TRUTH IN ADVERTISING
If I told you “Last week, I closed on the $9MM sale of a business I owned since 2015” then I would be speaking the Truth.
Since I am a decent writer, I could even add some extra sauce to the story and tell you all kind of fairytales how I brilliantly “manifested” all of this out of thin air because I have access to some “magical codes” that give me the Midas touch.
Nice story, maybe even good ad copy, but here’s the problem.
I’d only be telling you a half-Truth.
Because the Truth is I was the largest shareholder and Managing Partner, but I had six other investors in this deal and we still had a $4MM debt load to pay off so I am not quite the $9MM miracle worker.
More Truth is that this business got wiped out by hurricane Irma in 2017 and for 12 months we were teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. Furthermore, I had a personal guarantee on this deal which was only released last week when we paid off the loan — hence, I have been on the edge of bankruptcy since ’17 as the bank could call the loan at any time and I would be roast toast.
The even more ugly Truth is that when I got divorced in ’17 and this hurricane hit me right after, I nearly got wiped out. Things got so bad, I needed a financial lifeline from my own mother.
Yes, my own mom lent me money (at 6% interest, she’s a businesswoman) and I was only now able to pay her off as for years I still had some assets but my liquidity was really tight.
The most ugly Truth I wish you to know, is that there were countless times I came apart. In private, I would fall to my knees and beg for mercy and cry my sorry eyes out as I couldn’t see my way out at the time.
I climbed a beautiful high peak and then fell really deep.
At times, I lost all my confidence in myself, I didn’t know where to turn as circumstances had me in a vice grip.
The once proud Alpha was on his knees distressed as a helpless toddler time and again.
I am sharing this not to get a pat on the back but for those who think they’re the only ones. You’re not, I was there at one point even though from outside you would have never guessed.
I now know from my coaching practice there are so many — way too many — as this world can feel like a cruel place when the tide runs out and your chips are down.
And, since I am really about speaking my Truth, I don’t care for you to know that over the years I had many bouts with mild to severe depression as I just couldn’t see my way out. I even had suicidal ideations at times as my whole world came apart and my Ego got crushed in the process.
Yep, that would be more like real Truth in advertising because that’s more like what it really looked like when we pull the curtains back.
And, you know what, I am okay with it all. It is what it is, I learned more from being humbled by Life than I ever did surfing the big waves of fame, fortune, and applause.
One more thing, the biggest gift I received in all of this is not making some moolah last week and cleaning up my balance sheet.
Nope, the biggest gift I was given over the course of this whole ordeal is that I discovered who I truly am, what I am truly made of, and what I am truly capable of when the chips are down.
Even more so, I discovered whatever Powers are inside of me is inside of everyone else.
As, even though our stories and circumstances might be a bit different — I am you and you are me.
Stay calm and carry on, your Powers are vast and immutable — you just have to discover and master them.
And, my mission going forward — if anything — is to show and guide you towards them if you care for my help.
Love+Truth,
Robert