BP Episode 350: How To Read Human Nature

[Ryan Beasley]

I listened to the podcast this morning with Robert Greene and let me just start by saying it is packed with psychological content. If you have not listened to it yet, go do that. They basically discuss how emotional intelligence and people skills are what lead to success in real estate or in business in general. I do have one thing to point out about that..

How come there are complete a**holes that are extremely successful? We all deal with these people and all I’m saying is that I have met more salty dogs in this business than kind/sympathetic that are wildly successful. If people skills are necessary to success then how to do some many people seem to succeed without it?

[Bill F.]

While I don't quite share @Mark Fries black and white view on the matter of what it takes to be successful, I think @Ryan Beasley that you are over generalizing and that leads you to ignore reality. 

Are their successful Aholes? Sure. Could it be that the industry they are in rewards that character trait while other industries don't? Yep. That's because some industries require different degrees of collaboration. Used car sales: not a ton of collaboration. Being a lawyer on a death penalty case, boat loads of collaboration. 

Final thought: who cares if they are an Ahole who is successful? That's their problem, not yours. Life isn't fair, good things happen to bad people, so what? Wasting emotional energy bemoaning the fact takes you away from your life's pursuit.