I look back on the past 18 years as I have stepped into the “real world” and realize what I have lost from the perspective of just being a nice guy.
I used to be a really nice guy. The kind of guy that would stand for anyone to let them have the last seat. The kind of guy that would drop everything to help a stranger move. That kind of guy. I don’t think people really got pissed at me back then, other than that bitter feeling of “why is he such a nice guy, what’s wrong with him?”
I’m not really that nice anymore, and I look back and bemoan what happened to me.
When did I become so focused on the rat race, that I lost sight that the only place we are racing to is the grave? When did I lose focus on the fact that life was about relationships and not about money? When did I start putting success on a petistal, and knock down niceness?
Honestly, I’m not sure, but I can tell you that this topic is going to be a focus for me for the rest of the year, so I can get back on track.
(Before I get a bunch of emails – well probably two, if history is any predictor – saying, “Josh you are such a nice guy, I don’t know what you are talking about.” Please remember that this is all from my perspective, and knowledge of who I could be – and have been at times in my life. The fact that I may – or may not be – nicer than the general population, doesn’t change my vision of my personal potential. Plus I may just be nice to you.)