You may be surprised to discover there’s no such thing, per se, as “the truth”.
Three different people can view the same event, give three different mutually-contradictory interpretations of it, and all three would pass a polygraph with flying colors.
Also think about this: if there was one “truth”, then why do we have civil and criminal trials? If there was one definite answer, one “truth”, we’d all just…know they were guilty or innocent.
Then we have Winston Churchill: “For my part, I consider that it will be found much better by all Parties to leave the past to history, especially as I propose to write that history.”
Here’s another quote:
“I always tell the truth, even when I lie.” – Antonio (Tony) Montana, entrepreneur, travel agent, venture capitalist, real estate mogul
This phrase, from the “Bad Guy” speech during the dinner scene in the movie Scarface, has proven to be one of the most quotable lines from the movie (other than “Say hello to my little friend!”) because, well, there’s a grain of truth to it.
Tony is an entrepreneur – he created a business that sells a product, he makes sure the product is high-quality and popular with his customers, he deals with suppliers, he delivers the product to distributors, and those distributors sell it to his customers and return to him his share of the proceeds. Sure, Tony is a drug trafficker and the product is cocaine.
He’s a travel agent – he owns the “Montana Travel Company”. It plans vacations, books plane tickets and hotel rooms, and helps people get from Point A to Point B and back. Sure, the primary “customers” are the drug mules who bring the cocaine up from Bolivia.
He’s a venture capitalist – he provides the seed money to launch his sister Gina’s beauty salon, where women go to get their hair and nails done, and becomes her business partner. Sure, he’s also laundering cash from drug sales through the beauty salon so the money comes out looking like revenues from hairdos and pedicures.
He’s a real estate mogul – he buys and sells houses, buildings, and rental properties. He has Seidelbaum make the check out to the “Montana Realty Company.” Sure, he’s laundering cash from drug sales into real estate so he can flip it and make the money come out looking like proceeds from real estate transactions.
Not to mention, he has the “Montana Management Company” taking care of his rental properties. He has tenants who pay rent. Sure, a percentage of the apartments may be empty but are being “leased”; and on paper, his legitimate tenants may be reported as paying more rent than they’re actually being charged, all so cash from drug sales comes out looking like rent payments.
All that said, is Tony still an entrepreneur, travel agent, venture capitalist, and real estate mogul?
Are These Things, In Fact, True? Sure They Are. Absolutely!
Let’s apply that same principle to everyday life.
You can look at five things that actually happened and draw one conclusion.
I can look at five things that actually happened and draw a completely different conclusion.
Either you or I could be making what we feel is an honest assessment; or you or I could be interpreting facts not in dispute to create a conclusion.
Who’s telling the truth?
Nobody Is Telling “The Truth”, For It Does Not Exist.
Rather, in this scenario, each of us is telling OUR individual truth.
Like beauty, truth is in the eye of the beholder.
A person’s truth is formed within them, by the sum of their experiences, beliefs, life events, and more that form the lens through which they view the world.
Each person has different experiences, beliefs, life events, and more.
For our friend from earlier, the “truth” might be that their mate is a lying, cheating, loser jerk – and their so-called perfect ideal mate is boring – but it’s THEIR truth.
Just Like Two People Can Look At A Third Person And Disagree Whether The Third Person Is “Hot” Or “Not”.
I get this all the time from friends of mine who don’t have the same taste in women that I do. But it doesn’t matter. They have their opinions and preferences; I have mine. My life is mine to live, and I get to decide who I choose to live it with.
Just like earlier, when we discussed how it’s up to Giuliana to choose who to date and it’s up to Greg to decide who’s in his league. (Those two need to go out, and SOON!)
Consider that the next time someone who has no clue about you tries to call you a “liar” for speaking your truth.
Consider that the next time you find yourself calling someone a “liar” for speaking a truth that doesn’t match yours.
You are not a “bad person”.
They are not a “bad person”.
We’re all just speaking our truths.
What does this mean for your success as a Business Creator? Let’s find out.
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