Why I never worked for my friend Ricky.
- Or anyone, pretty much, if you look at my "work history".

I remember my Dad yelling his lungs out at me once as if he were a school teacher and me the kid.

(upon quitting some idiotic job or being canned from there or what not)

“Look at your work history!” he went.

And he listed out a long list of the jobs I either left, or was canned from, or … I dont know, the “end result”.

(He left out the fact, of course that a certain Jack Ma in China was rejected from far more, didnt even get to WORK half those jobs he applied to, and look where he is TODAY? Hehe.

Of course, “those” people aren’t applicable.

They’re “those people!”

According to Mom, they have “drive and ambition!”

Truly Jeff Bezos was right when he spoke about being willing to be misunderstood long periods if you want to be an entrepreneur.

Bezos probably was – but he picked the right time to start – the internet was just getting off the ground, and online sales were a novelty.

And even him – his parents did give him 250,000 to keep the biz afloat in his earlier years – even when he told them it would probably never succeed! (70/30 was the split I believe).

Nothing if not smart is Bezos. Hehe.

Anyway where was I…)

As he went through it I had to stifle an internal chuckle.

I was pissed externally yes, but internally, I was laughing.

But anyway, this thing of “work a job” …

My friend Ricky, who remains one of my VERY BEST friends till this day – with whom Ive done BUSINESS too – key word being WITH, not FOR – has said this so many times I could write a book on it!

“Come work in my store!”

Now, they need good workers in convenience stores – folks that show up on time, stay till the store closes, dont skim off the top, treat the store as their own etc.

And, I’ve been on the phone so many times with Ricky hearing his complaints about the workers there – all very JUSTIFIED.

I get it.

But, what does the WORKER get in return – what security – or money – or … anything meaningful?

Exactly F all.

When you consider the fact that Ricky (who doesnt know Bozo Schofield, hehe, I should introduce him) when he buys a new house or sells his own, or whatever hires “$10 plus beer for the day” drunks off the street (sort of like Glyn, yes) to clean the place up – you get the drift.

Pay peanuts, get Bozos and monkeys.

To him its about saving a buck … which it might, I dont know.

But for me, I could never understand one thing – I mean, I get that he thought this business would never succeed.

Hey, my entire so called family and circle of friends told me that – and they continue to say it.

Hehe.

In the meantime, the one business I dont even promote that much – well, you’ve seen the rave reviews!

Not that this business doesn’t have ’em!

But really – why would I WANT to be a convenience store worker anyway??

Not like the store (he got it from his grandfather, then built it up – so it’s NOT that he built it from scratch) would provide me with a work permit or anything …

Not that I’d need one, but I’m just sayng – there would be no “contract”, no agreements in writing, nothing.

“But you’ll get a room”, he said.

As I see my friend Andrew in Bangladesh sending me pictures of an admittedly awful so called apartment where apparently the deal includes landlords allowing everyone and sundry to use private toilets (not EVEN kidding you) … I gotta think.

I mean really, why would yours truly – and believe me, I’ve been in the most desperate of situations in the past I have NOT told you about – want to do that?

I can’t understand why people – anywhere — would want to lower their DIGNITY AND PRIDE!

NOTHING IN LIFE IS WORTH MORE, trust Me on THAT!

Like one of my customers once told me,

“I have too much respect for myself and you to ask for discounts all the time!”

He’s right.

ANd he GOT some great discounts – no prizes for guessing why.

But really, working with friends is one thing.

The minute that changes to “for” – that dynamic and therefore the friendship changes.

Especially for Mercurial Firebrand Mookerjee sorts like yours truly …

True, if it’s the sort of “transactional” friendship a lot of people have – it would not just survive, but thrive.

But Ricky and me, were peas in a pod.

I used to stay over at his place when I had no place to go for the hols (when the dorms shut down).

Ricky never charged me a penny.

He even brought me “Colt 45” and “Magnum” from his store, hehe.

True, I paid for the beer. I would have paid the apartment rent too – yes (shared, I’d sleep on the couch in those days temporarily, eat Krystal’s…)

But he helped me in many ways – that no-one ever would think of.

So dont get me wrong, great guy – and he’s not offering me the “position” so he can subjugate me or whatever – quite the opposite, I suspect.

But, its that whole thing about freedom, about doing my OWN THING.

And that, my friend is what I have done all my life, and will continue to do so.

Never about money or benefits for me ultimately, it’s about being a FREE BIRD flying HIGH!

As high as only a truly FREE bird can!

And this spirit, my friend, embeds itself in ALL my fitness books and courses.

ALL of them.

And if you’re still on the fence about which one to get – THIS is where you start – the 0 Excuses Fitness System.

I’ll see you!

Best,

Rahu lMookerjee

PS – To me (if we’re talking in those days when I was really at my lowest) it’s NEVER EVER about “well, the shitty option is better than what you have now”.

To me its about GRINDING it out like Mike Pompeo keeps referring to (and precious few people understand why) doing what I WANT TO DO – not what someone else forces upon me – and ultimately making a grandstanding, outstanding SUCCESS OF IT.

Its about vision – about persistence – STICKING TO IT – and your DREAMS – when nigh everyone is against you – nay, not just against you, but up in ARMS against you, quite literalyl sometimes.

Thats what I have done all my life, that is what I WILL DO.

And perhaps Zero to Hero is the one book that encapsulates THAT spirit better than anything else I could say here!

OK, off for now. Back soon!

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