Perfect Criteria, Perfect Fit? No.

Just because a (wo)man fits your criteria, doesn't mean they're a good fit for you.

— Florida Made (@RichardMIATL) September 21, 2015

Is someone a good fit for you just because they meet your criteria (and vice versa)? That depends on who you ask. Some people say yes, others say no. The ones who say yes, appreciate the good, bad & ugly of a person. Those are the couples who last, so that's why I say yes. I also say no because you have some folks who look good on paper, but once you get to know them...red flags come up. They look good for a season, but they start showing their true colors. You didn't know the relationship was going to fail because you thought to yourself, "Such & such meets my standards (vice versa) so let me snatch them before someone else does" All goes well until the couple starts growing apart (yes, couples do grow apart). By growing apart, I mean both man & woman are going in different directions; they can't see eye to eye on important relationship issues. They fight more than most couples until someone comes to their senses (usually the woman, but sometimes men will end a relationship first) and end the relationship due to irreconcilable differences. It's neither the woman or man's fault; they weren't as good a fit for each other as they thought. In closing, someone may look good on paper but not be good for you long-term. Being a good fit doesn't mean there won't be differences in a relationship, it means you can look past your differences and focus on what drew you together from Day 1. To me, that's what being a good fit is all about.

Rooting For The Underdog

I like rooting for the underdog because they have more to prove. It's easy to stay on top of your game; just keep doing what you did to get to the top & stay there. In most cases, the underdog has no support. They only have their ability to rely on in hopes of coming out victorious. Because nobody expects the underdog to win, they go with the favorite given their track record of success. Today's blog is about a different kind of underdog: The one that's been dealt a bad hand from Day 1, and had to overcome great odds to get to the top. That's the underdog I want to speak on, so let's get into it. There's a small percentage of people who had a good start in life, probably 15%-20% at the most. Those people were extremely blessed with a good start. They never struggled, it seemed like opportunities fell into their lap and they capitalized on them. They can get anything they want based on word of mouth, and most people will oblige.

The other 80%-85% were dealt a bad hand from Day 1. Their lives were marked with pain & struggle. No matter how hard they tried, no one would give them a chance. These people have had doors slammed in their face and over time the discouragement wears on them. They may be down for a moment, but something smacks them in the face telling them they need to pick themselves up and keep pushing. Because they're used to being told no, they find a way to get where they want to be on their own. They figure if no one will help them, they help themselves. I've read many biographies of entrepreneurs, ministers, and other influential people who have overcome so much in their lives to do great things, and THOSE are the people I root for. Why root for someone who had a good start? I can't learn from no one who hasn't been through anything. I prefer to learn from people who know what fighting is all about; those who have overcome major challenges in their life to become successful.