Are you a trusting person? Or do expect the worst from seemingly everyone? The answer to that question is most likely related to the last time you were hustled, who you were hustled by, and for how much.
My father operated a gravel and excavation company, and like most small business owners, he needed to collect payment for services. I asked him if he ever got stiffed, and if so, what he did about it. His answer was simple. He said, “Hustle me once, shame on you. Hustle me twice, shame on me.” His choice of words were a bit different, but you get the idea.
I have lived by those words. I am generally a trusting person, but I try not to make the same mistakes with the same people twice. If I do, I have nobody to blame but myself.
The unfortunate truth is that there are a lot of hustlers out there, and we most all can become easy prey in certain situations. When we do, we become less trusting of others. That’s a learned response, much like the reason we don’t put our hands on hot coals a second time.
This might explain why the older that people are, the more cynical they seem to be. Maybe they have been burned more. Hustled more. Cheated more. Chalk it up to experience.
But doesn’t everyone deserve a second chance? Maybe. That’s a roll of the dice and depends on how much of a gambler a person is.
Meanwhile, the world might be a better place if we could all be a bit more trusting — at least the first time.
Have a fantastic Friday, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305 | 
