Do You Have to be Ruthless to be Financially Successful?

[musclemom]

This question keeps cropping up in my mind. I honestly do not know anyone IRL who is really financially successful. Excluding something like a talent for investing, does a person who is REALLY making serious bank need to be at least a little ruthless?

 

[jnevin]

Ruthless, no. But business is business.

 

[billfred]

This question keeps cropping up in my mind. I honestly do not know anyone IRL who is really financially successful. Excluding something like a talent for investing, does a person who is REALLY making serious bank need to be at least a little ruthless?

I don't believe so. I think the key is you have to LOVE what you do. People use the "It's Business" excuse to be assholes but it really is not essential.

 

[Raptorex]

lots of good fortune is involved as well as good intuition as to when you are getting screwed.

 

[all the whey]

Don't get married and pump out some crumb crunchers.

 

[puddlemonkey]

Don't get married and pump out some crumb crunchers.

^^^^ key to success right there.

 

[vixensghost]

"A slave has but one master; the ambitious man/woman has as many masters as there are persons whose aid may contribute to the advancement of his fortune."

Sorry, just a quote my dad use to say.

 

[velvett]

lots of good fortune is involved as well as good intuition as to when you are getting screwed.

^^^ this I agree with

Every time I don't listen to my gut or break my own rules I screw myself or get screwed.

 

[all the whey]

^^^^ key to success right there.

Yeah.

Besides the obvious expenses. Your head doesn't get fucked up from the drama, bitching, etc.

 

[musclemom]

Ruthless, no. But business is business.

Bear in mind when I'm saying ruthless, the definition I'm thinking of is "pitiless: without mercy or pity."

I guess I'm asking what is your opinion of big companies who've moved their operations overseas, the board of directors and stockholders make big profits while long time employees in manual labor positions are left high and dry.

This actually happened to a woman I know. She was in her very late 50s and had always worked in assembly lines. The company she was with for the past 15 or so years moved to Mexico. She had a few years to wait before social security kicked in and she really tried to find a new job, but who wants to hire a nearly 60 year old woman with an 8th grade education?