Dear Me,
I’ve worked for bad bosses before; I’ve been ripped off by crooks before; and I’ve believed what I wanted to be true in spite of the evidence, way too many times.
So, I’m writing this checklist to remind myself of what I already know, for the next time.
If someone tells me something unbelievable and ends saying, “it’s unbelievable,” that last statement is probably true.If someone begins telling me something with “believe me,” don’t.If someone boasts about being the greatest, the smartest, the most accomplished, remember that’s his insecurity talking, and it knows why it needs to keep on talking.If someone tries to label his competitors as “lying,” “crooked,” “little,” he probably knows those qualities very intimately.If someone says, “You can trust me because I’m so rich I don’t need your money,” ask where his money came from as I run away.If someone says, “I’m really, really rich,” it probably means he owes a lot to his lenders.If someone says he’s going to make my life better, but instead of explaining how, he keeps saying how great it’s gonna be, remember that my life is currently better than it will be if I let him.When someone tells me the game he’s playing is rigged, believe him because he rigged it.Listen for pronouns; how much of his conversation is about himself?Finally, remember, when I really want to believe in someone, ask myself what have they actually done to deserve my trust?Lovingly,
Me
Bruce Joffe
Piedmont, Calif.
