise, yet over-deliver on my words…
Which bring me to my next point. I was having difficulty getting stories submitted to our blog for our military-charity-based site. The friends that have posted their stories have all been fellow IM-ers.
So, I was running out of content when my drill sergeant, Jim Donovan (http://budurl.com/caqz) came to my rescue. he is a true friend, as Mr. McArthur can attest. He knew my pipeline for stories was running on empty and he delivered (http://www.for-the-troops.com/?p=154). Both he & Mr. McArthur are both men of their words. If I had not met them back in June at JV Alert Live, I’d still be dreaming, talking & spinning my wheels instead of doing & acting on my words.
In closing, I ask that the readers here also do not make the same mistakes that I have made. Don’t try to please everyone. It’s just not possible- EVER. If you make a promise, try to stick to them- one at a time.
Whew!! You sure had me going there
. I was asking myself if it was someone I personally know. I am glad that it wasn’t. Anyway, I think I understand where you are coming from on this post. Unlike animals like our pets, relationships with people are very complex at best and the wires of communication can get garbled and mixed from time to time. It happens to me quite a bit 
). I think that was the point you were trying to make with it. Or that’s from what I understand from this post (a possible illustration of a misunderstanding or hurt feelings with people ? ).
Brilliant post Ken! Well written – Thanks for the great read.
I don’t see any cause for getting up in arms about the post. The ones that thought “is it me he’s talking about?’ should learn not to be so unsure of themselves, or get rid of their guilty conscience, and not be so SERIOUS.
Life’s like a box of chocolates…..And accept your true friends for what they are. You can’t choose your family, but you can choose your friends. Treat your friends how you want them to treat you.
Ken, you sure know how to get us curious! Interesting approach. Thanks.
Rika Susan’s Home Improvement News’s last blog post..Amarr And Ankmar Garage Door Insulation Or A DIY Job With Foam And Foil Kits?
l think it was great,it got people`s attention.
Hey Ken,
Yes it was deceptive, and most certainly caught my attention!! But knowing me and the work I do it could have by no means been appropriately directed at me – which is why I realised it was a ploy.. Notwithstanding that I absolutely HAD to read what it was about
) Human nature… However the business that the people are in that subscribe to your material would in all probability realise that you have so many subscribers, you are not going to possibly be in a position to pin point one of them… But yes, it was a catchy number and if it did the trick your subscribers are intelligent and have enough savvy to realise it is a marketing strategy that WORKED!!!
I for one will be adding you to my FB account, I see your link… I need to keep track of your ploys… amusing, yes, effective most definitely…
Blessings
Donnette
Human emotion is very complex and your post stirred up a bunch of it. My first thought was, “Oh, no..which Guru has been lying all this time?”
Pretty wild how our thoughts go wild sometimes until we know the facts.
Very intriguing and really right on. I loved it myself.
thanks,
Mark Potes
http://www.directoryoflansing.com
That is one helluva piece of creative writing. It’s great copy and doesn’t even come off as “copy”. That’s what makes it brilliantly clever.
Actually, I’d suggest reading it multiple times, it actually has more of an impact the 2nd & 3rd time through. Try it.
Ken, you called everyone your friend, and named yourself as the one (or a one) you were “warning” the reader about…that’s how I take it, if I’m trying to climb inside your mind.
And it’s brilliant, clever, creative, sneaky, thought-provoking and entertaining.
People, you just won’t get stuff like this in corporate America.
Thanks Ken, you wily S.O.B.
Your friend,
Jim Rodante
http://twitter.com/Referral_Pro
https://www.sendoutcards.com/rodante
You asked me if I enjoyed this post. No, I did not. I have been seriously tired and offended by loooooong silly posts no matter how wonderful the moral of the story is. Who needs all the darn words written by people who love to hear themselves talk. Read by people who ??? what ???? can’t get information any other way ??? I do not think it is respectful of time. Time could be put to better use, unless you are so rich you’ve already got all of your philanthropy and care giving bases covered. Thanks for letting me post my long winded comment.