“Do not trust all men, but trust men of worth; the former course is silly, the latter a mark of prudence.” – Democritus (c. 460 – c. 370 BC)

Worth can mean value – as in, he generated $7,000,000 worth of sales in the last 7 months.

Worth can mean important – as in, it is not easy to build a successful business, but it is worth it.

Worth can mean great character – as in, she gains her position by showing her inner worth.

I think a lot of what holds us back, or casts doubt, or raises concern in our minds can be overcome by TRUST.

NO, do not trust the people who say “I have the complete A to Z solution to solve all your problems”.

NO, do not trust the people that make you feel less, using guilt or shame, for not buying their Thing even if they tell you it comes with a “risk-free” guarantee.

NO, do not trust the people who put on and show off appearances of wealth, fortune and success, it might be rented or on credit from a loan shark, or borrowed heavily against.

NO, do not trust the people that sell you on, “their Thing is simple and easy”. That’s BS. How would they know your situation?

NO, do not trust the people who hide their failure, or flaws or weaknesses.

Disclosing ones failures and flaws isn’t something we would normally think to share openly, but it truly matters. Even the challenging and embarrassing situations! This is important. I’ll tell you why, keep reading.

When I was going through The Family Courts process for my divorce, Trust in Business, was the only thing that saved me from bankruptcy. I trust my intuition. I trust the amazing relationships and the supportive foundation I established around my businesses. I do what I say I will do. I am committed to them. So when the ex’s legal team got disruptive I reached out to talk about my crazy situation with my clients, suppliers and team; the failed marriage, the flaws, the worthy history our businesses enjoyed together, and I asked them to give me a bit of time to recover. I wanted to ensure things would be right for them. They deserve that. And I didn’t let them down in my comeback.

“He who does not trust enough, will not be trusted.” – Lao Tzu (531 BC).

Whether it’s the people you work with, your clients and or suppliers, those who are aligned with your values will show up to work with you.

Just do the right thing. Do what you say you will do. Share the pros and cons even if it means you don’t get the business today. Over the years I have walked away from many business opportunities. One project alone was worth eight figures but I still decided to walk away because of the awkward divorce proceedings. It was the right thing to do.

Give and receive from the heart I say. Help those who want to do good things too. Share what works. Share what doesn’t work, all those gaps. Not only the gaps in the other players in the market but also about your own gaps, and how they can plug those gaps for themselves. Call it like it is, even in those challenging or embarrassing situations.

Like I said, share the failures and flaws and what the experience is like. And they will gain trust and confidence in you. Remember, being trustworthy matters to people of worth.

We eliminate all but the best options for them.

All this goodwill builds momentum. Like a snowball of integrity.

And that leads to building a business and a life of worth… of all kinds!

Democritus quotes “prudence”, as in be careful and be wise. I say “be smart, and be open to learning from wise men and women of worth”.

Your life is reliant upon, and built on how you treat people. Business is no different. So don’t forget, YOUR ACTIONS make people feel whether or not you have their interests at heart.

There is no doubt in this, “HAVING TRUST IS POWERFUL AND WORTH IT”.

But don’t trust my words. Instead, use your own goodwill and build it like you know you can. You’ll thank yourself later.

But if you would like to, thank me now for reminding you 😉

Here’s to blue skies ahead 🙂

Wes